Daily serum and salivary BDNF levels correlate with morning-evening personality type in women and are affected by light therapy

Introduction. BDNF is present in human serum and its level changes have been used as a marker of antidepressant efficacy in some psychiatric disorders. In addition, the positive effects of light therapy on major depression suggest that circadian-regulated factors should be taken into account in the management of mood disorders. The aim of the present study was to test ultradian fluctuations in serum and salivary BDNF levels and their interaction with light therapy in a sample of healthy women. Methods. The study included 16 young women. Psychopathological status and chronotype traits were assessed by SPAQ, BDI, STAI, TAS, and MEQ. Standard light treatment protocol was applied. Serum and saliva were collected at 8.00, 13.00 and 20.00 hrs on the same day and at the end of light therapy. Results. BDNF levels declined over the course of the day both in serum and saliva, and a correlation between diurnal BDNF trend and personality traits and habits characterizing the morning and evening types in healthy women was found. Conclusions. The present study is one of the first to show measurable BDNF in human saliva and to demonstrate its daily fluctuations in both saliva and serum of healthy young women. The correlation between diurnal changes in BDNF and the personality traits associated with body rhythms corroborates the notion that salivary BDNF may be a useful biomarker for stress-related research and different clinical investigations.Introduzione. Il BDNF è presente nel siero umano e cambiamenti nei suoi livelli sono stati utilizzati come marker per la misura dell’efficacia antidepressiva in alcuni disturbi psichiatrici. Inoltre, l’effetto positivo della terapia della luce sulla depressione maggiore suggerisce che fattori regolatori dell’attività circadiana potrebbero essere presi in considerazione nel trattamento dei disturbi dell’umore. Obiettivo del presente studio è stato quello di valutare in un campione di donne sane la fluttuazione ultradiana dei livelli sierici e salivari di BDNF e la risposta di questa neurotrofina alla terapia della luce. Metodo. Lo studio è stato condotto su 16 giovani donne. Lo stato psicopatologico e le caratteristiche di cronotipo sono state valutate con le scale SPAQ, BDI, STAI. TAS e MEQ. È stato applicato il protocollo standard della terapia della luce. Il siero e la saliva sono stati raccolti alle ore 8.00, 13.00 e 20.00 di ciascun giorno e alla fine del trattamento. Risultati. I livelli di BDNF si abbassano nel corso della giornata sia nel siero sia nella saliva ed è stata riscontrata una correlazione tra il trend diurno del BDNF e le caratteristiche di personalità mattutino-serotina nelle giovani donne studiate. Conclusioni. Il presente studio è uno dei primi che ha dimostrato la presenza di quantità misurabili di BDNF nella saliva umana e la fluttuazione ultradiana della neurotrofina sia nella saliva sia nel siero di giovani donne. Il riscontro di una correlazione tra cambiamenti diurni del BDNF e tratti di personalità associati ai ritmi del corpo corrobora la tesi di un’implicazione del BDNF salivare come marker biologico utile per le ricerche sullo stress e per lo studio di differenti quadri clinici

Association between serum carcinoembryonic antigen and endothelial cell adhesion molecules in colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the behaviour of pre-surgical serum levels of soluble (s)E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM) in patients with colorectal cancer, and to evaluate their possible correlation with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), pro-inflammatory cytokines and clinicopathological features with respect to their prognostic value in predicting metastatic disease. METHODS: Pre-surgical serum levels of sE-selectin, sVCAM, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and CEA were measured in 194 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, 40 patients with benign colorectal diseases and 59 healthy subjects. RESULTS: sE-selectin, sVCAM, TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer compared to either healthy subjects or patients with benign disease. Positive rates of sE-selectin, sVCAM and TNF-alpha levels were significantly associated with Dukes' stage D colorectal cancer, and all three variables were independently associated to the presence of distant metastases. Positive sE-selectin, sVCAM and TNF-alpha levels were significantly associated to CEA. TNF-alpha and CEA levels were independently related to the presence of positive levels of sE-selectin and/or sVCAM. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the host inflammatory response to cancer cells, and/or their released products (i.e. CEA), might be responsible (via cytokine release) for the elevation in circulating adhesion molecules in patients with colorectal cancer

Loss of CDKN1B induces an age‐related clonal hematopoietic disorder via Notch2 activity dysregulation

No abstract availabl

Diabetic ketoacidosis at the onset of disease during a national awareness campaign: a 2-year observational study in children aged 0-18 years

After a previous survey on the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset of type 1 diabetes in children in 2013-2014 in Italy, we aimed to verify a possible decline in the incidence of DKA at onset during a national prevention campaign