Growth factors and neurotrophins in patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder

Anna Sjörs Dahlman; Kaj Blennow; Henrik Zetterberg; Kristina Glise; Ingibjörg H Jonsdottir

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104415

Growth factors and neurotrophins in patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019 Nov:109:104415. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104415. Epub 2019 Aug 20.

Authors

Anna Sjörs Dahlman¹, Kaj Blennow², Henrik Zetterberg³, Kristina Glise⁴, Ingibjörg H Jonsdottir⁵

Affiliations

¹ The Institute of Stress Medicine, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden; The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: anna.sjors@vgregion.se.
² Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
³ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, United Kingdom.
⁴ The Institute of Stress Medicine, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁵ The Institute of Stress Medicine, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

PMID: 31472432
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104415

Abstract

Growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), and neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotophic factor (BDNF), have attracted attention in studies of the biological effects of long-term stress exposure due to their neuroprotective roles. This study investigated whether circulating levels of EGF, VEGF and BDNF were altered in individuals with stress-related exhaustion disorder. Forty patients diagnosed with exhaustion disorder and 40 healthy subjects (50% women) provided fasting blood samples for analysis of EGF, VEGF, and BDNF in plasma. We found significantly lower levels of EGF, VEGF, and BDNF in patients with ED compared to healthy controls. This pattern was seen in both male and female patients. Given the important roles of BDNF and VEGF for brain plasticity and neurogenesis, decreased levels after long-term stress exposure could indicate increased risk of neuronal damage and cognitive impairments in this patient group.

Keywords: Burnout; Exhaustion; Growth factor; Neurotrophic model; Neurotrophin; Stress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Brain / metabolism
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / analysis
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / blood
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / metabolism
Burnout, Professional / metabolism*
Burnout, Professional / psychology
Epidermal Growth Factor / analysis
Epidermal Growth Factor / blood
Epidermal Growth Factor / metabolism
Female
Humans
Male
Neurogenesis / physiology
Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
Psychophysiologic Disorders / metabolism
Psychophysiologic Disorders / psychology
Stress, Psychological / metabolism*
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / analysis
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / blood
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Epidermal Growth Factor