Abstract
The Brain-Derived Neurotrofic Factor (BDNF) is one of the most important neurotrophins in the brain and it is suggested influences the activity of the serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic pathways. In the last few years, it has been hypothesized that BDNF level is related with depression and sleep. Several studies show that depressive subjects present low levels of BDNF in the brain. Poor sleep quality is also related with alterations in the BDNF concentration. Some authors argue that most of the cases show that impaired sleep quality increases the stress and, consequently, the vulnerability to depressive disorders, suggesting that there is a relationship between sleep, depression and BDNF levels.
Highlights
Depression is currently among the four major diseases affecting the world population and is linked to high rates of impairment and mortality [1 - 3], and can be defined as a disorder with heterogeneous biological bases with a chance of affecting 10% -30% of women and 7% -15% of men throughout their lives
Clinical and preclinical studies suggest that Brain-Derived Neurotrofic Factor (BNDF) expression could be involved in behavioral phenomena linked to depression, and that modulation of this neurotrophin would mediate the action of antidepressants [4]
Antidepressants that decrease Brain-Derived Neurotrofic Factor (BDNF) levels can be effective in treatment of depression, can alter sleep pattern [16], which may increase GABAARs on the membrane of excitatory cortical neurons, while increase of slow wave sleep can return to baseline levels [17], while adenosine A1 receptors (A1R) plays a decisive role for antidepressant effects on sleep deprivation [18]
Summary
Depression is currently among the four major diseases affecting the world population and is linked to high rates of impairment and mortality [1 - 3], and can be defined as a disorder with heterogeneous biological bases with a chance of affecting 10% -30% of women and 7% -15% of men throughout their lives. Some authors speculate that BDNF has a potential role in the pathology and treatment of numerous psychiatric disorders [2]. Antidepressants that decrease BDNF levels can be effective in treatment of depression, can alter sleep pattern [16], which may increase GABAARs on the membrane of excitatory cortical neurons, while increase of slow wave sleep can return to baseline levels [17], while adenosine A1 receptors (A1R) plays a decisive role for antidepressant effects on sleep deprivation [18]. The relationship between depression and sleep disturbance is well delimited, but while typical depression is usually accompanied by insomnia, atypical depression is usually related to symptoms of hypersomnia [19] It has been speculating the relationship between BDNF, sleep and depression. Few studies appointing to a relationship among BDNF levels, depression and sleep, this issue is still unclear
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