"Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels have been investigated in a clinical population who survived to the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake, along with the post-traumatic spectrum that considers not only full-blown expression of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but also subthreshold manifestations, such as partial PTSD, by using a dimensional assessment. A consecutive sample of 37 outpatients referring to the National Mental Health Care Service in L’Aquila for anxiety or affective symptoms after the earthquake, was compared to 15 healthy controls from the general population of L’Aquila exposed to the 2009 earthquake, matched for age and gender, and to 22 healthy controls from the general population of Pisa, non exposed to such event. Assessments included: the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis-I disorders Patient Version (SCID-I\/P); the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R) for the PTSD symptomatology; the Trauma and Loss Spectrum-Self Report (TALS-SR) for post-traumatic spectrum symptoms. Eleven patients were diagnosed as not having PTSD but a different pathological condition that justified the referral and 13 patients respectively were diagnosed as showing Full or Partial PTSD. The subjects without PTSD, but with anxiety or affective disorders, and subjects with full-blown PTSD showed lower BDNF level than subjects with partial PTSD and healthy controls. A not significant trend toward higher BDNF levels in subjects with partial PTSD than controls is also shown. Exposed and non-exposed healthy controls did not show different BDNF level, although these latter showing the lowest levels. Subjects with PTSD (full or partial) showed higher score in IES-R and TALS-SR score than subjects without PTSD. No significant difference was seen between partial or full PTSD. Different relationship with stress symptoms has been reported in partial and full PTSD samples. Our findings add more insight on the mechanisms regulating BDNF levels in response to stress and further proofs on the utility of the distinction of PTSD into full and partial categories along the spectrum approach."

Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor in earthquake survivors with full and partial post-traumatic stress disorder

ANGELUCCI, ADRIANO;DOMENICI, LUCIANO;ROSSI, ALESSANDRO
2013-01-01

Abstract

"Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels have been investigated in a clinical population who survived to the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake, along with the post-traumatic spectrum that considers not only full-blown expression of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but also subthreshold manifestations, such as partial PTSD, by using a dimensional assessment. A consecutive sample of 37 outpatients referring to the National Mental Health Care Service in L’Aquila for anxiety or affective symptoms after the earthquake, was compared to 15 healthy controls from the general population of L’Aquila exposed to the 2009 earthquake, matched for age and gender, and to 22 healthy controls from the general population of Pisa, non exposed to such event. Assessments included: the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis-I disorders Patient Version (SCID-I\/P); the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R) for the PTSD symptomatology; the Trauma and Loss Spectrum-Self Report (TALS-SR) for post-traumatic spectrum symptoms. Eleven patients were diagnosed as not having PTSD but a different pathological condition that justified the referral and 13 patients respectively were diagnosed as showing Full or Partial PTSD. The subjects without PTSD, but with anxiety or affective disorders, and subjects with full-blown PTSD showed lower BDNF level than subjects with partial PTSD and healthy controls. A not significant trend toward higher BDNF levels in subjects with partial PTSD than controls is also shown. Exposed and non-exposed healthy controls did not show different BDNF level, although these latter showing the lowest levels. Subjects with PTSD (full or partial) showed higher score in IES-R and TALS-SR score than subjects without PTSD. No significant difference was seen between partial or full PTSD. Different relationship with stress symptoms has been reported in partial and full PTSD samples. Our findings add more insight on the mechanisms regulating BDNF levels in response to stress and further proofs on the utility of the distinction of PTSD into full and partial categories along the spectrum approach."
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11697/88905
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