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Converging lines of evidence implicate the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of major depression. Recent studies have begun to explore the relationship between serum BDNF and depression.

We conducted meta-analyses of 11 studies examining differences in serum BDNF content between depressed and nondepressed subjects (N = 748), and eight studies comparing pre- and post-antidepressant treatment serum BDNF content (N = 220).

The meta-analysis revealed strong evidence that BDNF levels were lower in depressed subjects than healthy control subjects (p < 6.8 × 10⁻⁸). Similarly, the second meta-analysis found significantly higher BDNF levels after antidepressant treatment (p = .003). There was no evidence of publication bias in the first (p = .376) or second (p = .571) meta-analysis and no evidence that either meta …