BDNF mRNA Expression in Leukocytes and Frontal Cortex Function in Drug Use Disorder.

Quézia Silva Anders,Leonardo Villaverde Buback Ferreira,Ester Miyuki Nakamura-Palacios,Livia Carla De Melo Rodrigues

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00469

Quézia Silva Anders, Leonardo Villaverde Buback Ferreira + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00469

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Abstract

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin recognized to play a major role in neuroplastic modifications associated to drug abuse, being involved in various behavioral changes found in drug use disorders, such as drug sensitization, craving and relapses. These neuroplastic changes were shown to affect the prefrontal cortex functions, which can be briefly measured through cognitive tests such as the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). In this study we investigated the BDNF mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes of crack-cocaine use disorder (CUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients, after drug detoxification treatment, using a real-time PCR approach and examining its association to FAB performance. BDNF mRNA expression was found to be higher by 2.25-fold in CUD patients and by 2-fold in the AUD patients when normalized to controls, and these values were found to be associated with FAB scores. This preliminary study evaluates, for the first time, BDNF mRNA expression in leukocytes and its relationship to FAB scores in crack-cocaine and alcohol use disorder patients.

Highlights

The use of substances with addictive properties has been associated with various cognitive, behavioral and physiological dysfunctions
It has been demonstrated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a major role in neuroplastic modifications associated to drug abuse, being involved in various behavioral changes found in drug use disorders, such as BDNF mRNA Expression and Frontal Cortex drug sensitization, craving and relapses
Schooling was found to be significantly different between groups (p

Summary

Introduction

The use of substances with addictive properties has been associated with various cognitive, behavioral and physiological dysfunctions. One of its hallmarks is the maintenance of the drug seeking behavior despite negative consequences, leading to high rates of relapses throughout an individual's life span [1]. These addictive substances promote the phosphorylation of transcription regulatory proteins, such as cyclic AMP response element binding (CREB) and methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Once phosphorylated, these proteins activate the transcription of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which promotes structural changes in neuronal circuits [2, 3]. BDNF levels in peripheral blood were shown to be correlated to central nervous system concentrations in alcoholic patients [4]

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