Effects of fluoxetine and venlafaxine on serum brain derived neurotrophic factor levels in depressed patients

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 281 - 285
• Main Authors: Başterzi, Ayse Devrim, Yazici, Kemal, Aslan, Eda, Delialioğlu, Nuran, Taşdelen, Bahar, Tot Acar, Şenel, Yazici, Aylin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 17.03.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood; Cyclohexanols - therapeutic use; Depression; Depressive Disorder - blood; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Female; Fluoxetine; Fluoxetine - therapeutic use; Gender; Humans; Major depressive disorder; Male; Medical sciences; Mood disorders; Neuropharmacology; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Sex Characteristics; Treatment response; Venlafaxine; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; FLX; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; BDNF; Fluoxetine; Venlafaxine; Treatment response; Gender; VEN; Major depressive disorder; Mood disorder; Human; Biological fluid; Serotonin; Psychotropic; Sex; Phénéthylamine derivatives; Depression; Catecholamine; Reuptake inhibitor; Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; Treatment; Neurotransmitter; Antidepressant agent; Serum; Norepinephrine; Brain derived neurotrophic factor
• ISSN: 0278-5846; 1878-4216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.11.016

Several studies demonstrated that depressed patients had low serum BDNF levels which correlated with the severity of their depression, and antidepressant treatment increases levels of serum BDNF in depressed patients. It was speculated that agents acting on both noradrenergic and serotonergic transporters might have a greater influence on BDNF levels. The aim of our study was to determine effects of venlafaxine vs. fluoxetine on serum BDNF levels in depressive patients. Forty-three patients diagnosed as major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV are included in the study. Forty-three patients were randomized to take fluoxetine (22 cases) or venlafaxine (21 cases). Serum levels of BDNF were measured by ELISA at baseline and 6 weeks after the start of treatment. Baseline levels of BDNF were not significantly different between the patient group and the controls. But male patients and the male controls showed statistical differences with respect to baseline BDNF levels. BDNF levels of the patient group did not change with treatment. Yet, the increase of BDNF levels was close to statistically significant in the fluoxetine group, whereas not significant in the venlafaxine group. There were no significant differences in baseline and 6th week BDNF levels between the responders and the non-responders. Further studies controlling for a wide variety of confounding variables are needed, which may help to reach a clear conclusion about the potential of BDNF as a biomarker for depression or as a predictor of antidepressant efficacy.