Li Yang, Ma Jing, Zhang Wen-Xiu, Cao Yan-Li, Lei Chen
The First Clinical Medical College of Ningxia Medical University, 750004 Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Department of Geriatrics and Special Needs, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, 750004 Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
Actas Esp Psiquiatr. 2025 Aug;53(4):857-867. doi: 10.62641/aep.v53i4.1967.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a key role in the pathophysiology of depression and the mechanism of action of antidepressants. This study aimed to evaluate the changes of BDNF in patients with depression and how it is affected by antidepressant treatment through meta-analysis.
Multiple databases (including PubMed, Embase and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)) were searched for studies on BDNF levels in patients with depression published up to November 15, 2024. Meta-analyses of serum and plasma BDNF levels were performed using RevMan 5.4.1, with the effect sizes expressed as mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics (random-effects model if I2 ≥ 50%; fixed-effects if I2 < 50%).
Serum BDNF levels in patients with depression were significantly lower than those in healthy controls [MD = -1.54, 95% confidence intervals (CI) (-2.85 to -0.24), p = 0.02]. Antidepressant drug treatment for 6 weeks significantly increased serum BDNF levels [MD = 7.42, 95% CI (1.10-13.74), p = 0.02], but the effect of 4 weeks of treatment was not statistically significant. Plasma BDNF levels showed no statistically significant differences between depressed patients and healthy controls (p > 0.05). Sensitivity analysis indicated that the meta-analysis results were robust and not unduly influenced by any single study.
Serum BDNF levels serve as potential biomarkers in patients with depression, but their sensitivity to short-term antidepressant treatment is limited.
脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）在抑郁症的病理生理学及抗抑郁药的作用机制中起关键作用。本研究旨在通过荟萃分析评估抑郁症患者中BDNF的变化及其如何受抗抑郁治疗的影响。
检索多个数据库（包括PubMed、Embase和中国知网（CNKI）），查找截至2024年11月15日发表的关于抑郁症患者BDNF水平的研究。使用RevMan 5.4.1对血清和血浆BDNF水平进行荟萃分析，效应大小以均值差（MD）和95%置信区间表示。使用I²统计量评估异质性（若I²≥50%，采用随机效应模型；若I²<50%，采用固定效应模型）。
抑郁症患者的血清BDNF水平显著低于健康对照者[MD = -1.54，95%置信区间（CI）（-2.85至-0.24），p = 0.02]。抗抑郁药物治疗6周显著提高了血清BDNF水平[MD = 7.42，95% CI（1.10 - 13.74），p = 0.02]，但治疗4周的效果无统计学意义。抑郁症患者与健康对照者之间的血浆BDNF水平无统计学显著差异（p > 0.05）。敏感性分析表明，荟萃分析结果稳健，不受任何单一研究的过度影响。
血清BDNF水平可作为抑郁症患者的潜在生物标志物，但其对短期抗抑郁治疗的敏感性有限。
