Serum BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophin factor) has been repeatedly shown to be lower than normal in schizophrenic, bipolar and depressed patient populations. Moreover, the severity of manias or depression have been shown to be inversely correlated with serum BDNF. This key brain trophic factor plays a complicated panoply of roles in brain development, in maintaining the metabolic status and transmitter production in neuronal populations, in protecting neuron populations, and in enabling brain plasticity processes. It is specifically released as a function of cortical or subcortical nucleus activity levels. At least in the cortex, its release is a function of the level of coordination of neural activities.
In a presentation at the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research in Colorado Springs, a research colleague Sophia Vinogradov (Department of Psychiatry, UCSF) reported an approximately 20% elevation of BDNF in patients that were intensively trained with an experimental Posit Science brain plasticity-based training program designed to improve the perceptual, cognitive and executive control performance abilities of chronic schizophrenics. BDNF increases were directly correlated with both patients’ improvements in speed of processing, and their overall improvements recorded in cognitive assessments (MATRICS Battery).
Interestingly, control subjects who worked at progressive, highly-engaging video games had a temporary, more modest BDNF elevation, but by the end of a 26-week training period, their serum levels were back down at pre-training values.
Because this training is designed to specifically increase coordinated neuronal activities requisite for renormalizing perceptual and cognitive abilities, and because it very heavily engages modulatory control nuclei in which activity levels have been shown to relate to levels of BDNF production and release, it is not surprising that it impacts serum BDNF. Of course these observations raise important further questions: 1) Where, exactly in the brain, is BDNF production and release being elevated by this training? 2) Will this up-regulation be sustained after training? 3) Given the correlation between serum BDNF and the severity of depression, mania and psychoses, will its elevation equate to improvements in clinical expressions for these maladies? Or do earlier correlative studies simply reflect parallel aspects of the complex changes manifested in them?
Time will tell.
2 Responses to “Brain plasticity-based “cognitive training” elevates BDNF.”
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Hi,
My question is whether it is appropriate to use HiFi Brain Fitness program for a 35-year old woman who suffered brain injury. She fell from a ladder while working as a stage hand, and subsequently was hit in the head by the steel beam she and another worker had been carrying up the ladder. For the first week she seemed to be ok, then she began to suffer from horrible debilitating headaches and repeated nausea that has caused periodic vomiting and great weight loss. She can’t hold down a job or conduct normal everyday activities outside the home and understandably is depressed. Her step-father has just read The Brain That Changes Itself and called me asking for help administering a cognitive program like HiFi. Any suggestions?
Hi,
As a lifelong student of both science, and sometimes eccentric solutions to brain issues I wanted to chime in on your question regarding your patient with brain injury.
I notice that we often believe certain conditions create depression (vomitting, headaches), but in my experience I have had some good success re-believing that this need not be the case. For me, something called “the option method” helped me do this (and no - I am not affiliated with the program).
I intuitively wonder if your patient could benefit from choosing “non-depression” while knowing they can still effectively work towards finding a solution for their symptoms. ie. know that they need not be unhappy with vomitting, to be driven to figure out how not to vomit.
I have quite smoking, alcohol problems, and some pyschiatric conditions, I believe, by remapping my brain with a simple method of questions that do not assume causality between certain stressors and symptoms. I’m guessing that somehow I am sidestepping some restrictive function, and more quickly reprogramming my brain.
i would be so excited to think that the great minds that create posit science might take a look at “the option method”. Only because I am a firm believer in the scientifically validated power of intuition, and in my own experience, my own natural ability to problem solve and possibly extend those solutions to others. At first glance, it may look soft and “new agey” but I do wonder if the techniques are founded in some very powerful ways of working with the brain and people.
Feel free to emial me at jonroberts44@yahoo.com - I always love a good discussion!