Association between mental health and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in hemodialysis patients

Purpose: To clarify the association between the serum BDNF levels and the mental health status in HD patients. Design: Cross sectional study. Subjects and Methods: Seventy-seven Hemodialysis (HD) patients and 14 healthy subjects completed the 30-item version of the Japanese General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) and were assessed in regard to their serum BDNF content. Results: A significant negative correlation was observed between the GHQ-30 score and the serum BDNF level (r = - 0.34, p > 0.01) in all subjects. The serum BDNF level in the HD patients was significantly lower than that in the healthy subjects. The mean serum BDNF in the psychiatric distress group was significantly lower than that in the non-psychiatric distress group among the HD patients (OR = 4.78: 95% CI = 1.46-15.61). Conclusion: The mental health status in HD patients is therefore considered to be associated with lower serum BDNF levels, and this factor may be connected with the risk factors for arteriosclerosis, including insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia.