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In the present study, we investigated the serum BDNF levels and plasma IL-6 levels in patients with dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder and control subjects. Eighteen patients who met the DSM-IV criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) for dysthymic disorder (male/female: 5/13; age: 36 ± 9 year) and 20 patients (male/female: 7/13; age: 38 ± 10 year) who met the criteria for major depressive disorder were enrolled. The serum BDNF levels in patients with dysthymic and major depressive disorder were significantly lower than those in the control subjects. However, no difference was found between the dysthymic group and major depression group. The plasma IL-6 levels in the dysthymic group and major depression group were significantly higher than those in the control group. No difference was observed in the plasma IL-6 levels between the dysthymic group and major depression group. These results suggest that the pathophysiology of dysthymic disorder and major depression might be similar in terms of the blood levels of BDNF and IL-6. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Only two-thirds of depressive patients respond to antidepressant treatment. Recently, addition of an atypical antipsychotic drug to ongoing treatment with an antidepressant has been considered effective and well-tolerated. In the present study, we examined the effects of various atypical antipsychotic drugs as adjuvant to antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants and mood stabilizers, on plasma BDNF levels in refractory depressed patients. Forty-five patients who met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder (n =31) or bipolar disorder (10 with bipolar I, 4 with bipolar II) were enrolled in the study. Twenty-one were male and 24 were female, and their ages ranged from 28 to 71 (mean±SD=49±12) years. Plasma BDNF levels were measured using a sandwich ELISA. The plasma BDNF levels in responders (those showing a decline in HAM-D scores of 50% or more) were significantly increased 4weeks after the administration of each atypical antipsychotic drug, while the levels in non-responders were not changed. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the changes in HAM-D scores and the changes in plasma BDNF levels. These results suggest that adding an atypical antipsychotic drug to ongoing treatment with an antidepressant or mood stabilizer is useful and well-tolerated for refractory depressed patients, and the efficacy of atypical antipsychotics as an adjuvant might involve an increase of plasma BDNF levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Alcohol dependence is often comorbid with depression. The purpose of the present study was to compare serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels between depressive patients with and without alcohol dependence. Our subjects were 16 inpatients (M/F: 13/3, age: 48 ± 8 years) at our university hospital who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for both major depressive disorder and alcohol dependence and whose Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) scores were at least 15. Twenty sex- and age-matched depressive patients and 20 healthy subjects were also examined. Serum BDNF levels in the depressive patients with (9.0 ± 4.3 ng/ml) and without (9.8 ± 5.2 ng/ml) alcohol dependence were significantly lower than those in the healthy subjects (21.1 ± 7.0 ng/ml); however, no significant difference was found in the serum BDNF levels of depressive patients with and without alcohol dependence. Eight of the 16 (50%) depressive patients suffering from both depression and alcohol dependence responded to 8 weeks of treatment with antidepressant drugs which significantly increased their serum BDNF levels. These results suggest that the serum BDNF level is a useful biological marker for depression in patients with alcohol dependence. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]