Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41519822›Full record

SynthesisBMC nutrition2026

The effect of dietary interventions on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in adults: a systematic review of clinical trials.

Maryam Mohamadinarab, Atoosa Saidpour, Azadeh Dehghani, Pegah Rahbarinejad, Golnaz Ranjbar, Abdolreza Norouzy, Mohammad Safarian

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Maryam MohamadinarabDepartment of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Atoosa SaidpourNational Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Azadeh DehghaniMicronutrient Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Disorders, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Pegah RahbarinejadDepartment of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Golnaz RanjbarUniversity of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.
Abdolreza NorouzyDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. norouzy@gmail.com.
Mohammad SafarianDepartment of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. SafarianM@mums.ac.ir.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is crucial for brain development, neuronal function, and metabolism. This systematic review aims to comprehensively examine the impact of various diets on BDNF levels, addressing gaps in understanding diet's influence on BDNF's role in neuroprotection and metabolism.

methodThis systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. An extensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus up to April 2024, using terms related to diet and BDNF. Relevant clinical trials involving adults were included. Data extraction covered study design, participant details, and outcomes, with quality assessed using the Cochrane method. Clarifications from authors were sought as needed to ensure comprehensive analysis.

resultsThis review examined 7633 articles to assess the impact of various diets on BDNF levels, narrowing down to 13 studies. The study found varying effects: intermittent fasting and ketogenic diets generally increased BDNF, while other diets showed minimal or no impact. The review highlights diverse outcomes and the need for further research on dietary effects on BDNF.

conclusionThe review found that fasting and calorie restriction diets generally increase BDNF levels, while other dietary interventions showed inconsistent effects. Further research is needed to better understand these dietary impacts on BDNF and to develop optimized strategies for enhancing cognitive health and managing obesity.

Indexed as

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)Dietary interventionsObesity and overweightSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41519822
PMCPMC12809989

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.