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Neurotrophins: Roles and Function in Human Diseases 2.0
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Neurotrophins: Roles and Function in Human Diseases 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 10420

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Marco Fiore

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Guest Editor
Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Sense Organs, Medical Faculty, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Interests: neurotrophins; addiction; toxicology; polyphenols; oxidative stress; neurobiology; behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurotrophins are a family of proteins inducing the development, survival, and function of nerve cells. Neurotrophins belong to a class of growth factors, secreted proteins that signal selected cells to survive, differentiate or grow. Growth factors such as neurotrophins that promote the survival of neurons are also known as neurotrophic factors. Neurotrophic factors are produced by a specific target tissue and actively prevent the associated neuron from initiating apoptosis (programmed cell death), allowing the neurons to survive. Neurotrophins also elicit the differentiation of progenitor cells, to form neurons. Although most brain neurons are formed prenatally, brain limbic areas maintain the power to produce new neurons from neural stem cells, a process known as neurogenesis. Neurotrophins include polypeptides such as nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and NT-4/5. Neurotrophins and their receptors are also involved in many seemingly unrelated events, including neuronal disorders, aging-related disorders, cancer physiology, ocular diseases, autoimmune diseases, addiction, pregnancy, delivery and postpartum, oxidative-stress-related diseases, and cardiometabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

This Special Issue focuses on the current understanding and future research directions regarding the neurotrophins and their receptors. We warmly welcome original research and review articles relating to this hot topic.

Prof. Dr. Marco Fiore
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • neuroinflammation
  • brain
  • toxicology
  • cell growth
  • neurogenesis

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 644 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Intensities of Endurance Training on Neurotrophin Levels and Functional and Cognitive Outcomes in Post-Ischaemic Stroke Adults: A Randomised Clinical Trial
by Sara Górna, Tomasz Podgórski, Paweł Kleka and Katarzyna Domaszewska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062810 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 547
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the effects of different intensities of endurance training combined with standard neurorehabilitation on selected blood biomarkers and physical outcomes of post-stroke individuals. We randomised patients with first-episode ischaemic stroke to an experimental group that received 4 × 45 [...] Read more.
This study aimed to examine the effects of different intensities of endurance training combined with standard neurorehabilitation on selected blood biomarkers and physical outcomes of post-stroke individuals. We randomised patients with first-episode ischaemic stroke to an experimental group that received 4 × 45 min sessions of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) each week and 2 × 45 min of standard rehabilitation each day or to a control group that received 4 × 45 min sessions of low-intensity continuous training (LICT) each week and 2 × 45 min of standard rehabilitation each day. We measured the following outcomes at baseline and 3 weeks after the intervention: aerobic capacity; cognitive and motor function; and blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and irisin. We included 52 patients with a mean age of 66.1 ± 8.0 years. After 3 weeks of rehabilitation, there was a clinically significant improvement in the Rivermead Motor Assessment—arm score in the MICT group. The study showed that after 3 weeks, an intervention combining MICT with standard neurorehabilitation was significantly more beneficial in improving aerobic capacity and arm motor function than an intervention combining LICT and standard neurorehabilitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurotrophins: Roles and Function in Human Diseases 2.0)
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14 pages, 575 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Polymorphism (Val66Met) and Substance Use Disorder and Relapse
by Aleksandra Strońska-Pluta, Aleksandra Suchanecka, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Jolanta Chmielowiec, Agnieszka Boroń, Jolanta Masiak, Olimpia Sipak-Szmigiel, Remigiusz Recław and Anna Grzywacz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020788 - 8 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1682
Abstract
Substance addiction is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by a recurring desire to continue using a substance despite harmful consequences. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that plays a role in the activity-dependent remodeling of neural function in adult nervous systems. This study [...] Read more.
Substance addiction is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by a recurring desire to continue using a substance despite harmful consequences. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that plays a role in the activity-dependent remodeling of neural function in adult nervous systems. This study analyzed the association of the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene in a group of patients addicted to psychoactive substances who were participating in addiction treatment for the first time, in a group of post-relapse psychoactive substance abusers and in a control group. The study also assessed personality and anxiety in all study groups. Statistically significant differences in the frequency of genotypes and alleles were found between all study groups. Compared to the control, both study groups had statistically significantly higher scores for trait and state anxiety. Addicted patients in both groups also had higher scores on the Neuroticism and Openness scales and lower scores on the Extraversion and Agreeableness scales. The results of this study provide further evidence that personality traits, anxiety and the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene may be risk factors for susceptibility to addiction to psychoactive substances. In addition, they can be a predictor of addiction relapse, but further extensive studies are required to confirm these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurotrophins: Roles and Function in Human Diseases 2.0)
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13 pages, 1006 KiB  
Article
Psycho-Cognitive Profile and NGF and BDNF Levels in Tears and Serum: A Pilot Study in Patients with Graves’ Disease
by Alice Bruscolini, Angela Iannitelli, Marco Segatto, Pamela Rosso, Elena Fico, Marzia Buonfiglio, Alessandro Lambiase and Paola Tirassa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(9), 8074; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24098074 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2136
Abstract
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) mature/precursor imbalance in tears and serum is suggested as a risk factor and symptomatology aggravation in ophthalmology and neuropsychiatric disturbances. Cognitive and mood alterations are reported by patients with Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO), indicating [...] Read more.
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) mature/precursor imbalance in tears and serum is suggested as a risk factor and symptomatology aggravation in ophthalmology and neuropsychiatric disturbances. Cognitive and mood alterations are reported by patients with Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO), indicating neurotrophin alterations might be involved. To address this question, the expression levels of NGF and BDNF and their precursors in serum and tears of GO patients were analyzed and correlated with the ophthalmological and psycho-cognitive symptoms. Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Depression (HAM-D), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) test were used as a score. NGF and BDNF levels were measured using ELISA and Western Blot and statistically analyzed for psychiatric/ocular variable trend association. GO patients show memorization time and level of distraction increase, together with high irritability and impulsiveness. HAM-A and CANTAB variables association, and some TCI dimensions are also found. NGF and BDNF expression correlates with ophthalmological symptoms only in tears, while mature/precursor NGF and BDNF correlate with the specific psycho-cognitive variables both in tears and serum. Our study is the first to show that changes in NGF and BDNF processing in tears and serum might profile ocular and cognitive alterations in patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurotrophins: Roles and Function in Human Diseases 2.0)
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Review

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20 pages, 1260 KiB  
Review
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a Predictor of Treatment Response in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): A Systematic Review
by Mario Ignacio Zelada, Verónica Garrido, Andrés Liberona, Natalia Jones, Karen Zúñiga, Hernán Silva and Rodrigo R. Nieto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914810 - 30 Sep 2023
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5319
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been studied as a biomarker of major depressive disorder (MDD). Besides diagnostic biomarkers, clinically useful biomarkers can inform response to treatment. We aimed to review all studies that sought to relate BDNF baseline levels, or BDNF polymorphisms, with [...] Read more.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been studied as a biomarker of major depressive disorder (MDD). Besides diagnostic biomarkers, clinically useful biomarkers can inform response to treatment. We aimed to review all studies that sought to relate BDNF baseline levels, or BDNF polymorphisms, with response to treatment in MDD. In order to achieve this, we performed a systematic review of studies that explored the relation of BDNF with both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. Finally, we reviewed the evidence that relates peripheral levels of BDNF and BDNF polymorphisms with the development and management of treatment-resistant depression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurotrophins: Roles and Function in Human Diseases 2.0)
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