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. 2021 Mar 11;80(5):411–424. doi: 10.1159/000514126

Table 3.

Studies included in the meta-analysis of the association between serum BDNF levels and brain volume measurements

Author [citation] Sample size Mean age in years (SD) Gender (M:F) Country Mean years of education (SD) BDNF source Assay method MRI technique Region(s) measured Correlation with BDNF (r)
Zugman et al. [49] 29 32.17 (11.43) 21:8 Spain 10.84 (3.4) Serum Sandwich-ELISA Scanner: 1.5-T imaging system Acquisition: 3D SPGR sagittal T1 sequence ROI selection/measurement: FreeSurfer software, automated segmentation Right and left hippocampus; right and left amygdala; total cortical volume −0.104, 0.03 −0.40, −0.18 −0.522

Rizos et al. [50] 20 30.75 (10.59) 8:12 Greece 11.15 (2.92) Serum Quantikine Immunoassay Scanner: 1.5-T imaging system Acquisition: dual echo axial/sagittal T1 sequence ROI selection/measurement: manual segmentation, V1L2, pixel-based volumetry Right hippocampus 0.452

Rizos et al. [51] 14 29.71 (10.21) 8:6 Greece 13.00 (3.65) Serum Quantikine Immunoassay Scanner: 1.5-T imaging system Acquisition: dual echo axial/sagittal T1 sequence ROI selection/measurement: manual segmentation, V1L2, pixel-based volumetry Right and left hippocampus 0.281, 0.597

Song et al. [52] 46 2.54 (5.79) 28:18 China 12.63 (2.09) Serum ELISA Scanner: 3.0-T imaging system Acquisition: T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo (SPGR) ROI selection/measurement: FreeSurfer software, automatic parcellation Right and left hippocampus 0.338, 0.327

Song et al. [53] 45 22.09 (4.95) 27:18 China 12.53 (2.18) Serum ELISA Scanner: 3.0-T imaging system Acquisition: T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo (SPGR) ROI selection/measurement: FreeSurfer software, automatic parcellation Left insula 0.035

BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; ROI, region-of-interest.