REVIEW: Role of BDNF in Neuroplasticity Associated with Alcohol Dependence

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Danil I. Peregud^1,2,a*, Valeria Yu. Baronets¹, Natalia N. Terebilina¹, and Natalia V. Gulyaeva^2,3

¹Federal State Budgetary Institution “V. Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Drug Addiction” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 119002 Moscow, Russia

²Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia

³Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry of Moscow Healthcare Department, 115419 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received November 14, 2022; Revised November 21, 2022; Accepted November 21, 2022

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Chronic alcohol consumption is characterized by disturbances of neuroplasticity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is believed to be critically involved in this process. Here we aimed to review actual experimental and clinical data related to BDNF participation in neuroplasticity in the context of alcohol dependence. As has been shown in experiments with rodents, alcohol consumption is accompanied by the brain region-specific changes of BDNF expression and by structural and behavioral impairments. BDNF reverses aberrant neuroplasticity observed during alcohol intoxication. According to the clinical data parameters associated with BDNF demonstrate close correlation with neuroplastic changes accompanying alcohol dependence. In particular, the rs6265 polymorphism within the BDNF gene is associated with macrostructural changes in the brain, while peripheral BDNF concentration may be associated with anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. Thus, BDNF is involved in the mechanisms of alcohol-induced changes of neuroplasticity, and polymorphisms within the BDNF gene and peripheral BDNF concentration may serve as biomarkers, diagnostic or prognostic factors in treatment of alcohol abuse.

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KEY WORDS: BDNF, neuroplasticity, alcohol, dependence

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297923030094

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