Plasma BDNF is associated with pain interference and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in people with HIV
Location
LSUHSC-NO
Publication Date
April 2026
Start Date
9-4-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
9-4-2026 2:00 PM
Description
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neuropeptide primarily expressed in the central nervous system that is essential for neuronal growth and survival and plays a critical role in synaptic plasticity. Dysregulation of BDNF signaling has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain1. BDNF may play an important role in people with HIV (PWH), as HIV can disrupt growth factor signaling. Although preclinical studies have implicated BDNF in HIV-associated neuropathy, few clinical studies have examined associations between circulating plasma BDNF levels, pain, and PTSD in PWH. This study examined these associations in an underserved and urban cohort of people with HIV.
Methods: Data collected from participants (n=351; 70.1% male; mean age 48±0.6 years) enrolled in the New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV (NOAH) study were utilized for cross-sectional analysis. Plasma BDNF levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pain was assessed using the 36-ltem Short Form Survey (SF-36) Pain Intensity and Pain Interference scales, and PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-IV (PC-PTSD).
Results: Pearson correlation analyses showed that plasma BDNF levels were positively associated with PTSD symptoms (r=0.148, p=0.005) and negatively correlated with SF-36 pain interference scores (r=-0.148, p=0.005) but were not associated with pain intensity.
Conclusions: Overall, higher plasma BDNF levels were associated with greater PTSD symptom severity and, given the inverted scoring of the SF-36, greater pain interference. These preliminary findings suggest that BDNF could play an aberrant role in the manifestation of neuropsychiatric disorders in PWH. Elevated peripheral BDNF levels may also reflect compensatory upregulation in response to chronic stress, a process implicated in both pain and PTSD in PWH4. Ongoing research adjusting for covariates using regression modeling may clarify the role of BDNF and the directionality of its associations with HIV-associated neuropsychiatric conditions.
Recommended Citation
Fitzpatrick-Schmidt, Taylor; Gallegos, Eden; Welsh, David; Ferguson, Tekeda; Molina, Patricia; and Edwards, Scott, "Plasma BDNF is associated with pain interference and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in people with HIV" (2026). Dept. of Psychiatry Research Symposium. 4.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/psych_rd/2026/posters/4
Plasma BDNF is associated with pain interference and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in people with HIV
LSUHSC-NO
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neuropeptide primarily expressed in the central nervous system that is essential for neuronal growth and survival and plays a critical role in synaptic plasticity. Dysregulation of BDNF signaling has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain1. BDNF may play an important role in people with HIV (PWH), as HIV can disrupt growth factor signaling. Although preclinical studies have implicated BDNF in HIV-associated neuropathy, few clinical studies have examined associations between circulating plasma BDNF levels, pain, and PTSD in PWH. This study examined these associations in an underserved and urban cohort of people with HIV.
Methods: Data collected from participants (n=351; 70.1% male; mean age 48±0.6 years) enrolled in the New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV (NOAH) study were utilized for cross-sectional analysis. Plasma BDNF levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pain was assessed using the 36-ltem Short Form Survey (SF-36) Pain Intensity and Pain Interference scales, and PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-IV (PC-PTSD).
Results: Pearson correlation analyses showed that plasma BDNF levels were positively associated with PTSD symptoms (r=0.148, p=0.005) and negatively correlated with SF-36 pain interference scores (r=-0.148, p=0.005) but were not associated with pain intensity.
Conclusions: Overall, higher plasma BDNF levels were associated with greater PTSD symptom severity and, given the inverted scoring of the SF-36, greater pain interference. These preliminary findings suggest that BDNF could play an aberrant role in the manifestation of neuropsychiatric disorders in PWH. Elevated peripheral BDNF levels may also reflect compensatory upregulation in response to chronic stress, a process implicated in both pain and PTSD in PWH4. Ongoing research adjusting for covariates using regression modeling may clarify the role of BDNF and the directionality of its associations with HIV-associated neuropsychiatric conditions.