A review of brain insulin signaling in mood disorders: From biomarker to clinical target. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nguyen, Thanh Thanh L.; Chan, Lily C.; Borreginne, Kristin; Kale, Rajas P.; Hu, Chunling; Tye, Susannah J.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 92(2018)
• Page Start: 7
• Page End: 15
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Mood disorder -- Insulin signaling -- Metabolism -- Homeostasis -- Stress -- HPA axis -- Neuroinflammation -- Allostatic load; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.05.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Central insulin signaling is an important moderator of synaptic plasticity. Central insulin regulates mood, memory and cognition. Stress and inflammation are important common pathways in mood and metabolic disorders. Abstract: Patients with mood disorders are at increased risk for metabolic dysfunction. Co-occurrence of the two conditions is typically associated with a more severe disease course and poorer treatment outcomes. The specific pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this bidirectional relationship between mood and metabolic dysfunction remains poorly understood. However, it is likely that impairment of metabolic processes within the brain play a critical role. The insulin signaling pathway mediates metabolic homeostasis and is important in the regulation of neurotrophic and synaptic plasticity processes, including those involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Thus, insulin signaling in the brain may serve to link metabolic function and mood. Central insulin signaling is mediated through locally secreted insulin and widespread insulin receptor expression. Here we review the preclinical and clinical data addressing the relationships between central insulin signaling, cellular metabolism, neurotrophic processes, and mood regulation, including key points of mechanistic overlap. These relationships have important implications for developing biomarker-based diagnostics and precision medicine approaches to treat severe mood disorders.