Ratio of plasma BDNF to leptin levels are associated with treatment response in major depressive disorder but not in panic disorder: A 12-week follow-up study

Abstract

Background: A link between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and the mood regulatory effect of leptin has been suggested in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). We investigated treatment response and pre-treatment leptin and BDNF in patients with MDD and with panic disorder (PD).

Methods: We recruited 41 patients with MDD, 52 patients with PD, and 59 matched healthy controls. All subjects completed five visits (at baseline, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks), and both MDD and PD patients were treated with standard pharmacotherapy for 12 weeks. Plasma BDNF (pBDNF) and blood leptin levels were obtained along with a 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale rating (HDRS-17) score at every visit.

Results: The ratio of pre-treatment pBDNF to leptin was significantly lower in patients with MDD and PD compared to healthy controls (p = 0.024), but was not associated with severity of depressive or anxiety symptoms. Pre-treatment pBDNF:leptin ratio was significantly higher in treatment responders than in non-responders (p = 0.012) in MDD but not in PD. This difference was larger in MDD patients with appetite loss (p = 0.034). In multivariate analysis, pre-treatment pBDNF:leptin ratio was significantly associated with treatment responsiveness (Adjusted Odds Ration [AOR] = 2.50, 95% CI 1.02-6.14) in MDD.

Limitation: small sample size; limited information on detailed pharmacological effects.

Conclusions: A relatively higher ratio of pre-treatment pBDNF to leptin was associated with greater treatment response in MDD but not in PD. Further research should focus on exploration of a link between BDNF and leptin underlying neuronal plasticity in depression.

Keywords: BDNF; Leptin; Major depressive disorder.