The effect of psychedelics on the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Recent interest in the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics has led to investigations into their influence on molecular signaling pathways within the brain. Aims: Integrated review and analysis of different studies in this field. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across international databases including Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed from inception to 9 July 2023. Eligibility criteria encompassed published and peer-reviewed studies evaluating changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels after psychedelic consumption. Outcomes: A total of nine studies were included in our study. The meta-analysis demonstrated significantly higher BDNF levels in psychedelic consumers compared to healthy controls, with a pooled standardized mean difference of 0.26 (95% CI: 0.10–0.42, I2 = 38.51%, p