BDNF was the second neurotrophic factor to be discovered after the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).
In the brain, BDNF is expressed predominantly in the hippocampus, cortex, and synapses of the basal forebrain areas where it is vital to learning, memory, and higher thinking. BDNF is also expressed in muscles.
BDNF selectively supports the survival of primary sensory neurons, retinal ganglia and the survival and differentiation of certain cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons. It also modulates neural plasticity and predisposition to behaviors.
BDNF can recover re-innervation in the mature cerebellum thus it is applicable in trauma of the central nervous system (CNS). Both BDNF and NGF express neuroprotective effects on myelin, thus they are indicated in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Exposure to stress and the stress hormone corticosterone has been shown to decrease the expression of BDNF which can lead to depression.
On the other hand, the expression of BDNF is increased by voluntary exercise, caloric restriction, intellectual stimulation, curcumin, the neurotransmitter glutamate and various antidepressants drugs.
Various studies have shown possible links between BDNF dysregulation and conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, Huntington's disease, Rett syndrome and dementia, as well as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Post mortem analysis has shown lowered levels of BDNF in the brain tissues of people with Alzheimer's disease and a connection between depression and dementia has been suggested to be mediated by this neurotrophin.
BDNF is also a critical regulator of drug dependency since it causes cravings in opiate-dependent people; on the other hand BDNF has a role in maintaining long-term abstinence from alcohol in people with alcohol dependency.
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://cureswithoutsideffects.wordpress.com/2022/03/28/cytokines-series-brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor-bdnf/
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