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P0048 - Chronic heroin and cocaine abuse is associated with decreased serum concentrations of the nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

V. Ricci
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, UC.S.C., A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy
M. Pomponi
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, UC.S.C., A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy
G. Conte
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, UC.S.C., A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy
A. Di Gioia
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, UC.S.C., A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy
P. Bria
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, UC.S.C., A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy

Abstract

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Chronic cocaine and heroin users display a variety of central nervous system (CNS) dysfunctions including impaired attention, learning, memory, reaction time, cognitive flexibility, impulse control and selective processing. These findings suggest that these drugs alter normal brain functions and possibly cause neurotoxicity. Neurotrophins are a class of proteins that serve as survival factors for CNS neurons. In particular, nerve growth factor (NGF) plays an important role in the survival and function of cholinergic neurons while brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic plasticity and in the maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons.

Our goal was to identify possible change in serum neurotrophins in heroin and cocaine users.

In the present study, we measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) the NGF and BDNF levels in serum of three groups of subjects: heroin-dependent patients, cocaine-dependent patients and healthy volunteers.

BDNF was decreased in heroin users whereas NGF was decreased in both heroin and cocaine users (1).

These findings indicate that NGF and BDNF may play a role in the neurotoxicity and addiction induced by these drugs. In view of the neurotrophin hypothesis of schizophrenia the data also suggest that reduced level of neurotrophins may increase the risk of developing psychosis in drug users.

1) Angelucci F, Ricci V, Pomponi M, Conte G, Mathe AA, Tonali P, Bria P. Chronic heroin and cocaine abuse is associated with decreased serum concentrations of the nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. J Psychopharmacol. 2007 Aug 22

Type
Poster Session III: Alcoholism And Addiction
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2008
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