Altered Metabolism in Depressive Disorders

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology and Drug Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 8725

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Science and Health, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
Interests: adenosine metabolism; pharmaceutics biochemistry; amino acids; yeast biomass; probiotics

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Interests: pharmacology; pharmacodynamics; neuroscience; preclinical studies; mood disorders
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Depression is a very common chronic debilitating neuropsychiatric disease that affects over 320 million people worldwide. Though depressive disorders are considered the single largest contributor to non-fatal health loss and a major contributor to suicide, the available antidepressant pharmacotherapy is not sufficiently effective. Conventional antidepressant drugs target the serotoninergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic pathways. Therefore, in order to develop new and more effective agents, research teams focus on other systems/processes having their role in the pathophysiology of depression. Amongst them, glutamatergic, adenosinergic, and endocannabinoid neurotransmissions, inflammation, oxidative stress, as well as pathways associated with the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal axis, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or thyroid hormones should be mentioned. Both pre-clinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that the above-mentioned signalings are altered in subjects with depression. Thus, in our Special Issue on Altered Metabolism in Depressive Disorders we would like to bring together experts working on different biomarkers of depression and invite them to present their recent results. We encourage authors to submit original research articles, reviews, reports from clinical trials, and case reports.

Dr. Anna Serefko
Dr. Aleksandra Szopa
Dr. Monika Jach
Dr. Jolanta Orzelska-Górka
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • depression
  • adenosine system
  • glutamatergic system
  • endocannabinoids
  • neuroinflammation
  • oxidative stress
  • neurotrophic factors
  • neuroscience
  • pre-clinical studies
  • clinical studies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 1205 KiB  
Article
Effects of Selen on the Antidepressant-like Activity of Agents Affecting the Adenosinergic Neurotransmission
by Aleksandra Szopa, Mariola Herbet, Ewa Poleszak, Karolina Bogatko, Marta Ostrowska-Leśko, Katarzyna Świąder, Jarosław Szponar and Anna Serefko
Metabolites 2022, 12(7), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12070586 - 23 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2583
Abstract
The main goal of this study was to determine the antidepressant-like potential of the co-administration of sodium selenite (Se) and the selective adenosine A1 and A2A antagonists DPCPX and istradefylline (IST), respectively, in mice despair tests. Biochemical studies were performed to elucidate the [...] Read more.
The main goal of this study was to determine the antidepressant-like potential of the co-administration of sodium selenite (Se) and the selective adenosine A1 and A2A antagonists DPCPX and istradefylline (IST), respectively, in mice despair tests. Biochemical studies were performed to elucidate the action mechanisms of the investigated treatment strategies. The results confirmed that, when administered by itself, Se exerts an antidepressant-like effect in the FST and TST and that this activity is dose-dependent. Further experiments demonstrated that Se (0.25 mg/kg) significantly enhanced the activity of mice in both tests when co-administered with DPCPX (1 mg/kg) and IST (0.5 mg/kg) at doses which would be ineffective if administered individually. Our research revealed that neither DPCPX, IST, nor Se or combinations of the tested substances induced significant changes in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in mice serum vs. the NaCl-treated group. However, we observed a decrease in the mRNA level of antioxidant defense enzymes. Molecular studies also showed changes in the expression of the Slc6a15, Comt, and Adora1 genes, particularly after exposure to the combination of Se and DPCPX, which indicates a beneficial effect and may help to explain the key mechanism of the antidepressant effect. The combination of Se with substances attenuating adenosine neurotransmission may become a new therapeutic strategy for patients with depression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altered Metabolism in Depressive Disorders)
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9 pages, 1054 KiB  
Article
ProBDNF as an Indicator of Improvement among Women with Depressive Episodes
by Weronika Zwolińska, Maria Skibinska, Agnieszka Słopień and Monika Dmitrzak-Węglarz
Metabolites 2022, 12(4), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12040358 - 16 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2223
Abstract
Depression is a chronic psychiatric disorder with a heavy socioeconomic burden. Studies on biomarkers are needed to comprehend the pathophysiology of depression and to improve treatment outcomes. Research points to the importance of imbalance between mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor, [...] Read more.
Depression is a chronic psychiatric disorder with a heavy socioeconomic burden. Studies on biomarkers are needed to comprehend the pathophysiology of depression and to improve treatment outcomes. Research points to the importance of imbalance between mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor, pro–brain–derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF), in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and the potential neurodegenerative role of calcium-binding protein B (S100B). Our objective was to compare BDNF, proBDNF, and S100B serum levels before and after the treatment of acute depressive episodes and to assess their correlation with the severity of symptoms and history of stress. We also aimed to investigate the differences in BDNF, proBDNF, and S100B levels between depression in the course of bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). We recruited 31 female patients diagnosed with BD or MDD who were hospitalized due to current depressive episodes. The patients had their serum BDNF, proBDNF, and S100B levels evaluated using the ELISA method upon admission and after the symptoms improved, at discharge. We found that proBDNF levels decreased significantly with the treatment (p = 0.0478), while BDNF and S100B levels were not altered significantly. No differences in biochemical parameters between MDD and BD subjects were observed. Consequently, we concluded that a decrease in serum proBDNF levels could be considered a biomarker of recovery from depressive episodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altered Metabolism in Depressive Disorders)
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Review

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15 pages, 787 KiB  
Review
Glutamate Efflux across the Blood–Brain Barrier: New Perspectives on the Relationship between Depression and the Glutamatergic System
by Benjamin Fredrick Gruenbaum, Alexander Zlotnik, Amit Frenkel, Ilya Fleidervish and Matthew Boyko
Metabolites 2022, 12(5), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12050459 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3329
Abstract
Depression is a significant cause of disability and affects millions worldwide; however, antidepressant therapies often fail or are inadequate. Current medications for treating major depressive disorder can take weeks or months to reach efficacy, have troubling side effects, and are limited in their [...] Read more.
Depression is a significant cause of disability and affects millions worldwide; however, antidepressant therapies often fail or are inadequate. Current medications for treating major depressive disorder can take weeks or months to reach efficacy, have troubling side effects, and are limited in their long-term capabilities. Recent studies have identified a new set of glutamate-based approaches, such as blood glutamate scavengers, which have the potential to provide alternatives to traditional antidepressants. In this review, we hypothesize as to the involvement of the glutamate system in the development of depression. We identify the mechanisms underlying glutamate dysregulation, offering new perspectives on the therapeutic modalities of depression with a focus on its relationship to blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Ultimately, we conclude that in diseases with impaired BBB permeability, such as depression following stroke or traumatic brain injury, or in neurogenerative diseases, the glutamate system should be considered as a pathway to treatment. We propose that drugs such as blood glutamate scavengers should be further studied for treatment of these conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altered Metabolism in Depressive Disorders)
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