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. 2021 Mar 1:282:611-616.
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.055. Epub 2021 Jan 11.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Implicated in Childhood Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

Eli R Lebowitz  1 , Meital Orbach  1 , Carla E Marin  1 , Natalina Salmaso  2 , Flora M Vaccarino  3 , Wendy K Silverman  4
Affiliations

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Implicated in Childhood Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

Eli R Lebowitz et al. J Affect Disord. .

Abstract

Background: Research links fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) to anxiety and depression in rodents and human adults. Our study is the first to examine FGF2 levels in a pediatric population.

Methods: We assayed serum FGF2 in 163 children with a broad range of anxiety and depressive symptoms; 111 were clinic-referred anxious and depressed children; 52 were non-referred children. We examined associations between FGF2 and anxiety and depression symptoms, and between each of the three facets of behavioral activation (Reward-Responsiveness, Drive, Fun-Seeking) and behavioral avoidance. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to determine the relative contribution of anxiety and depression indicators and of FGF2 to a latent variable of Anxiety/Depression. We also examined stability of FGF2 levels.

Results: FGF2 levels in clinic-referred children were significantly lower compared with non-referred children. Bivariate correlations and CFA showed negative associations between FGF2 and anxiety, depression and behavioral avoidance. FGF2 levels were positively correlated with the Reward-Responsiveness facet of behavioral activation, implicated in depression. FGF2 levels were stable over six months.

Limitations: We did not have data on behavioral avoidance and stability of FGF2 in the entire sample.

Conclusions: Our results implicate FGF2 in anxiety and depression in children, providing an important first step in showing FGF2 may serve as a stable biomarker for these prevalent and impairing problems.

Keywords: Anxiety; Children; Depression; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement:

The authors report no financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(A) Serum FGF2 levels (pg/mL) in non-referred children at baseline (pre-assessment) and after six months. (B) scatter plot of the correlation between FGF2 levels (pg/mL) at baseline and after six months.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Standardized factor loadings and unexplained variance for anxiety and depression. STAI-T (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) is a measure of anxiety and CDI (children’s Depression Inventory) and Reward-Responsiveness (from Behavioral Activation System scale) are measures for depression. The circled numbers represent a unique variance that reflects influences on the measure other than the latent variable of Anxiety/Depression.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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