RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Vulnerability to Depression: From Brain Neuroplasticity to Identification of Biomarkers
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 12889
OP 12899
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1309-11.2011
VO 31
IS 36
A1 Blugeot, Aurélie
A1 Rivat, Cyril
A1 Bouvier, Elodie
A1 Molet, Jenny
A1 Mouchard, Amandine
A1 Zeau, Brigitte
A1 Bernard, Christophe
A1 Benoliel, Jean-Jacques
A1 Becker, Chrystel
YR 2011
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/36/12889.abstract
AB A stressful event increases the risk of developing depression later in life, but the possible predisposing factors remain unknown. Our study aims to characterize latent vulnerability traits underlying the development of depressive disorders in adult animals. Four weeks after a priming stressful event, serum corticosterone concentration returned to control values in all animals, whereas the other biological parameters returned to basal level in only 58% of animals (called nonvulnerable). In contrast, 42% of animals displayed persistent decreased serum and hippocampus BDNF concentrations, reduced hippocampal volume and neurogenesis, CA3 dendritic retraction and decrease in spine density, as well as amygdala neuron hypertrophy, constituting latent vulnerability traits to depression. In this group, called vulnerable, a subsequent mild stress evoked a rise of serum corticosterone levels and a “depressive” phenotype, in contrast to nonvulnerable animals. Intracerebroventricular administration of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a selective TrkB receptor agonist, dampened the development of the “depressive” phenotype. Our results thus characterize the presence of latent vulnerability traits that underlie the emergence of depression and identify the association of low BDNF with normal corticosterone serum concentrations as a predictive biomarker of vulnerability to depression.