عامل نوروتروفیک مشتق از مغز در ورزش حاد کاهش یافته در بیماران مبتلا به اختلال پانیک

The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in depression and anxiety. Antidepressants and exercise increase BDNF expression, and both have an antidepressant and anxiolytic activity. To further characterize the association of anxiety, BDNF and exercise, we studied panic disorder patients (n = 12) and individually matched healthy control subjects (n = 12) in a standardized exercise paradigm. Serum samples for BDNF analyses were taken before and after 30 min of exercise (70 VO2max) or quiet rest. The two conditions were separated by 1 week and the order was randomized. Non-parametric statistical analyses were performed. There was a negative correlation of BDNF concentrations and subjective arousal at baseline (r = −0.42, p = 0.006). Compared to healthy control subjects, patients with panic disorder had significantly reduced BDNF concentrations at baseline and 30 min of exercise significantly increased BDNF concentrations only in these patients. Our results suggest that acute exercise ameliorates reduced BDNF concentrations in panic disorder patients and raise the question whether this is also found after long-term exercise training and if it is related to the therapeutic outcome.

The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in depression and anxiety (Martinowich et al., 2007 and Groves, 2007): a so-called ‘neurotrophin hypothesis of depression’ has been suggested, mainly based on a correlation of decreased hippocampal BDNF levels and stress-induced depressive behaviors, and vice versa, an enhancement of BDNF expression by antidepressants (Duman and Monteggia, 2006 and Sen et al., 2008). Exercise has an anxiolytic and antidepressant activity (Martinsen, 2008 and Ströhle, 2009) and also increases BDNF expression (Cotman and Berthold, 2002, Ying et al., 2005 and Gómez-Pinilla et al., 2008). In panic disorder patients, low BDNF serum concentrations have been associated with low response to cognitive behavioral therapy (Kobayashi et al., 2005). To further characterize the association of anxiety, panic, BDNF levels and exercise, we studied panic disorder patients in a standardized acute exercise paradigm.