Plasma brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and response to ketamine in treatment-resistant depression
Colin N. Haile, James W. Murrough, Dan V. Iosifescu, Lee C. Chang, Rayan K. Al Jurdi, Alexandra L. Foulkes, Sidra Iqbal, James J. Mahoney, Richard de la Garza, Dennis S. Charney, Thomas F. Newton, Sanjay J. Mathew
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology October 8, 2013 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145713001119 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 22 |
| Population | Patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Interventions | Ketamine Midazolam |
| Duration | 240 min post-infusion, with follow-up at 24, 48, and 72 hours |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Neurotrophic factors Depression economics Antidepressant Biomarker Midazolam Oncology Anesthesia Hippocampus Pharmacology Receptor |
| Citations | 251 |
| Key findings | Ketamine significantly increased plasma BDNF levels in responders compared to non-responders, and BDNF levels were negatively correlated with depression scores. |
Abstract
Ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but the magnitude of response varies considerably between individual patients. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been investigated as a biomarker of treatment response in depression and has been implicated in the mechanism of action of ketamine. We evaluated plasma BDNF and associations with symptoms in 22 patients with TRD enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of ketamine compared to an anaesthetic control (midazolam). Ketamine significantly increased plasma BDNF levels in responders compared to non-responders 240 min post-infusion, and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores were negatively correlated with BDNF (r=-0.701, p = 0.008). Plasma BDNF levels at 240 min post-infusion were highly negatively associated with MADRS scores at 240 min (r = -0.897, p=.002), 24 h (r = -0.791, p = 0.038), 48 h (r = -0.944, p = 0.001) and 72 h (r = -0.977, p = 0.010). No associations with BDNF were found for patients receiving midazolam. These data support plasma BDNF as a peripheral biomarker relevant to ketamine antidepressant response.