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Reduced Serum Levels of Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) in Drug-Naïve Subjects with Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder

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Abstract

Several biological factors have been recently related with major depression and bipolar disorder. The aim of our paper was to investigate the peripheral levels of the protein neuronal specific enolase (NSE), a putative marker of neuronal damage, comparing patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder to control subjects. This is a case–control study nested in a cross-sectional population-based survey. Psychopathology screen was performed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0 and blood samples were collected from 108 young adults. Three groups were selected, 36 healthy controls, 36 subjects with major depression disorder and 36 subjects with bipolar disorder. Serum levels of NSE significantly decreased (p = 0.002) in major depression disorder (2.19 ± 1.78 ng/mL) and bipolar disorder subjects (2.53 ± 2.61 ng/mL) compared to the control group (3.55 ± 2.19 ng/mL). In conclusion, peripheral neuronal specific enolase may be a useful marker drug-naïve major depression disorder and bipolar disorder, but its pathophysiological significance and response to treatment should be further investigated.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Brazilian Grants CNPq, CAPES, PRONEX-FAPERGS (08/2009–Pronex 10/0055-0).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Neurociências Clínicas, Rograma de Pós-Graduação Em Saúde E Comportamento, Centro de Ciências Da Vida E Da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Gonçalves Chaves, 373 Sala 324 Prédio C, Centro-Pelotas, 96015-560, RS, Brazil

    Carolina David Wiener, Karen Jansen, Gabriele Ghisleni, Manuella Pinto Kaster, Luciano Dias de Mattos Souza, Ricardo Azevedo da Silva & Jean Pierre Oses

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Medicina E Ciências Da Saúde, Pontifícia, Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Diogo Rizzato Lara

  3. Programa de Pós-graduação Em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas Da Saúde, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Luiz Valmor Portela

  4. Hospital São Francisco de Paula, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

    Carolina David Wiener & Jean Pierre Oses

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  1. Carolina David Wiener
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  2. Karen Jansen
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  3. Gabriele Ghisleni
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  8. Ricardo Azevedo da Silva
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  9. Jean Pierre Oses
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Correspondence to Jean Pierre Oses.

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Wiener, C.D., Jansen, K., Ghisleni, G. et al. Reduced Serum Levels of Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) in Drug-Naïve Subjects with Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder. Neurochem Res 38, 1394–1398 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-013-1036-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-013-1036-x

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