BDNF in schizophrenia, depression and corresponding animal models

• Published in: Molecular psychiatry Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 345 - 352
• Main Authors: Angelucci, F, Brenè, S, Mathé, A A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.04.2005
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Antipsychotic Agents - pharmacology; Antipsychotics; Brain injury; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - drug effects; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Central nervous system; Central Nervous System - cytology; Central Nervous System - drug effects; Central Nervous System - metabolism; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Dopamine receptors; Etiology; Humans; Hypotheses; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Neural networks; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - metabolism; Neurotoxicity; Neurotrophic factors; Pathophysiology; Psychiatry; Psychotropic drugs; Rats; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia - metabolism; Serotonin; Sweden
• ISSN: 1359-4184; 1476-5578
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.mp.4001637

Understanding the etiology and pathogenesis schizophrenia and depression is a major challenge facing psychiatry. One hypothesis is that these disorders are secondary to a malfunction of neurotrophic factors. Inappropriate neurotrophic support during brain development could lead to structural disorganisation in which neuronal networks are established in a nonoptimal manner. Inadequate neurotrophic support in adult individuals could ultimately be an underlying mechanism leading to decreased capacity of brain to adaptive changes and increased vulnerability to neurotoxic damage. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a mediator involved in neuronal survival and plasticity of dopaminergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we summarize findings regarding altered BDNF in schizophrenia and depression and animal models, as well as the effects of antipsychotic and antidepressive treatments on the expression of BDNF.