Abstract
We explained a general view about blood (serum or plasma) BDNF levels in depressed patients. Blood BDNF levels in depressed patients were significantly lower than those in age-and sex-matched healthy controls. A significantly negative correlation was found between serum BDNF levels and the HAMD-17 scores in depressed patients. Blood BDNF levels reflect both BDNF dynamics in the brain and the release from platelets. The specificity, but not sensitivity of blood BDNF is problematic. It might be ideal to combine matured BDNF with proBDNF which is involved in long-term depression and apoptosis for evaluating the depressive state.
