Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.

Emerging data suggest that Electro-Convulsive Treatment (ECT) may reduce depressive symptoms by increasing the expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Yet, conflicting findings have been reported. For this reason we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the preclinical a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M Polyakova, M L Schroeter, B M Elzinga, S Holiga, P Schoenknecht, E R de Kloet, M L Molendijk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0141564&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849320770738585600
author M Polyakova
M L Schroeter
B M Elzinga
S Holiga
P Schoenknecht
E R de Kloet
M L Molendijk
author_facet M Polyakova
M L Schroeter
B M Elzinga
S Holiga
P Schoenknecht
E R de Kloet
M L Molendijk
author_sort M Polyakova
collection DOAJ
description Emerging data suggest that Electro-Convulsive Treatment (ECT) may reduce depressive symptoms by increasing the expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Yet, conflicting findings have been reported. For this reason we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the preclinical and clinical literature on the association between ECT treatment (ECS in animals) and changes in BDNF concentrations and their effect on behavior. In addition, regional brain expression of BDNF in mouse and human brains were compared using Allen Brain Atlas. ECS, over sham, increased BDNF mRNA and protein in animal brain (effect size [Hedge's g]: 0.38-0.54; 258 effect-size estimates, N = 4,284) but not in serum (g = 0.06, 95% CI = -0.05-0.17). In humans, plasma but not serum BDNF increased following ECT (g = 0.72 vs. g = 0.14; 23 effect sizes, n = 281). The gradient of the BDNF increment in animal brains corresponded to the gradient of the BDNF gene expression according to the Allen brain atlas. Effect-size estimates were larger following more ECT sessions in animals (r = 0.37, P < .0001) and in humans (r = 0.55; P = 0.05). There were some indications that the increase in BDNF expression was associated with behavioral changes in rodents, but not in humans. We conclude that ECS in rodents and ECT in humans increase BDNF concentrations but this is not consistently associated with changes in behavior.
format Article
id doaj-art-b933f34492da4e9084139e2e6b8042b3
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-b933f34492da4e9084139e2e6b8042b32025-08-20T03:49:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-011011e014156410.1371/journal.pone.0141564Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.M PolyakovaM L SchroeterB M ElzingaS HoligaP SchoenknechtE R de KloetM L MolendijkEmerging data suggest that Electro-Convulsive Treatment (ECT) may reduce depressive symptoms by increasing the expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Yet, conflicting findings have been reported. For this reason we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the preclinical and clinical literature on the association between ECT treatment (ECS in animals) and changes in BDNF concentrations and their effect on behavior. In addition, regional brain expression of BDNF in mouse and human brains were compared using Allen Brain Atlas. ECS, over sham, increased BDNF mRNA and protein in animal brain (effect size [Hedge's g]: 0.38-0.54; 258 effect-size estimates, N = 4,284) but not in serum (g = 0.06, 95% CI = -0.05-0.17). In humans, plasma but not serum BDNF increased following ECT (g = 0.72 vs. g = 0.14; 23 effect sizes, n = 281). The gradient of the BDNF increment in animal brains corresponded to the gradient of the BDNF gene expression according to the Allen brain atlas. Effect-size estimates were larger following more ECT sessions in animals (r = 0.37, P < .0001) and in humans (r = 0.55; P = 0.05). There were some indications that the increase in BDNF expression was associated with behavioral changes in rodents, but not in humans. We conclude that ECS in rodents and ECT in humans increase BDNF concentrations but this is not consistently associated with changes in behavior.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0141564&type=printable
spellingShingle M Polyakova
M L Schroeter
B M Elzinga
S Holiga
P Schoenknecht
E R de Kloet
M L Molendijk
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.
PLoS ONE
title Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.
title_full Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.
title_fullStr Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.
title_full_unstemmed Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.
title_short Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Antidepressive Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of the Preclinical and Clinical Literature.
title_sort brain derived neurotrophic factor and antidepressive effect of electroconvulsive therapy systematic review and meta analyses of the preclinical and clinical literature
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0141564&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT mpolyakova brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature
AT mlschroeter brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature
AT bmelzinga brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature
AT sholiga brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature
AT pschoenknecht brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature
AT erdekloet brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature
AT mlmolendijk brainderivedneurotrophicfactorandantidepressiveeffectofelectroconvulsivetherapysystematicreviewandmetaanalysesofthepreclinicalandclinicalliterature