Several lines of evidence suggest that central
brain-derived neurotrophic factor (
BDNF) modulates food intake, metabolism, and increases in
body weight. Reports have also shown that serum
BDNF is altered in schizophrenic patients treated with
antipsychotics. This study aimed to determine if there was a relationship between
BDNF and
antipsychotic-induced
weight gain in patients with chronic
schizophrenia. Serum
BDNF was measured in 124
schizophrenia patients chronically treated with
clozapine (n=57),
risperidone (n=23) or typical
antipsychotics (n=44) and 50 healthy control subjects. To further assess group differences in serum
BDNF, additional analyses were performed in a subset of patients and controls individually matched for body mass index (BMI).
BDNF levels were lower in patients with
schizophrenia than normal controls. However, this difference was not present when controlling for current BMI. In the individually BMI-matched sample, no differences in serum
BDNF levels were observed in schizophrenic patients compared to BMI-matched healthy controls.
BDNF levels negatively correlated with BMI gain in female but not in male patients when gender was considered.
Antipsychotic class exerted differential effects over
BDNF levels and BMI gain. Our findings suggest that decreased
BDNF levels may be associated with
weight gain in female schizophrenic patients on long-term
antipsychotic treatment.