• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2005

Objects:Some studies have suggested that brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), one of the most important neurotrophins, is involved in pathophysiology of depression and suicide. This study was performed to determine whether there is an abnormality in plasma BDNF concentration in suicidal attempters. Methods:The subjects were 71 suicidal attempters who visited emergency rooms in multi-medical centers. All subjects had been interviewed by using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV(SCID), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS), Young Mania Rating Scale(YMRS), and Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS). The severity of the suicidal behavior was measured by Lethality of Suicide Attempt Rating Scale(LSARS) and Risk-Rescue Rating(RRR) system. Seventy-one age, sex, and diagnosis matched non-suicidal psychiatric patients who were consecutively admitted to a psychiatric ward during the same period recruited as psychiatric controls. They were drug-naive or drug-free at least more than 2 months. In addition, 80 healthy controls were randomly selected as normal controls. Plasma BDNF level was measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) methods. Results:In overall F-test, differences of the plasma BDNF levels among the groups were statistically significant(F=20.226, p<0.001). In the multiple comparisons(Scheffe), while mean levels of plasma BDNF between normal controls and non-suicidal psychiatric patients were similar(p=0.984), the BDNF levels of suicidal attempters were lower than those of other two groups(p<0.001). LSARS and RRR did not reveal any significant correlations with BDNF levels in suicidal attempters. Conclusion:These results suggest that reduction of plasma BDNF level is related to suicidal behavior and BDNF level may be a biological marker of suicidal behavior.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2006

Object : Nerve growth factor(NGF) is a protein involved in neuronal survival and plasticity in the central nervous system, which might play an important role in stress, depression and suicide. This study was performed to determine whether there is an alteration in plasma NGF concentrations in depressed patients with suicidal attempt. Methods : The subjects were 32 depressed patients who attempted suicide and admitted in emergency room. Forty-four hospitalized non-suicidal depressive patients and the 30 normal controls were closely matched with the suicidal group in terms of age and sex. Individuals in all 3 groups were evaluated independently by a semi-structured interview for the purpose of establishing a DSM-IV criteria diagnosis. The severity of depressive symptoms was evaluated using Hamilton depression rating scale(HDRS). The severity of the suicidal behavior was evaluated by Weisman and Worden's risk-rescue rating(RRR) system and the Lethality Suicide Attempt Rating Scale(LSARS). Plasma NGF level was measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method. Results : There were no statistically significant differences of the plasma NGF levels among groups. LSARS and RRR did not reveal any significant correlation with ${\beta}$-NGF level in suicidal depressive patients. Conclusion : This study do not support an association between ${\beta}$-NGF and suicidal depression. However it is necessary to investigate this association through other route such as postmortem brain.