Abstract
Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) is a serious mental disorder that affects the development and emotional growth of affected patients. The brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is recognized as one of the possible markers of the framework and its evolution. Abnormalities in BDNF signaling in the hippocampus could explain the cognitive decline seen in patients with TB. Our aim with this study was to evaluate possible changes in hippocampal volume in children and adolescents with BD and associate them to serum BDNF. Subjects included 30 patients aged seven to seventeen years from the ProCAB (Program for Children and Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder). We observed mean right and left hippocampal volumes of 41910.55 and 41747.96 mm3, respectively. No statistically significant correlations between peripheral BDNF levels and hippocampal volumes were found. We believe that the lack of correlation observed in this study is due to the short time of evolution of BD in children and adolescents. Besides studies with larger sample sizes to confirm the present findings and longitudinal assessments, addressing brain development versus a control group and including drug-naive patients in different mood states may help clarify the role of BDNF in the brain changes consequent upon BD.
Highlights
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental disorder characterized by mood swings during which a person has distinct periods of impairing elevated or decreased mood and energy [1]
Studies in adults with BD suggest that neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress may be related to the etiology of this disorder [7, 8]
KauerSant’Anna and colleagues found BDNF levels were lower in patients who had multiple episodes of the disorder, which led to the hypothesis that episode-related reduction of neurotrophins could explain some of the structural changes in the brain observed in bipolar patients [11]
Summary
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental disorder characterized by mood swings during which a person has distinct periods of impairing elevated (mania) or decreased (depression) mood and energy [1]. Studies in adults with BD suggest that neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress may be related to the etiology of this disorder [7, 8]. KauerSant’Anna and colleagues found BDNF levels were lower in patients who had multiple episodes of the disorder, which led to the hypothesis that episode-related reduction of neurotrophins could explain some of the structural changes in the brain observed in bipolar patients [11]. BDNF is highly expressed in the cortex and hippocampus, areas of the brain known to regulate complex functions such as memory and emotion
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