Blood BDNF concentrations reflect brain-tissue BDNF levels across species

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic plasticity, neuronal differentiation and survival of neurons. Observations of decreased serum BDNF levels in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders have highlighted the potential of BDNF as a biomarker, but so far there have been no studies directly comparing blood BDNF levels to brain BDNF levels in different species. We examined blood, serum, plasma and brain-tissue BDNF levels in three different mammalian species: rat, pig, and mouse, using an ELISA method. As a control, we included an analysis of blood and brain tissue from conditional BDNF knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. Whereas BDNF could readily be measured in rat blood,…

• L
  Lundbeckfonden
• AF
  Augustinus Fonden
• HL
  H. Lundbeck A/S
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• NI
  National Institute of Mental Health
• NI
  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases