Abstract
BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to affect development, cognition, attention and behavior. However, few studies have investigated preschool children with regard to these areas. We evaluated the relationship between cognition, attention and peripheral blood concentration of BDNF in preschool children.MethodsTwenty-eight children (mean age: 6.16 ± 0.60 years) were recruited. For all subjects, serum and plasma BDNF levels were assessed; intelligence was assessed using the Korean standardisation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (KEDI-WISC); attention was assessed using the computerised continuous performance test (CCPT), the children’s color trails test (CCTT), the Stroop color-word test for preschool children, and the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder rating scale (K-ARS); and finally emotional and behavioral problems were assessed using the child behavior checklist (K-CBCL). We confirmed the previously reported correlations between the various psychometric properties assessed and serum and plasma levels of BDNF in our sample.ResultsSerum BDNF levels were negatively correlated with both KEDI-WISC full scale IQ (FSIQ, r = −0.39, p = 0.04) and verbal IQ (VIQ, r = −0.05, p = 0.01), but not with the performance IQ (PIQ, r = −0.12, p = 0.56). There were no significant relationships between plasma BDNF level and VIQ, PIQ or FSIQ. No correlations were found between either serum or plasma level of BDNF and any of the attentional measures (CCPT, ARS, CCTT or Stroop color word test). The CBCL total behavioral problem and attention problem sections were positively correlated with plasma BDNF level (r = 0.41, p = 0.03), (r = 0.44, p = 0.02), however, no relationship was found between the serum BDNF and any of the composite CBCL measures.ConclusionsOur results suggest that high peripheral BDNF may be negatively correlated with intelligence, behavioral problems and clinical symptoms of neuro-developmental disorders such as intellectual disability in preschool children. A high peripheral BDNF concentration may, if these findings are further replicated, prove to be a useful biomarker for such issues in preschool children.
Highlights
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to affect development, cognition, atten‐ tion and behavior
A number of reports suggest a relationship between BDNF and the functioning of certain brain areas involved in attention and cognition [11,12,13,14,15]
We evaluated the relationships among cognition, attention and peripheral blood BDNF concentrations in children
Summary
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to affect development, cognition, atten‐ tion and behavior. Several reports relate BDNF levels to task performance in cognitive assessment of the rat [8,9,10]. A number of reports suggest a relationship between BDNF and the functioning of certain brain areas involved in attention and cognition [11,12,13,14,15]. The highest levels of CNS BDNF are found in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and amygdale [11, 12]. Both endogenous BDNF and intra-hippocampal BDNF infusion induce hippocampal long-term potentiation, which is critical to the physiology of long-term memory formation [13, 14]. BDNF plays an important role in the working memory of the prefrontal cortex [15]
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