Changes in CREB Activity and BDNF Plasma Levels in Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Özet

Objective: A number of studies were conducted to determine whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMPresponsive element-binding protein (CREB) play a critical role in synaptic plasticity and memory in neuronal survival and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) pathophysiology. Biological mechanisms and relationships for PTSD diagnosis or etiology are lacking. Therefore, further examination of the underlying biological mechanisms of PTSD is required. In the present study, we aimed to determine the relationship between plasma CREB and BDNF levels and PTSD. Methods: This study was designed to determine the association of CREB activity and BDNF concentration in peripheral blood of patients with or without PTSD. 50 drug-free patients with PTSD and 40 psychiatrically healthy control included in this study. All participants completed a form that included sociodemographic form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDE), and the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES). In order to assess the severity of PTSD, the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) was administered to patients by researchers. Blood was drawn from the patients under appropriate conditions and CREB and BDNF were studied. Results: The average age of the participants was 31.94±8.86. 37 (41.1%) of the participants were female. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of BNDF, CREB, BDI and DES values between the two groups (p-values were 0.001, 0.023, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the trauma types in terms of BDNF and CREB (p-values were 0.569 and 0.312, respectively). Conclusions: We found that serum levels of BDNF and CREB were lower in PTSD patients as compared to control psychiatrically healthy subjects. BDNF and CREB levels did not change with trauma types in PTSD patients. Therefore, these results suggest that CREB and BDNF might be involved in the pathophysiology of PTSD.