Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33077716›Full record

ArticleTranslational psychiatry2020

Epigenetic perspective on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in burnout.

Jelena Bakusic, Manosij Ghosh, Andrea Polli, Bram Bekaert, Wilmar Schaufeli, Stephan Claes, Lode Godderis

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Translational psychiatry, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Biological Markers of Burnout Severity: A Systematic Review.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Jelena BakusicCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. jelena.bakusic@kuleuven.be.ORCID 0000-0002-0953-6974
Manosij GhoshCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-5034-001X
Andrea PolliCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Bram BekaertDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology; KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-5370-7363
Wilmar SchaufeliWork, Organisational and Personnel Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-6070-7150
Stephan ClaesPsychiatry Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Lode GodderisCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
KU Leuven · BEDepartment of Archaeology · LKDepartment of Public Health · USEuropean External Action Service · BEPain in Motion · BE

Funding

Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Research Foundation Flanders) 12W7718NFonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Research Foundation Flanders) K1B4119N
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a potential role in the neurobiology of burnout, but there are no studies investigating the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Our aim is to further explore the role of BDNF in burnout, by focusing on the Val66Met polymorphism and methylation patterns of the BDNF gene and serum BDNF (sBDNF) protein expression. We conducted a cross-sectional study by recruiting 129 individuals (59 with burnout and 70 healthy controls). Participants underwent a clinical interview, psychological assessment and blood sample collection. Polymorphism and DNA methylation were measured on DNA from whole blood, using pyrosequencing and sBDNF levels were measured using ELISA. We found significantly increased methylation of promoter I and IV in the burnout group, which also correlated with burnout symptoms. In addition, DNA methylation of promoter I had a significant negative effect on sBDNF. For DNA methylation of exon IX, we did not find a significant difference between the groups, nor associations with sBDNF. The Val66Met polymorphism neither differed between groups, nor was it associated with sBDNF levels. Finally, we did not observe differences in sBDNF level between the groups. Interestingly, we observed a significant negative association between depressive symptoms and sBDNF levels. The current study is the first to show that BDNF DNA methylation changes might play an important role in downregulation of the BDNF protein levels in burnout. The presence of depressive symptoms might have an additional impact on these changes.

Indexed as

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorBurnout, PsychologicalDNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticCross-Sectional StudiesHumansBDNF protein, humanBrain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

Identifiers

PMID33077716
PMCPMC7573604
OpenAlexW3092961660

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.