Agomelatine Increases BDNF Serum Levels in Depressed Patients in Correlation with the Improvement of Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Background:Agomelatine modulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression via its interaction with melatonergic and serotonergic receptors and has shown promising results in terms of brain-derived neurotrophic factor increase in animal models.Methods:Twenty-seven patients were started on agomelatine (25mg/d). Venous blood was collected and brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels were measured at baseline and after 2 and 8 weeks along with a clinical assessment, including Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale.Results:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum concentration increased after agomelatine treatment. Responders showed a significant increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels after 2 weeks of agomelatine treatment; no difference was observed in nonresponders. Linear regression analysis showed that more prominent brain-derived neurotrophic factor level variation was associated with lower baseline BDNF levels and greater anhedonic features at baseline.Conclusions:Patients affected by depressive disorders showed an increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum concentration after a 2-week treatment with agomelatine. The increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels was found to be greater in patients with lower brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and marked anhedonia at baseline.

Effectiveness of agomelatine on anhedonia in depressed patients: an outpatient, open-label, real-world study

“…The efficacy of available antidepressants in anhedonia has been poorly evaluated in the past, even though anhedonia is considered, together with depressed mood, as one of the two symptoms of depression essentials for the diagnosis of the disease (DSM IV, 5). Some psychotropic drugs, also outside the class of antidepressants, have some good potentiality for this core dimension (Jaehne, Corrigan, Toben, Jawahar, & Baune, ; Martinotti, Pettorruso, et al, ; Lally et al, ), but data are still insufficient to draw any conclusion. Even if the results of agomelatine in this important symptom deserve to be confirmed in larger real‐life studies, they offer a very important property to this novel antidepressant that can have an impact in the management of depressed patients especially while considering quality of life and remission.…”

Anhedonia across borders: Transdiagnostic relevance of reward dysfunction for noninvasive brain stimulation endophenotypes

“…A recent review 50 analyzed the possible effect of agomelatine. Its action appears to be mediated mainly through neurotrophins elevation, 51 but further studies are required to prove its efficacy in reducing anhedonic symptoms. 50 Preliminary studies on rats showed that while fluoxetine did not show any antianhedonic properties, imipramine did, but only on a subgroup.…”

“…Anhedonia, as transnosographic symptom, has a good potential in dissecting the population involved in neuromodulation trials, in particular it could be used as an outcome predic- 65,66 In fact, the occurrence of anhedonic symptoms would detect possible response predictors to neuromodulation treatment. 51 As discussed, anhedonia has a relevant impact on patients' quality of life. It worsens the rate of suicidal ideation in different samples [67][68][69][70][71] and determines poor social functioning 72 and higher and prolonged hospitalization.…”

“…A recent review analyzed the possible effect of agomelatine. Its action appears to be mediated mainly through neurotrophins elevation, but further studies are required to prove its efficacy in reducing anhedonic symptoms …”

The Efficacy of Non-Pharmacological Interventions on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Peripheral levels of BDNF in serum are much higher than in plasma [7]. A considerable number of studies, at both the preclinical and clinical levels, have examined the relationship between BDNF and mental disorders, not just psychotic disorders but depression [8,9], anxiety disorder [8], post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [10], and Alzheimer’s disease [11]. A recent meta-analysis demonstrated that peripheral levels of serum and plasma BDNF were moderately decreased in schizophrenia compared with controls [12].…”