Time-Dependent Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Decline During Methamphetamine Withdrawal

Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused illegal psychostimulant, which is confirmed to be neurotoxic and of great damage to human. Studies on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in human METH addicts are limited and inconsistent. The purposes of this study are to compare the serum BDNF levels between METH addicts and healthy controls during early withdrawal, and explore the changes of serum BDNF levels during the first month after METH withdrawal. 179 METH addicts and 90 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited in this study. We measured serum BDNF levels at baseline (both METH addicts and healthy controls) and at 1 month after abstinence of METH (METH addicts only). Serum BDNF levels of METH addicts at baseline were significantly higher than controls (1460.28 +/- 490.69 vs 1241.27 +/- 335.52 pg/mL; F = 14.51, P < 0.001). The serum BDNF levels of 40 METH addicts were re-examined after 1 month of METH abstinence, which were significantly lower than that at baseline (1363.70 +/- 580.59 vs 1621.41 +/- 591.07 pg/mL; t = 2.26, P = .03), but showed no differences to the controls (1363.70 +/- 580.59 vs 1241.27 +/- 335.52 pg/mL; F = 2.29, P = 0.13). Our study demonstrated that serum BDNF levels were higher in METH addicts than controls during early withdrawal, and were time dependent decreased during the first month of abstinence. These findings may provide further evidence that increased serum BDNF levels may be associated with the pathophysiology of METH addiction and withdrawal and may be a protective response against the subsequent METH-induced neurotoxicity. Besides, these findings may also promote the development of medicine in the treatment of METH addiction and withdrawal.