Association between obesity and circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels: systematic review of literature and meta-analysis

Sandrini, L. and Minno, A. di and Amadio, P. and Ieraci, A. and Tremoli, E. and Barbieri, S. S.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2018) 19:

DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082281

Abstract

Reduction in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the brain as well as mutations in BDNF gene and/or of its receptor are associated to obesity in both human and animal models. However, the association between circulating levels of BDNF and obesity is still not defined. To answer this question, we performed a meta-analysis carrying out a systematic search in electronic databases. Ten studies (307 obese patients and 236 controls) were included in the analysis. Our data show that obese patients have levels of BDNF similar to those of controls (SMD: 0.01, 95% CI: -0.28, 0.30, p=0.94). The lack of difference was further confirmed both in studies in which BDNF levels were assessed in serum (MD: -0.93 ng/mL, 95% CI: -3.34, 1.48, p=0.45) and in plasma (MD: 0.15 ng/mL, 95% CI: -0.09, 0.39, p=0.23). Data evaluation has shown that some bias might affect BDNF measurements (e.g., subject recruitment, procedures of sampling, handling, and storage), leading to a difficult interpretation of the results. Standardization of the procedures is still needed to reach strong, affordable, and reliable conclusions.

Citation

Sandrini, L., Minno, A. di, Amadio, P., Ieraci, A., Tremoli, E., & Barbieri, S. S. (2018). Association between obesity and circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels: systematic review of literature and meta-analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19082281 obesity, meta-analysis, animal models, man, systematic reviews, blood plasma, plasma (blood), data analysis, research, studies, models, Information and Documentation [CC300], databases, evaluation, relationships, data banks, standardization, Animal Models of Human Diseases [VV400], brain, cerebrum, fatness, Animal Models of Human Nutrition [VV140], mutations

Keywords

• obesity
• meta-analysis
• animal models
• man
• systematic reviews
• blood plasma
• plasma (blood)
• data analysis
• research
• studies
• models
• Information and Documentation [CC300]
• databases
• evaluation
• relationships
• data banks
• standardization
• Animal Models of Human Diseases [VV400]
• brain
• cerebrum
• fatness
• Animal Models of Human Nutrition [VV140]
• mutations