Differences in plasma and serum BDNF values between trained and untrained college age females in responses to an acute bout of cycle exercise

The importance of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is emerging and appears to be linked, in part, to acute and chronic exercise. BDNF plays a pivotal role in neuronal growth, transmission, modulation and plasticity of the nervous system and associated cell lines. Recent data also correlates BDNF with risk of metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, sleep disordered breathing and other pathologies. A single bout of exercise can increase blood BDNF levels in humans while responses to chronic training remain unresolved. The present study examined the effect of chronic soccer training compared to sedentary controls based on self-reported activity. Thirteen (7 soccer players, 6 controls) (mean +/- SD: age 20.7+/-1.8 yrs; height 65.3+/-2.3 in; weight 147.2+/-30.5 lbs; BMI 24.2+/-4.7 units; hip/waist ratio 0.70+/-0.04%) college age women who were free from chronic disease consented to participate in the study. All subjects completed a cycle ergometry protocol to peak effort with controls averaging 80% of age, gender specific predicted VO2peak while soccer players averaged 138% of predicted. Blood specimens were collected before, immediately following, and 30 minutes after cycle exercise at 60% of the measured VO2peak. Baseline BDNF and cortisol values were equivalent (P > .05). A significant increase in plasma BDNF was noted from baseline to immediately post exercise (p < .05) with no other statistical differences noted for neither plasma nor serum samples. Trends did appear with respect to BDNF changes with soccer players maintaining higher values at 30 minutes of recovery as compared to controls. (Plasma: soccer declined 14% and controls declined 28%; Serum: soccer gained 31% and controls declined 41%) These data confirm that acute moderate to high intensity exercise elevated serum and plasma BDNF values. Thus, chronically trained individuals will experience periodic pulses of BDNF that may impact on neuronal function and other aligned physiologic functions.