BDNF plasma levels after antidepressant treatment with sertraline and transcranial direct current stimulation: Results from a factorial, randomized, sham-controlled trial

Author(s):Show less -

Brunoni, Andre R. ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]} ; Machado-Vieira, Rodrigo ^{[3, 5]} ; Zarate, Jr., Carlos A. ^[5] ; Vieira, Erica L. M. ^[6] ; Vanderhasselt, Marie-Anne ^[7] ; Nitsche, Michael A. ^[8] ; Valiengo, Leandro ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]} ; Bensenor, Isabela M. ^{[1, 2]} ; Lotufo, Paulo A. ^{[1, 2]} ; Gattaz, Wagner F. ^[3] ; Teixeira, Antonio L. ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Univ Hosp, Ctr Clin & Epidemiol Res, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Univ Hosp, Interdisciplinary Ctr Appl Neuromodulat CINA, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Lab Neurosci LIM27, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept & Inst Psychiat, SIN, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] NIMH, Expt Therapeut & Pathophysiol Branch, Intramural Res Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD - USA

^[6] Fac Med Minas Gerais, Interdisciplinary Lab Med Invest, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[7] Univ Ghent, Dept Expt Clin & Hlth Psychol, B-9000 Ghent - Belgium

^[8] Univ Gottingen, Dept Clin Neurophysiol, Gottingen - Germany

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: European Neuropsychopharmacology; v. 24, n. 7, p. 1144-1151, JUL 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 24

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation intervention that modifies cortical excitability according to the stimulation parameters. Preclinical and clinical studies in healthy volunteers suggest that tDCS induces neuroplastic alterations of cortical excitability, which might explain its clinical effects in major depressive disorder (MDD). We therefore examined whether tDCS, as compared to the antidepressant sertraline, increases plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, a neurotrophin associated with neuroplasticity. Patients (n=73) with major depressive disorder were randomized to active/ sham tDCS and sertraline/placebo (four groups) in this 6-week, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial. We measured BDNF plasma levels at baseline and endpoint, observing no significant changes of BDNF levels after treatment. In addition, no significant changes were observed in responders and non-responders as well as no relationships between BDNF levels and clinical and psychopathological variables related to depression. Thus, in one of the few placebo-controlled trials evaluating BDNF changes over an antidepressant treatment course, we did not observe BDNF increase regardless of clinical improvement in depressed patients. Regarding tDCS, BDNF plasma levels might not be a good candidate biomarker to evaluate depression improvement or be a predictor of response in patients treated with tDCS, as our results showed that BDNF increase was not necessary to induce clinical response. Finally, our findings do not support a relationship between BDNF and improvement of depression. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/05728-7 - A factorial, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial on major depressive disorder using transcranial direct current stimulation
• Grantee: Felipe Fregni
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants