Levels of Serum Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis-Findings from the Longitudinal Youth at Risk Study (LYRIKS).
BACKGROUND
Identifying biomarkers to enrich prognostication and risk predictions in individuals at high risk of developing psychosis will enable stratified early intervention efforts. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor has been widely studied in schizophrenia and in first-episode psychosis with promising results. The aim of this study was to examine the levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor between healthy controls and individuals with ultra-high risk of psychosis.


METHODS
A sample of 106 healthy controls and 105 ultra-high risk of psychosis individuals from the Longitudinal Youth at Risk Study was included in this study. Ultra-high risk of psychosis status was determined using the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental State at recruitment. Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia was used to assess the severity of depression. All participants were followed up for 2 years, and ultra-high risk of psychosis remitters were defined by ultra-high risk of psychosis individuals who no longer fulfilled Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental State criteria at the end of the study period. Levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor were measured in the serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.


RESULTS
The ultra-high risk of psychosis group had significantly higher baseline levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor compared with the control group (3.7 vs 3.3 ng/mL, P=.018). However, baseline levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor did not predict the development of psychosis (OR=0.64, CI=0.40-1.02) or remission (OR=0.83, CI=0.60-1.15) from ultra-high risk of psychosis status.


CONCLUSION
Findings from our study did not support a role for serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in predicting outcomes in ultra-high risk of psychosis individuals. However, the finding of higher levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in ultra-high risk of psychosis individuals deserves further study.
['Yee|Jie Yin|JY|', 'Lee|Tih-Shih|TS|', 'Lee|Jimmy|J|']
D000328:Adult D000367:Age Factors D015415:Biomarkers D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor D016022:Case-Control Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008137:Longitudinal Studies D008297:Male D011379:Prognosis D011446:Prospective Studies D011618:Psychotic Disorders D018570:Risk Assessment D012307:Risk Factors D013997:Time Factors D055815:Young Adult
brain-derived neurotrophic factor ultra-high risk of psychosis peripheral markers