Evaluating of BDNF Expression in Blood Cells of Opium Recovering Patients with a New Treatment Method: A Molecular Marker

Opium addiction is one of the most prevalent addiction in Iranian society. Throughout the last two decades, congress 60; a nongovernmental organization; has been operated a taper off treatment of opium associated with a package of psychological treatment group classes. Although the effectiveness of the taper off method in opium addiction has been verified, molecular mechanisms involved in this treatment have not explained. BDNF gene is a brain-derived neurotrophic factor that is associated with numerous molecular mechanisms of the brain including memory.

In this research, peripheral blood samples from 21 patients were collected from Congress 60. RNA was extracted from each sample, reverse transcribed and amplified via RT-PCR technique, utilizing specific primers for BDNF. The production of BDNF protein was also analyzed employing the western blotting technique.

Our results exhibited considerable down expression of BDNF in addict persons vs. non-psychiatric persons (p < /em><0.01). Furthermore, BDNF expression levels in addicts increased significantly after the therapy period. Findings showed the effect of opium abuse and taper off treatment on the expression of BDNF.

The present study could help to a better understanding of molecular and neurological mechanisms of opium and taper off treatment. Additionally, BDNF level detection could be a potential marker for screening the effectiveness of various types of addiction treatment.