Elevated methylation and decreased serum concentrations of BDNF in patients in levomethadone compared to diamorphine maintenance treatment

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) appears to play a crucial role in the reward response to drugs such as heroin. The primary objective of the present study was to examine epigenetic changes and serum levels of BDNF in patients undergoing different opiate-based maintenance treatments. We compared patients receiving treatment with either levomethadone ( n = 55) or diamorphine ( n = 28) with a healthy control group ( n = 51). When comparing all subjects (patients and controls), BDNF serum levels showed a negative correlation with the BDNF IV promoter methylation rate ( r = −0.177, p = 0.048). Furthermore, BDNF serum levels negatively correlated with Beck’s Depression Inventory measurements ( r = −0.177, p