İnal, NeslihanCavuşoğlu, BerrinErmis, ÇağatayGörmez, VahdetKarabay, Nuri2024-11-012024-11-012023-01-012245-8875https://doi.org/10.2478/sjcapp-2023-0008https://hdl.handle.net/11452/47323Background: Cortical thickness (CT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were widely investigated in bipolar disorder (BD). Previous studies focused on the association between the volume of subcortical regions and neurotrophic factor levels.Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of the CT in youth with early-onset BD with BDNF levels as a potential peripheral marker of neuronal integrity.Method: Twenty-three euthymic patients having a clinical diagnosis of BD and 17 healthy subjects as an age-matched control group with neuroimaging and blood BDNF levels were found eligible for CT measurement. A structural magnetic resonance scan (MRI) and timely blood samples were drawn.Results: Youth with BD exhibited lower cortical thickness in caudal part of left (L) middle frontal gyrus, right (R) paracentral gyrus, triangular part of R inferior frontal gyrus, R pericalcarine region, R precentral gyrus, L precentral gyrus, R superior frontal gyrus and L superior frontal gyrus when compared to healthy controls. The effect sizes of these differences were moderate to large (d=0.67-0.98) There was a significant correlation between BDNF levels with caudal part of the R anterior cingulate gyrus (CPRACG) in adolescents with BD (r=0.49, p=0.023).Conclusion: As a special region for mood regulation, the CT of the caudal part of the R anterior cingulate gyrus had a positive correlation with BDNF. Regarding the key role of CPRACG for affective regulation skills, our results should be replicated in future follow-up studies, investigating a predictive neuroimaging biomarker for the early-onset BD.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessFactor val66met polymorphismHippocampal volumesMoodSchizophreniaChildrenMarkersAbnormalitiesMetaanalysisValidityBrain-derived neurotrophic factorCortical thicknessEarly-onset bipolar disorderNeurotrophic factorsScience & technologyLife sciences & biomedicinePsychiatryArticle001020185400001788611110.2478/sjcapp-2023-0008