TY - JOUR
T1 - Is blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor a useful biomarker to monitor mild cognitive impairment patients?
AU - Balietti, Marta
AU - Giuli, Cinzia
AU - Casoli, Tiziana
AU - Fabbietti, Paolo
AU - Conti, Fiorenzo
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by the ‘‘Ricerca Finalizzata’’ grant 154/GR-2009-1584108 funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and Regione Marche to CG and by a grant from Università Politecnica delle Marche (PSA PJ040046_2018) to FC.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Mary Ann Liebert Inc.. All rights reserved.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Availability of reliable prognostic biomarkers that are also able to monitor preventive/therapeutic interventions in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial. Cerebral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) alterations were evidenced in Alzheimer's disease, but the value of blood BDNF in MCI is unclear, especially because of the incomplete/incorrect management of the numerous confounding factors unrelated to the disease. This study, applying a multidisciplinary methodological approach, aimed at clarifying whether blood BDNF can really mirror the cognitive symptoms of MCI, thus supporting the evaluation of clinical protocols' effectiveness as well as the definition of the conversion rate to dementia. Healthy elderly subjects (HE) and MCI patients were assessed for sociodemographic, neuropsychological, pharmacological, and lifestyle data, and plasma BDNF was measured (baseline); then, in the MCI cohort, the biomarker was tested in a comprehensive cognitive stimulation intervention (CS) as well as in a 2-year follow-up period. Plasma BDNF, cleansed from all the interfering factors, (1) did not discriminate HE and MCI patients; (2) in MCI patients reflected mood, social engagement, and subjective memory complaints but not cognition; (3) changed due to CS, although with no correlations to cognitive performances; and (4) predicted no functional deterioration. Our data indicate that the possible biased use of plasma BDNF in MCI is critically risky.
AB - Availability of reliable prognostic biomarkers that are also able to monitor preventive/therapeutic interventions in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial. Cerebral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) alterations were evidenced in Alzheimer's disease, but the value of blood BDNF in MCI is unclear, especially because of the incomplete/incorrect management of the numerous confounding factors unrelated to the disease. This study, applying a multidisciplinary methodological approach, aimed at clarifying whether blood BDNF can really mirror the cognitive symptoms of MCI, thus supporting the evaluation of clinical protocols' effectiveness as well as the definition of the conversion rate to dementia. Healthy elderly subjects (HE) and MCI patients were assessed for sociodemographic, neuropsychological, pharmacological, and lifestyle data, and plasma BDNF was measured (baseline); then, in the MCI cohort, the biomarker was tested in a comprehensive cognitive stimulation intervention (CS) as well as in a 2-year follow-up period. Plasma BDNF, cleansed from all the interfering factors, (1) did not discriminate HE and MCI patients; (2) in MCI patients reflected mood, social engagement, and subjective memory complaints but not cognition; (3) changed due to CS, although with no correlations to cognitive performances; and (4) predicted no functional deterioration. Our data indicate that the possible biased use of plasma BDNF in MCI is critically risky.
KW - Biomarker
KW - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
KW - Comprehensive cognitive stimulation intervention
KW - Interfering variables
KW - Mild cognitive impairment
KW - Prognosis
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U2 - 10.1089/rej.2020.2307
DO - 10.1089/rej.2020.2307
M3 - Article
C2 - 32200710
AN - SCOPUS:85093705996
VL - 23
SP - 411
EP - 419
JO - Rejuvenation Research
JF - Rejuvenation Research
SN - 1549-1684
IS - 5
ER -