METHODS: The correlation of these variants to the plasma BDNF level among Malaysian MDD patients was assessed. A total of 300 cases and 300 matched controls recruited from four public hospitals within the Klang Valley of Selangor State, Malaysia and matched for age, sex and ethnicity were screened for BDNF rs6265, rs1048218 and rs1048220 using high resolution melting (HRM).
FINDINGS: BDNF rs1048218 and BDNF rs1048220 were monomorphic and were excluded from further analysis. The distribution of the alleles and genotypes for BDNF rs6265 was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the controls (p = 0.13) but was in Hardy Weinberg disequilibrium for the cases (p = 0.011). Findings from this study indicated that having BDNF rs6265 in the Malaysian population increase the odds of developing MDD by 2.05 folds (95% CI = 1.48-3.65). Plasma from 206 cases and 206 controls were randomly selected to measure the BDNF level using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A significant decrease in the plasma BDNF level of the cases as compared to controls (p<0.0001) was observed. However, there was no evidence of the effect of the rs6265 genotypes on the BDNF level indicating a possible role of other factors in modulating the BDNF level that warrants further investigation.
CONCLUSION: The study indicated that having the BDNF rs6265 allele (A) increase the risk of developing MDD in the Malaysian population suggesting a possible role of BDNF in the etiology of the disorder.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 101 TBI patients were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders to assess the rates of depressive and anxiety disorders after TBI. The association of socio-demographic and clinical factors with depressive and anxiety disorders were determined using Pearson's Chi-Square test.
RESULTS: A total of 25% of TBI patients (n = 25/101) were diagnosed with depressive disorders, of which 15% had major depressive disorder (n = 15/101) and 10% had minor depression (n = 10/101). Fourteen percent of TBI patients had anxiety disorders (n = 14/101), of which post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the commonest anxiety disorder (9%, n = 9/101). Seven percent of TBI patients (n = 7/101) had comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders. The only factor associated with depressive disorder was the duration of TBI (≥ 1 year) while the only factor associated with anxiety disorder was the mechanism of trauma (assault).
CONCLUSION: Major depressive disorder, minor depression and PTSD are common psychiatric complications of TBI. Clinicians should screen for depressive and anxiety disorders in TBI patients, particularly those with ≥1 year of injury and had sustained TBI from assault.