Continuous decrease in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in a neuropsychiatric syndrome of systemic lupus erythematosus patient with organic brain changes

In the present study, the authors reported on a case in neuropsychiatric syndromes of systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with irreversible organic brain changes. The authors also longitudinally investigated serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the patient. We found that serum BDNF levels in the NPSLE patient with irreversible organic brain change were consistently low, independent of the severity of psychiatric symptoms. Thus, the longitudinal measurement of serum BDNF levels might be useful in predicting the prognosis of NPSLE

COMT Val158Met, but not BDNF Val66Met, is associated with white matter abnormalities of the temporal lobe in patients with first-episode, treatment-naïve major depressive disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging study

We investigated the association between the Val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, the Val66Met polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, and white matter changes in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy subjects using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We studied 30 patients with MDD (17 males and 13 females, with mean age ± standard deviation [SD] =44±12 years) and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (17 males and 13 females, aged 44±13 years). Using DTI analysis with a tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) approach, we investigated the differences in fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, and axial diffusivity distribution among the three groups (patients with the COMT gene Val158Met, those with the BDNF gene Val66Met, and the healthy subjects). In a voxel-wise-based group comparison, we found significant decreases in fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity within the temporal lobe white matter in the Met-carriers with MDD compared with the controls (P<0.05). No correlations in fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, or radial diffusivity were observed between the MDD patients and the controls, either among those with the BDNF Val/Val genotype or among the BDNF Met-carriers. These results suggest an association between the COMT gene Val158Met and the white matter abnormalities found in the temporal lobe of patients with MDD

Abnormal white matter integrity in the corpus callosum among smokers: tract-based spatial statistics.

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the difference in white matter between smokers and nonsmokers. In addition, we examined relationships between white matter integrity and nicotine dependence parameters in smoking subjects. Nineteen male smokers were enrolled in this study. Eighteen age-matched non-smokers with no current or past psychiatric history were included as controls. Diffusion tensor imaging scans were performed, and the analysis was conducted using a tract-based special statistics approach. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers exhibited a significant decrease in fractional anisotropy (FA) throughout the whole corpus callosum. There were no significant differences in radial diffusivity or axial diffusivity between the two groups. There was a significant negative correlation between FA in the whole corpus callosum and the amount of tobacco use (cigarettes/day; R = - 0.580, p = 0.023). These results suggest that the corpus callosum may be one of the key areas influenced by chronic smoking

Background of smokers and non-smokers.

<p>Abbreviation. AUDIT: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; TDS: Tobacco Dependence Screener Scale; FTND: Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; CO; carbon monoxide.</p><p>*Detailed information about the smoking-related clinical variables and the AUDIT scores of three subjects (N = 16) were not available. The mean AUDIT scores of the smokers (N = 16) was significantly higher than that of the nonsmokers (N = 18; smokers: 9.1±6.3; nonsmokers: 4.9±4.4; p = 0.022).</p

The correlation between FA levels throughout the whole corpus callosum and the amount of tobacco use (N = 16).

<p>There was a significant negative correlation between FA levels throughout the whole corpus callosum and the amount of tobacco use covariant age (cigarettes/day; R = − 0.580, <i>p</i> = 0.023). The number of spots was decreased from 16 to 13 because three spots represented the same data (three represented the FA level = 0.52 and N = 15, and two represented the FA level = 0.55 and N = 20; these spots are shown in gray spots).</p

TBSS and tract-specific analysis results.

<p>The red voxels represent the areas where the fractional anisotropy (FA) levels of smokers were significantly reduced with respect to those of nonsmokers. Compared with nonsmokers, the smokers exhibited a significant decrease in FA throughout the whole corpus callosum.</p