Neurotrophic Factors in Affective Disorders
Summary
Neurotrophic factors are a family of secreted proteins that orchestrate neuronal development, synaptic plasticity and resilience to stress. In affective disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, stress-induced downregulation of key neurotrophins contributes to hippocampal atrophy, impaired connectivity and mood dysregulation. Conversely, conventional antidepressant treatments and rapid-acting agents have been shown to restore neurotrophic support, notably by upregulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB, thereby enhancing neurogenesis and synaptic remodelling. Beyond BDNF, other growth factors—including nerve growth factor (NGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)—play complementary roles in neuronal survival and myelination. Dysregulated neuroinflammatory signalling further disrupts trophic balance, suggesting that combined modulation of inflammatory and trophic pathways may yield superior therapeutic outcomes. Current research is extending this framework to identify circuit-specific mechanisms, peripheral biomarkers and novel modalities—such as exercise-induced exerkines—that selectively engage neurotrophic networks. These advances underscore the global significance of harnessing neurotrophic factors for more precise, mechanism-based interventions in affective disorders.
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Neurotrophic Factors in Affective Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in neurotrophic factors in affective disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Neurotrophic factor: A protein that supports the growth, survival and differentiation of neurons.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): A neurotrophin that regulates synaptic plasticity and neuronal resilience in the central nervous system.
Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB): A high-affinity receptor for BDNF that mediates downstream signalling involved in neuronal survival and plasticity.
Exerkine: A muscle-derived signalling molecule released during exercise that can modulate neurotrophic pathways in the brain.
Neurogenesis: The process by which new neurons are generated from neural stem cells, notably within the hippocampus.
References
- Locus Coeruleus‐Dorsolateral Septum Projections Modulate Depression‐Like Behaviors via BDNF But Not Norepinephrine. Advanced Science (2023).
- Short-Term Irisin Treatment Enhanced Neurotrophin Expression Differently in the Hippocampus and the Prefrontal Cortex of Young Mice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Central administration of insulin-like growth factor-I decreases depressive-like behavior and brain cytokine expression in mice. Journal of Neuroinflammation (2011).
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