RT Journal Article
T1 Plasma Concentrations of Neurofilament Light Chain Protein and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as Consistent Biomarkers of Cognitive Impairment in Alcohol Use Disorder
A1 Requena-Ocaña, Nerea
A1 Araos Gómez, Pedro Fernando
A1 Serrano-Castro, Pedro Jesús
A1 Flores-López, María
A1 García-Marchena, Nuria
A1 Oliver-Martos, Begoña
A1 Ruiz-Ruiz, Juan Jesús
A1 Gavito, Ana L.
A1 Pavón-Morón, Francisco Javier
A1 Serrano, Antonia
A1 Mayoral Cleries, Fermín
A1 Suárez-Pérez, Juan
A1 Rodriguez-de-Fonseca, Fernando
K1 Alcohol
AB For a long time, Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) were not considered a component in the etiology of dementia. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders introduced substance-induced neurocognitive disorders, incorporating this notion to clinical practice. However, detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative processes in SUD patients remain a major clinical challenge, especially when early diagnosis is required. In the present study, we aimed to investigate new potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration that could predict cognitive impairment in SUD patients: the circulating concentrations of Neurofilament Light chain protein (NfL) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Sixty SUD patients were compared with twenty-seven dementia patients and forty healthy controls. SUD patients were recruited and assessed using the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental (PRISM) and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test for evaluation of cognitive impairment. When compared to healthy control subjects, SUD patients showed increases in plasma NfL concentrations and NfL/BDNF ratio, as well as reduced plasma BDNF levels. These changes were remarkable in SUD patients with moderate–severe cognitive impairment, being comparable to those observed in dementia patients. NfL concentrations correlated with executive function and memory cognition in SUD patients. The parameters “age”, “NfL/BDNF ratio”, “first time alcohol use”, “age of onset of alcohol use disorder”, and “length of alcohol use disorder diagnosis” were able to stratify our SUD sample into patients with cognitive impairment from those without cognitive dysfunction with great specificity and sensibility. In conclusion, we propose the combined use of NfL and BDNF (NfL/BDNF ratio) to monitor substance-induced neurocognitive disorder.
PB IOAP-MDPI
YR 2023
FD 2023-01-07
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/26009
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/26009
LA eng
NO Requena-Ocaña N, Araos P, Serrano-Castro PJ, Flores-López M, García-Marchena N, Oliver-Martos B, Ruiz JJ, Gavito A, Pavón FJ, Serrano A, Mayoral F, Suarez J, Fonseca FRd. Plasma Concentrations of Neurofilament Light Chain Protein and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as Consistent Biomarkers of Cognitive Impairment in Alcohol Use Disorder. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023; 24(2):1183. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24021183
NO Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII], Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and European Regional Development Funds-European Union (ERDF-EU] grants “Proyectos de Investigación en Salud” PI19/01577, PI19/00886, PI20/01399 and PI22/00427; Grants Programa RICORS RIAPAD (Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria en Adicciones), Programa RETICS Red de Trastornos Adictivos, (RD16/0017/000); Ministerio de Sanidad, Delegación de Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (PND 2022I020, PND2020/048, PND 2019/040]; Consejería de Salud y Familia, Junta de Andalucía (Neuro-RECA, RIC-0111-2019]. FJP (CPII19/00022] and AS (CPII19/00031] hold “Miguel Servet II” research contracts from the National System of Health, ISCIII, ERDF-EU. FJP also holds a “Nicolas Monardes” contract from Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Consejería de Salud y Familia, Junta de Andalucía (C1-0049-2019]. PA has a research contract (UMA-FEDERJA-076) funded by the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge—Regional Government of Andalucía and ERDF-EU. The funding sources had no further role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 23 ene 2026