No effect of escitalopram versus placebo on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy individuals: a randomised trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - No effect of escitalopram versus placebo on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy individuals

T2 - a randomised trial

AU - Knorr, Ulla

AU - Koefoed, Pernille

AU - Soendergaard, Mia H Greisen

AU - Vinberg, Maj

AU - Gether, Ulrik

AU - Gluud, Christian

AU - Wetterslev, Jørn

AU - Winkel, Per

AU - Kessing, Lars V

PY - 2016/4/1

Y1 - 2016/4/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) seems to play an important role in the course of depression including the response to antidepressants in patients with depression. We aimed to study the effect of an antidepressant intervention on peripheral BDNF in healthy individuals with a family history of depression.METHODS: We measured changes in BDNF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and whole-blood BDNF levels in 80 healthy first-degree relatives of patients with depression randomly allocated to receive daily tablets of escitalopram 10 mg versus placebo for 4 weeks.RESULTS: We found no statistically significant difference between the escitalopram and the placebo group in the change in BDNF mRNA expression and whole-blood BDNF levels. Post hoc analyses showed a statistically significant negative correlation between plasma escitalopram concentration and change in whole-blood BDNF levels in the escitalopram-treated group.CONCLUSION: The results of this randomised trial suggest that escitalopram 10 mg has no effect on peripheral BDNF levels in healthy individuals.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) seems to play an important role in the course of depression including the response to antidepressants in patients with depression. We aimed to study the effect of an antidepressant intervention on peripheral BDNF in healthy individuals with a family history of depression.METHODS: We measured changes in BDNF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and whole-blood BDNF levels in 80 healthy first-degree relatives of patients with depression randomly allocated to receive daily tablets of escitalopram 10 mg versus placebo for 4 weeks.RESULTS: We found no statistically significant difference between the escitalopram and the placebo group in the change in BDNF mRNA expression and whole-blood BDNF levels. Post hoc analyses showed a statistically significant negative correlation between plasma escitalopram concentration and change in whole-blood BDNF levels in the escitalopram-treated group.CONCLUSION: The results of this randomised trial suggest that escitalopram 10 mg has no effect on peripheral BDNF levels in healthy individuals.

U2 - 10.1017/neu.2015.55

DO - 10.1017/neu.2015.55

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26573431

SN - 0924-2708

VL - 28

SP - 101

EP - 109

JO - Acta Neuropsychiatrica

JF - Acta Neuropsychiatrica

IS - 2

ER -