{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,12]],"date-time":"2026-02-12T08:39:22Z","timestamp":1770885562284,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]],"date-time":"2022-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1663113600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]],"date-time":"2022-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1663113600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Eat Disord"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>Despite intensified research efforts into the underlying (neuro-)biology of eating disorders (EDs), only few reliable biomarkers of diagnostic or prognostic value have been identified to date. One promising line of research has focused on the role of peripheral blood-based biomarkers as potential contributors to the complex pathophysiology of EDs. One such candidate marker is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin broadly implicated in neuronal plasticity and food-intake regulation. A growing number of studies have targeted BDNF in EDs; culminating in several recent well-powered and controlled case\u2013control studies, comprehensive meta-analyses, and review articles. In the current correspondence, we aim to put the recent meta-analysis of Shobeiri et al. (J Eat Disord 10(1):105, 2022) into perspective and argue that the finding suggestive of lower BDNF concentrations across individuals with EDs in comparison to healthy controls needs to be interpreted with caution. While this finding is compatible with those from earlier meta-analyses, it may be biased due to several reasons; most notably by the applied study selection procedures, insufficient consideration of influential determinants of BDNF concentrations, and generalization of results across the ED spectrum without sufficient statistical power. Further controlled and comprehensive studies are necessary to establish BDNF as a clinically informative biomarker of EDs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1186\/s40337-022-00662-2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]],"date-time":"2022-09-14T12:04:58Z","timestamp":1663157098000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Barking up the wrong biomarker? Correspondence to Shobeiri et al. (2022) \u201cSerum and plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in individuals with eating disorders (EDs): a systematic review and meta-analysis\u201d"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Jonas L.","family":"Steinh\u00e4user","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marie-Louis","family":"Wronski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Johanna L.","family":"Keeler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stefan","family":"Ehrlich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Joseph A.","family":"King","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"662_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1186\/s40337-022-00630-w","volume":"10","author":"P Shobeiri","year":"2022","unstructured":"Shobeiri P, Bagherieh S, Mirzayi P, Kalantari A, Mirmosayyeb O, Teixeira AL, et al. Serum and plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in individuals with eating disorders (EDs): a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eat Disord. 2022;10(1):105.","journal-title":"J Eat Disord"},{"issue":"6","key":"662_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"897","DOI":"10.1017\/S0033291704003368","volume":"35","author":"P Monteleone","year":"2005","unstructured":"Monteleone P, Fabrazzo M, Martiadis V, Serritella C, Pannuto M, Maj M. Circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor is decreased in women with anorexia and bulimia nervosa but not in women with binge-eating disorder: relationships to co-morbid depression, psychopathology and hormonal variables. Psychol Med. 2005;35(6):897\u2013905.","journal-title":"Psychol Med"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"312","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pnpbp.2008.12.009","volume":"33","author":"S Saito","year":"2009","unstructured":"Saito S, Watanabe K, Hashimoto E, Saito T. Low serum BDNF and food intake regulation: a possible new explanation of the pathophysiology of eating disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2009;33(2):312\u20136.","journal-title":"Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"4","key":"662_CR4","first-page":"323","volume":"34","author":"S Ehrlich","year":"2009","unstructured":"Ehrlich S, Salbach-Andrae H, Eckart S, Merle JV, Burghardt R, Pfeiffer E, et al. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and peripheral indicators of the serotonin system in underweight and weight-recovered adolescent girls and women with anorexia nervosa. J Psychiatry Neurosci JPN. 2009;34(4):323\u20139.","journal-title":"J Psychiatry Neurosci JPN"},{"issue":"8","key":"662_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1601-183X.2007.00301.x","volume":"6","author":"JM Mercader","year":"2007","unstructured":"Mercader JM, Ribas\u00e9s M, Gratac\u00f2s M, Gonz\u00e1lez JR, Bay\u00e9s M, de Cid R, et al. Altered brain-derived neurotrophic factor blood levels and gene variability are associated with anorexia and bulimia. Genes Brain Behav. 2007;6(8):706\u201316.","journal-title":"Genes Brain Behav"},{"issue":"11","key":"662_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1573","DOI":"10.3390\/nu10111573","volume":"10","author":"B Dalton","year":"2018","unstructured":"Dalton B, Campbell I, Chung R, Breen G, Schmidt U, Himmerich H. Inflammatory markers in anorexia nervosa: an exploratory study. Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1573.","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"432","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13020432","volume":"13","author":"JL Steinh\u00e4user","year":"2021","unstructured":"Steinh\u00e4user JL, King JA, Tam FI, Seidel M, Biemann R, Wronski ML, et al. Is serum BDNF altered in acute, short- and long-term recovered restrictive type anorexia nervosa? Nutrients. 2021;13(2):432.","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"662_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/15622975.2021.2015432","volume":"19","author":"JL Keeler","year":"2022","unstructured":"Keeler JL, Robinson L, Keeler-Sch\u00e4ffeler R, Dalton B, Treasure J, Himmerich H. Growth factors in anorexia nervosa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal data. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2022;19:1\u201319.","journal-title":"World J Biol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"6","key":"662_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"444","DOI":"10.3109\/15622975.2011.562244","volume":"12","author":"MK Brandys","year":"2011","unstructured":"Brandys MK, Kas MJH, van Elburg AA, Campbell IC, Adan RAH. A meta-analysis of circulating BDNF concentrations in anorexia nervosa. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2011;12(6):444\u201354.","journal-title":"World J Biol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"4","key":"662_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"690","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0038-1656035","volume":"77","author":"CS Engstad","year":"1997","unstructured":"Engstad CS, Gutteberg TJ, Osterud B. Modulation of blood cell activation by four commonly used anticoagulants. Thromb Haemost. 1997;77(4):690\u20136.","journal-title":"Thromb Haemost"},{"issue":"1","key":"662_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jneumeth.2009.12.017","volume":"187","author":"B Elfving","year":"2010","unstructured":"Elfving B, Plougmann PH, Wegener G. Detection of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rat blood and brain preparations using ELISA: pitfalls and solutions. J Neurosci Methods. 2010;187(1):73\u20137.","journal-title":"J Neurosci Methods"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1159\/000358061","volume":"69","author":"S Tsuchimine","year":"2014","unstructured":"Tsuchimine S, Sugawara N, Ishioka M, Yasui-Furukori N. Preanalysis storage conditions influence the measurement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in peripheral blood. Neuropsychobiology. 2014;69(2):83\u20138.","journal-title":"Neuropsychobiology"},{"issue":"1","key":"662_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9655","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-45976-5","volume":"9","author":"AK Gejl","year":"2019","unstructured":"Gejl AK, Enevold C, Bugge A, Andersen MS, Nielsen CH, Andersen LB. Associations between serum and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor and influence of storage time and centrifugation strategy. Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):9655.","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"228","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2010.07.013","volume":"36","author":"BAA Bus","year":"2011","unstructured":"Bus BAA, Molendijk ML, Penninx BJWH, Buitelaar JK, Kenis G, Prickaerts J, et al. Determinants of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2011;36(2):228\u201339.","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology"},{"issue":"1\u20133","key":"662_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainresbull.2007.03.009","volume":"73","author":"V Trajkovska","year":"2007","unstructured":"Trajkovska V, Marcussen AB, Vinberg M, Hartvig P, Aznar S, Knudsen GM. Measurements of brain-derived neurotrophic factor: methodological aspects and demographical data. Brain Res Bull. 2007;73(1\u20133):143\u20139.","journal-title":"Brain Res Bull"},{"key":"662_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pnpbp.2014.05.006","volume":"54","author":"J Zwipp","year":"2014","unstructured":"Zwipp J, Hass J, Schober I, Geisler D, Ritschel F, Seidel M, et al. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cognitive functioning in underweight, weight-recovered and partially weight-recovered females with anorexia nervosa. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2014;54:163\u20139.","journal-title":"Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"1","key":"662_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/sms.12069","volume":"24","author":"T Huang","year":"2014","unstructured":"Huang T, Larsen KT, Ried-Larsen M, M\u00f8ller NC, Andersen LB. The effects of physical activity and exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy humans: a review: physical activity and BDNF. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24(1):1\u201310.","journal-title":"Scand J Med Sci Sports"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tins.2012.12.009","volume":"36","author":"M Rios","year":"2013","unstructured":"Rios M. BDNF and the central control of feeding: accidental bystander or essential player? Trends Neurosci. 2013;36(2):83\u201390.","journal-title":"Trends Neurosci"},{"issue":"3","key":"662_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"448","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2011.12.015","volume":"198","author":"H Yamada","year":"2012","unstructured":"Yamada H, Yoshimura C, Nakajima T, Nagata T. Recovery of low plasma BDNF over the course of treatment among patients with bulimia nervosa. Psychiatry Res. 2012;198(3):448\u201351.","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res"},{"issue":"5","key":"662_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"pyu 092","DOI":"10.1093\/ijnp\/pyu092","volume":"18","author":"P Homan","year":"2015","unstructured":"Homan P, Grob S, Milos G, Schnyder U, Eckert A, Lang U, et al. The role of BDNF, leptin, and catecholamines in reward learning in bulimia nervosa. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015;18(5):pyu 092.","journal-title":"Int J Neuropsychopharmacol"},{"key":"662_CR21","unstructured":"McKenzie J, Brennan S, Ryan R, Thomson H, Johnston R. Chapter 9: Summarizing study characteristics and preparing for synthesis. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA, editors. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 63 (updated February 2022) [Internet]. Cochrane; 2022. Available from: www.training.cochrane.org\/handbook."},{"key":"662_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/9780470743386","volume-title":"Introduction to meta-analysis","author":"M Borenstein","year":"2009","unstructured":"Borenstein M, Hedges LV, Higgins JPT, Rothstein HR. Introduction to meta-analysis. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2009."},{"issue":"4","key":"662_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1016\/S0006-3223(02)01746-8","volume":"54","author":"M Nakazato","year":"2003","unstructured":"Nakazato M, Hashimoto K, Shimizu E, Kumakiri C, Koizumi H, Okamura N, et al. Decreased levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in female patients with eating disorders. Biol Psychiatry. 2003;54(4):485\u201390.","journal-title":"Biol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1111\/pcn.12490","volume":"71","author":"J Matsumoto","year":"2017","unstructured":"Matsumoto J, Hirano Y, Hashimoto K, Ishima T, Kanahara N, Niitsu T, et al. Altered serum level of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and its association with decision-making in eating disorders: MMP-9 and decision-making in ED. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2017;71(2):124\u201334.","journal-title":"Psychiatry Clin Neurosci"},{"issue":"2","key":"662_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apnu.2013.11.006","volume":"28","author":"K Phillips","year":"2014","unstructured":"Phillips K, Keane K, Wolfe BE. Peripheral brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in bulimia nervosa: a systematic review. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2014;28(2):108\u201313.","journal-title":"Arch Psychiatr Nurs"},{"issue":"6","key":"662_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"527","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2008.05.005","volume":"64","author":"S Sen","year":"2008","unstructured":"Sen S, Duman R, Sanacora G. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, depression, and antidepressant medications: meta-analyses and implications. Biol Psychiatry. 2008;64(6):527\u201332.","journal-title":"Biol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"4","key":"662_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"843","DOI":"10.1016\/S0193-953X(05)70385-3","volume":"19","author":"DB Herzog","year":"1996","unstructured":"Herzog DB, Nussbaum KM, Marmor AK. Comorbidity and outcome in eating disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1996;19(4):843\u201359.","journal-title":"Psychiatr Clin North Am"},{"issue":"7","key":"662_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"759","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23095","volume":"52","author":"E Tomba","year":"2019","unstructured":"Tomba E, Tecuta L, Crocetti E, Squarcio F, Tomei G. Residual eating disorder symptoms and clinical features in remitted and recovered eating disorder patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Int J Eat Disord. 2019;52(7):759\u201376.","journal-title":"Int J Eat Disord"},{"key":"662_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"110320","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mce.2018.10.018","volume":"497","author":"LA Berner","year":"2019","unstructured":"Berner LA, Brown TA, Lavender JM, Lopez E, Wierenga CE, Kaye WH. Neuroendocrinology of reward in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: beyond leptin and ghrelin. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2019;497:110320.","journal-title":"Mol Cell Endocrinol"},{"key":"662_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2021.02.063","volume":"137","author":"A Malcolm","year":"2021","unstructured":"Malcolm A, Phillipou A. Current directions in biomarkers and endophenotypes for anorexia nervosa: a scoping review. J Psychiatr Res. 2021;137:303\u201310.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Res"}],"container-title":["Journal of Eating Disorders"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s40337-022-00662-2.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s40337-022-00662-2\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s40337-022-00662-2.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]],"date-time":"2022-09-14T12:15:49Z","timestamp":1663157749000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40337-022-00662-2"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12]]}},"alternative-id":["662"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s40337-022-00662-2","relation":{},"ISSN":["2050-2974"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2050-2974","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,14]]},"assertion":[{"value":"11 August 2022","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"28 August 2022","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"14 September 2022","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare that they have no competing interests.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"141"}}