Increase of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in two psychotic depressed patients responding to lithium addition to paroxetine treatment

Reiji Yoshimura, Koshiro Tsuji, Nobuhisa Ueda, Jun Nakamura

Abstract: We report two patients with psychotic depression who were successfully treated with a lithium addition to ongoing paroxetine treatment. In both cases, plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels increased about 2-fold after lithium augmentation to paroxetine, compared with paroxetine treatment alone. Plasma paroxetine levels did not change after lithium addition. These results suggest that the increases in plasma BDNF levels reflect recovery from depressive symptoms in psychotic depression.

Keywords: psychotic depression, paroxetine, lithium, brain-derived neurotrophic factor