SynthesisDiabetes, obesity & metabolism2026
Brain Serotonin Transporter Is Elevated in Obesity: Bayesian and Frequentist Meta-Analyses.
Synthesis in Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Brain Serotonin Transporter Is Elevated in Obesity: Bayesian and Frequentist Meta-Analyses.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026Pooled it
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
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Abstract
aimsThe brain plays a critical role in controlling energy balance. Previous studies have mainly focused on dopaminergic mechanisms, whereas much less attention has been paid to serotonin during the emergence of overweight and obesity. Therefore, this study investigated the association between serotonin transporter (SERT) availability and obesity using frequentist and Bayesian meta-analyses.
methodsA systematic search was conducted for PET and SPECT studies comparing brain SERT availability between obese and non-obese individuals. Five studies comprising 142 obese and 115 non-obese participants were included. Bayesian models and frequentist meta-analyses were applied. Meta-regression was conducted to examine the potential moderators, including radiopharmaceuticals and body mass index.
resultsIn the frequentist meta-analysis, the pooled standardised mean difference in SERT availability was significantly different between subjects with and without obesity (0.2675, 0.0075-0.5275, p = 0.0437, I
conclusionsA modest elevation in brain SERT availability in subjects with obesity was supported by frequentist meta-analysis, but this finding was not conclusively supported by Bayesian hierarchical modelling. These mixed results suggest a potential role of altered SERT dynamics in the neurobiology of obesity, but strongly underscore the need for larger, highly powered investigations to definitively establish this relationship.
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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.