SynthesisMolecular psychiatry2025
Effects of psychoplastogens on blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in humans: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Molecular psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- Acute and post-acute neurobehavioral responses to lysergic acid diethylamide in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled study.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Trial
- Gamma-hydroxybutyrate to promote slow-wave sleep in major depressive disorder: a randomized crossover trial.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2025Trial
- Review
- Candidate Biomarkers of Bipolar Disorder Progression: Implications for Ketamine and Psychedelic Interventions.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Review
- Psychedelic Therapies for Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Pain: A Review of Putative Mechanisms of Action.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2026Review
- Ischemia-Induced Neurodegeneration in Glaucoma: Mechanistic Insights and Translational Opportunities for Psychoplastogen-Based Therapies.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Psychedelic therapy and postpartum depression: priorities and prospects.Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology · 2026Review
- Molecules, meaning, and physiology: disentangling the active ingredients of psychedelic therapeutics.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Article
- Ketamine as adjuvant treatment in eating disorders: an exploratory study of a case series and retrospective analysis.Journal of eating disorders · 2025Article
- Association between S-ketamine induced changes in glutamate levels in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy subjects.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPeripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are often used as a biomarker for the rapid plasticity-promoting effects of ketamine, psychedelics, and other psychoplastogens in humans. However, studies analyzing peripheral BDNF after psychoplastogen exposure show mixed results. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to test whether the rapid upregulation of neuroplasticity seen in preclinical studies is detectable using peripheral BDNF in humans.
methodsThis analysis was pre-registered (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022333096) and funded by the University of Fribourg. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO to meta-analyze the effects of all available psychoplastogens on peripheral BDNF levels in humans, including ketamine, esketamine, LSD, psilocybin, ayahuasca, DMT, MDMA, scopolamine, and rapastinel. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias Tools. Using meta-regressions and mixed effects models, we additionally analyzed the impact of several potential moderators.
resultsWe included 29 studies and found no evidence that psychoplastogens elevate peripheral BDNF levels in humans (SMD = 0.024, p = 0.64). This result was not affected by drug, dose, blood fraction, participant age, or psychiatric diagnoses. In general, studies with better-controlled designs and fewer missing values reported smaller effect sizes. Later measurement timepoints showed minimally larger effects on BDNF.
conclusionThese data suggest that peripheral BDNF levels do not change after psychoplastogen administration in humans. It is possible that peripheral BDNF is not an informative marker of rapid changes in neuroplasticity, or that preclinical findings on psychoplastogens and neuroplasticity may not translate to human subjects. Limitations of this analysis include the reliability and validity of BDNF measurement and low variation in some potential moderators. More precise methods of measuring rapid changes in neuroplasticity, including neuroimaging and stimulation-based methods, are recommended for future studies attempting to translate preclinical findings to humans.
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