Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a critical member of the neurotrophic family, plays an important role in multiple stress-related mental disorders. Although alterations in BDNF in multiple brain regions of individuals experiencing stress have been demonstrated in previous studies, it appears that a set of elements are involved in the complex regulation. In this review, we summarize the specific brain regions with altered BDNF expression during stress exposure. How various environmental factors, including both physical and psychological stress, affect the expression of BDNF in specific brain regions are further summarized. Moreover, epigenetic regulation of BDNF, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNA, in response to diverse types of stress, as well as sex differences in the sensitivity of BDNF to the stress response, is also summarized. Clarification of the underlying role of BDNF in the stress process will promote our understanding of the pathology of stress-linked mental disorders and provide a potent target for the future treatment of stress-related illness.
Highlights
When a person suffers from stress, there may be severe damage to multiple organs and systems
There are different phenotypes in anxiety and depression, antidepressants are reported to treat a set of anxiety-related phenotypes [23], which indicates the existence of shared mechanisms in these two disorders, which probably relies on Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
These findings indicate that stress can influence specific brain regions, leading to altered BDNF levels correlating with mental disorders, in a sex-dependent manner
Summary
When a person suffers from stress, there may be severe damage to multiple organs and systems. Before conversion to mature BDNF (mBDNF), the precursor of neurotrophin is first synthesized, which is known as proBDNF [5,6]. We mainly discuss the alterations of mBDNF levels in response to diverse stresses. The role of BDNF expression in stress-induced disorders has been examined but still remains unclear. We summarize current research regarding how different types of stressors influence BDNF expression in specific brain regions and their relationship with various mental illnesses. Epigenetic regulation of BDNF in stress-associated anxiety and depression is further discussed. In view of the multiple transcripts of BDNF and their particular functions, we summarize specific alteration of the primary Bdnf isoforms in response to stress. We illustrate that other critical factors may influence BDNF in stressed individuals, such as sex, stress patterns, and duration of stress
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