Background: Many patients with major depression refer a decreased appetite and weight loss among their symptoms. Peptide YY (PYY) and ghrelin belong to the family of peptides of the gut-brain axis implicated in the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism. PYY stimulates a powerful central satiety response and ghrelin increases food intake and weight gain. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) also contributes to the central control of food intake as an anorexigenic factor.
Aim: To study fasting plasma total and acylated ghrelin, plasma PYY and serum BDNF levels in patients with major depression with weight loss as one of their symptoms and compare them with matched healthy controls.
Subjects and methods: Fifteen adult patients, 9 male and 6 female, with recent diagnosis of major depression, and 16 healthy adult subjects, matched by age and anthropometric parameters were studied. All depressed patients referred weight loss and were not under antidepressant therapy. Fasting total PYY, total ghrelin and acylated ghrelin and BDNF were determined.
Results: Fasting total PYY was higher in patients than controls (2.01±0.09 vs 1.29±0.16 pmol/l). There were no differences in fasting total ghrelin, acylated ghrelin or BDNF levels.
Conclusions: Major depressed patients, with weight loss at diagnosis, showed higher fasting plasma PYY levels that could contribute to their reduced appetite.