Pilot Study and Review: Physiological Differences in BDNF, a Potential Biomarker in Males and Females with Autistic Disorder
Eve G. Spratt *
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Ann- Charlotte Granholm
Department of Neuroscience and the Center on Aging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Laura A. Carpenter
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Heather A. Boger
Department of Neuroscience and the Center on Aging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Carrie E. Papa
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Sarah Logan
Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Humera Chaudhary
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Sarah- Wade Boatwright
School of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
Kathleen T. Brady
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States and Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: There is a need for more biologic research in autistic disorder (AD) to determine if biomarkers exist that would be useful for correlating to symptom severity and/or clinical improvement during treatment. Given the fact that AD is 4 times more common in males than females, gender differences in physiological biomarkers may be present. One potential biomarker that has begun to be studied is brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a peptide involved in the regulation of neuronal cell survival, differentiation, and plasticity, and possessing an ability to influence neurotransmitter systems by modulating gene expression. This pilot study examined whether serum BDNF differed according to gender in children with AD and whether differences were associated with a behavioral phenotype or severity of illness.
Study Design: Data for this investigation were collected during the participants’ baseline visit of an intervention study. Participants were males (n=29) and females (n=7), aged 5 to 12 years diagnosed with AD. Baseline serum BDNF concentration was determined for comparison to clinical ratings using an autism severity measure and the Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Behavior Inventory (PDD-BI).
Results: BDNF serum concentrations were higher in females (p<0.049). The baseline BDNF value corresponded significantly to hyperactivity in females (p<0.0002) but not in males. BDNF did not correlate with severity of disease in either gender.
Conclusion: Although this is a small study, a better understanding of the central role of BDNF may provide insight into the pathophysiology of the disease and elucidate why gender differences exist in prevalence and behavioral phenotype of AD.
Keywords: BDNF, autism, gender, hyperactivity, brain-derived neurotropic factor