Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Yuanyuan Deng, Manfei Zhou, Junfeng Wang, Jiaxi Yao, Jing Yu, Wenwei Liu, Linlin Wu, Jun Wang, Rong Gao
Summary: The research found that long-term stress disrupts Kyn metabolism and endocrine function, accompanied by disrupted homeostasis of certain microbiota, collectively contributing to the development of depression-like behavior.
Article
Oncology
Nikos Papadimitriou, Marc J. Gunter, Neil Murphy, Audrey Gicquiau, David Achaintre, Stefanie Brezina, Tanja Gumpenberger, Andreas Baierl, Jennifer Ose, Anne J. M. R. Geijsen, Eline H. van Roekel, Andrea Gsur, Biljana Gigic, Nina Habermann, Cornelia M. Ulrich, Ellen Kampman, Matty P. Weijenberg, Per Magne Ueland, Rudolf Kaaks, Verena Katzke, Vittorio Krogh, Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Eva Ardanaz, Ruth C. Travis, Matthias B. Schulze, Maria-Jose Sanchez, Sandra M. Colorado-Yohar, Elisabete Weiderpass, Augustin Scalbert, Pekka Keski-Rahkonen
Summary: The study found that higher plasma tryptophan levels may be associated with a lower risk of colon cancer, while increased serotonin levels may be linked to a higher risk of colon cancer. Additionally, the kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio may reflect altered tryptophan metabolism during colon cancer development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Maria Arnoriaga-Rodriguez, Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs, Oren Contreras-Rodriguez, Aurelijus Burokas, Juan-Antonio Ortega-Sanchez, Gerard Blasco, Claudia Coll, Carles Biarnes, Anna Castells-Nobau, Josep Puig, Josep Garre-Olmo, Rafel Ramos, Salvador Pedraza, Ramon Brugada, Joan C. Vilanova, Joaquin Serena, Jordi Barretina, Jordi Gich, Vicente Perez-Brocal, Andres Moya, Xavier Fernandez-Real, Lluis Ramio-Torrenta, Reinald Pamplona, Joaquim Sol, Mariona Jove, Wifredo Ricart, Manuel Portero-Otin, Rafael Maldonado, Jose Manuel Fernandez-Real
Summary: The study revealed the relationship between inhibitory control and obesity, as well as the interactions between gut microbiota, metabolomics, and brain structure. Metabolic pathway alterations associated with obesity were found to be linked to inhibitory control, and results were validated in mice through fecal microbiota transplantation.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Majid Davidson, Niloufar Rashidi, Md Kamal Hossain, Ali Raza, Kulmira Nurgali, Vasso Apostolopoulos
Summary: Addiction to addictive substances negatively affects the neurological system, leading to dysfunction in reward, memory, and motivation. It causes severe health issues and there are currently no efficient treatment options. However, promising approaches such as psychological contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy are being explored.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Auriel A. Willette, Colleen Pappas, Nathan Hoth, Qian Wang, Brandon Klinedinst, Sara A. Willette, Brittany Larsen, Amy Pollpeter, Tianqi Li, Scott Le, Ana D. Collazo-Martinez, Jonathan P. Mochel, Karin Allenspach, Robert Dantzer
Summary: The study found that higher Kyn/Tryptophan ratio was associated with various inflammatory markers, lower functional independence, and memory scores. Higher Kyn/5-HT ratio was also related to negative affect, neuropsychiatric disturbance, executive dysfunction, and global cognitive decline. Additionally, gray matter atrophy and increased amyloid and total tau deposition were observed in specific brain regions.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Dennis Froebel, Daniela Stanke, Mathias Langner, Gintare Zygiene, Nicole Bechmann, Mirko Peitzsch
Summary: This study developed a simple and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of kynurenine pathway metabolites. The method is suitable for various physiological matrices and has wide application in disease-related experimental settings.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY B-ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BIOMEDICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Darakhshan Jabeen Haleem
Summary: The importance of nutrients in our diet is increasingly recognized. Essential amino acids, including tryptophan, play a crucial role in protein synthesis and various physiological functions. Tryptophan is the sole precursor of serotonin, and its deficiency may contribute to depression and diabetes.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Lapo Pais, Joao Martins, Miguel Castelo-Branco, Joana Goncalves
Summary: Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that plays a role in neuropsychiatric diseases. Women have a higher susceptibility to serotonin alterations due to changes in tryptophan levels, leading to a female sex bias in neuropsychiatric diseases. Further research is needed on the impact of diet and sex steroids on tryptophan metabolism.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Skaidre Jankovskaja, Maxim Morin, Anna Gustafsson, Chris D. Anderson, Boglarka Lehoczki, Johan Engblom, Sebastian Bjorklund, Meinda Rezeli, Gyorgy Marko-Varga, Tautgirdas Ruzgas
Summary: This study assessed various sampling approaches for tryptophan and kynurenine and found that the phenylalanine/tryptophan ratio may be a possible alternative biomarker for non-invasive skin cancer detection.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Heather M. Grifka-Walk, Brittany R. Jenkins, Douglas J. Kominsky
Summary: Tryptophan is an essential amino acid involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and signaling molecules, regulating various physiological effects through the metabolism and production by both host cells and microbiome.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Iva Lukic, Sanja Ivkovic, Milos Mitic, Miroslav Adzic
Summary: Clinical depression, a multifactorial disorder, is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Recent research has shown that gut microbial communities play a crucial role in the etiology of depression, specifically through the modulation of tryptophan metabolism. This review summarizes the evidence of the role of gut bacteria in disturbed tryptophan metabolism in depression, including the effects on serotonin, kynurenine, and indole pathways, and explores the potential therapeutic effects of probiotics.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neuroimaging
Flora John, Sharon K. Michelhaugh, Geoffrey R. Barger, Sandeep Mittal, Csaba Juhasz
Summary: Depression affects more than 1/4 of patients with primary brain tumors, is largely independent of tumor characteristics, and is associated with shorter survival in patients with recurrent malignant gliomas. PET imaging shows higher tryptophan metabolism in the frontal cortex and thalamus in those with brain tumor-associated depression.
BRAIN IMAGING AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Harald Mangge, Markus Herrmann, Andreas Meinitzer, Sabine Pailer, Pero Curcic, Zdenka Sloup, Magdalena Holter, Florian Prueller
Summary: Kynurenine is a promising blood biomarker for predicting mortality risk in severe COVID-19 cases, with KYN levels at the time of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis serving as an early indicator of poor outcomes. Age, KYN, ferritin, and other markers were found to significantly impact survival time, underscoring the potential of Kynurenine as a prognostic tool in COVID-19 management.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Cezary Chojnacki, Aleksandra Blonska, Paulina Konrad, Marcin Chojnacki, Marcin Podogrocki, Tomasz Poplawski
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the urinary excretion of selected tryptophan metabolites in patients with IBS-C and IBS-D. It was found that changes in tryptophan metabolism occurred in both groups of IBS patients compared to the control group. The 5-HIAA level was correlated with abdominal symptoms and anxiety in IBS-D patients, while the concentration of kynurenines (KYN, QA) in urine was higher in IBS-C patients and correlated with depression.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Runlong Zhao, Yalin Zhou, Hanxu Shi, Wanyun Ye, Ying Lyu, Zhang Wen, Rui Li, Yajun Xu
Summary: Recent studies have found a strong association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and postpartum depression (PPD), but little is known about the underlying physiological mechanism. In this study, a GDM rat model was used to evaluate the direct effect of GDM on PPD and to explore the mechanism. The results showed that GDM induced postpartum depression-like behavior in rats and disrupted both the tryptophan pathway and the composition of the gut microbiota.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Simone B. Sartori, Nicolas Singewald
PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cristina Lemos, Ahmad Salti, Ines M. Amaral, Veronica Fontebasso, Nicolas Singewald, Georg Dechant, Alex Hofer, Rana El Rawas
Summary: Social interaction can be beneficial in preventing drug abuse by reducing stress levels. The study found that social interaction decreased stress levels and reversed the preference for cocaine induced by stress. This suggests that social interaction could be an important component in the treatment of substance use disorders.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anouk Pierre, Andries Van Schuerbeek, Wissal Allaoui, Sven Van Laere, Nicolas Singewald, Ann Van Eeckhaut, Ilse Smolders, Dimitri De Bundel
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Psychiatry
Harald Murck, Benjamin Luerweg, Johannes Hahn, Matthias Braunisch, Daniela Jezova, Maxim Zavorotnyy, Carsten Konrad, Andreas Jansen, Tilo Kircher
Summary: Brain morphology and endocrine parameters were found to be associated with treatment outcome in depressed patients. Non-responders tended to have larger ventricular volume and smaller central white matter structures.
WORLD JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Harald Murck
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Daniela Jezova, Peter Karailiev, Lucia Karailievova, Agnesa Puhova, Harald Murck
Summary: The study introduced the concept that Glycyrrhiza glabra extract might reduce the entry point for SARS-CoV-2, ACE2. Results showed a significant decrease in ACE2 gene and protein expression in the small intestine of rats fed with the extract, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19 prevention.
Article
Psychiatry
Jan Terock, Anke Hannemann, Johanna Klinger-Koenig, Deborah Janowitz, Hans J. Grabe, Harald Murck
Summary: Childhood trauma is associated with alterations in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, leading to changes in plasma aldosterone concentrations and blood pressure. These neurobiological markers may increase the risk for psychiatric disorders, especially major depression.
WORLD JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Jan Engelmann, Harald Murck, Stefanie Wagner, Lea Zillich, Fabian Streit, David P. Herzog, Dieter F. Braus, Andre Tadic, Klaus Lieb, Marianne B. Muller
Summary: This study investigated the predictive value of peripheral markers related to the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) for the outcome of antidepressant treatment. The results showed that patients with more severe depression had lower blood pressure, lower K+ levels, and higher Na+/K+ ratios. These biomarkers obtained in routine clinical settings may be useful for risk stratification in early stages of depression treatment.
WORLD JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Juan Facundo Chrestia, Ana Sofia Oliveira, Adrian J. Mulholland, Timothy Gallagher, Isabel Bermudez, Cecilia Bouzat
Summary: The study reveals a potential functional interaction between the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and a region of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S), suggesting the involvement of nAChR in COVID-19 pathophysiology. The S fragment has a dual effect on alpha 7, activating it in the presence of positive allosteric modulators and negatively modulating its function.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Harald Murck, Lisa Lehr, Daniela Jezova
Summary: An abundance of knowledge has been collected on neuroendocrine parameters in major depression, with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and its regulation of cortisol receiving extensive study. However, attempts to pharmacologically target the HPA axis for treating major depression have been unsuccessful. This review focuses on the role of aldosterone, released by adrenocorticotropic hormone and angiotensin, and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in depression. Depressed patients, especially those with atypical depression, show signs of central hyperactivation of the aldosterone sensitive MR, potentially due to reactive aldosterone release induced by low blood pressure and low peripheral MR sensitivity.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Nicolas Singewald, Simone B. Sartori, Andreas Reif, Andrew Holmes
Summary: Psychiatric disorders associated with trauma, stress, and anxiety are increasing worldwide, leading to significant morbidity. Current medication-based therapeutic approaches for anxiety disorders and PTSD are effective but have unwanted side effects and do not address underlying pathophysiology. There is renewed interest in designing novel drug treatments in this field, targeting various neurochemical systems. This article provides an overview of the current state of drug development, highlighting the importance of neurobiology and neuroplasticity in achieving lasting therapeutic effects.
Article
Psychiatry
Sinead Rooney, Anupam Sah, Michael S. Unger, Maria Kharitonova, Simone B. Sartori, Christoph Schwarzer, Ludwig Aigner, Helmut Kettenmann, Susanne A. Wolf, Nicolas Singewald
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2020)
Meeting Abstract
Clinical Neurology
Aaron Koenig, Harald Murck, Yingchun Luo, Irena Webster, Michael Quirk, Steve Kanes, James Doherty
Meeting Abstract
Clinical Neurology
Aaron Koenig, Harald Murck, Jason Berlin, Yingchun Luo, Sigui Li, Brandon Farley, David Nguyen, Irena Webster, Michael Quirk, Stephen Kanes, James Doherty
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Harald Murck, Lisa Lehr, Maxim Zavorotny
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2020)
Article
Psychiatry
Yafit Levin, Rahel Bachem, Dorit Brafman, Menachem Ben-Ezra
Summary: Negative symptoms of schizophrenia have been overlooked, and this study found an association between negative symptoms and the risk of dissociative disorder, independently of depression and anxiety symptoms. It is important to consider both negative symptoms and dissociative symptoms in clinical practice to better understand their interaction.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Review
Psychiatry
Roland Mergl, Sarah M. Quaatz, Vanessa Lemke, Antje-Kathrin Allgaier
Summary: Women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths have an increased risk for depressive symptoms and disorders, with a wide range of prevalence rates. However, depressive symptoms tend to diminish over time.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Hai-Yang Wang, Lin Zhang, Bei-Yan Guan, Shi-Yao Wang, Cui-Hong Zhang, Ming-Fei Ni, Yan-Wei Miao, Bing-Wei Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the association between cognitive reappraisal and panic disorder (PD), and finds that PD patients have weakened functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala, which is associated with the severity of PD symptoms. Additionally, cognitive reappraisal is negatively correlated with PD severity, and the PFC-amygdala functional connectivity plays a mediating role in this association.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Yanqiang Tao, Xinyuan Zou, Qihui Tang, Wenxin Hou, Shujian Wang, Zijuan Ma, Gang Liu, Xiangping Liu
Summary: Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental disorders among adolescents. The study utilized network analysis to examine the symptom dimension of depression and anxiety in different age groups of adolescents. The results indicated that different age groups have different key symptoms and bridging symptoms, highlighting the importance of targeting specific symptoms at different stages of adolescence in treatment to alleviate the comorbidity of anxiety and depression.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Philip J. Batterham, Aliza Werner-Seidler, Bridianne O'Dea, Alison L. Calear, Kate Maston, Andrew Mackinnon, Helen Christensen
Summary: Screening for psychological distress in adolescents is important, and the Distress Questionnaire-5 (DQ5) is a reliable measure for this purpose. The study found that DQ5 had good fit to a unidimensional construct, strong criterion and predictive validity, and sensitivity to change. The brevity and ease of interpretation of DQ5 make it suitable for screening in schools.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Xiaoli Liu, Qianqian Chen, Fang Cheng, Wenhao Zhuang, Wenwu Zhang, Yiping Tang, Dongsheng Zhou
Summary: This study found working memory defects in adolescents with major depressive disorder compared to healthy controls based on mean oxy-hemoglobin changes, which can be useful for distinguishing adolescents with MDD from healthy controls.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Anders Nordahl-Hansen, Hugo Cogo-Moreira, Sareh Panjeh, Daniel S. Quintana
Summary: This article aims to determine empirically-derived effect size thresholds associated with psychotherapy for depressive disorders by calculating the effect size distribution. The findings indicate that the observed effect size thresholds are larger than the suggested guidelines, which has implications for interpreting study effects and planning future research.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Guangli Zhao, Liyong Yu, Peixin Chen, Keli Zhu, Lu Yang, Wenting Lin, Yucai Luo, Zeyang Dou, Hao Xu, Pan Zhang, Tianmin Zhu, Siyi Yu
Summary: This study investigated the neural mechanisms underlying emotional attention bias in patients with CID using ERP and rs-FC approaches. The results revealed abnormalities in attention processing and connectivity in the emotion-cognition networks of CID patients. This study provides a neural basis for understanding attention bias in CID.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Seungyeon Lee, Sora Mun, Jiyeong Lee, Hee-Gyoo Kang
Summary: Major depressive disorder is a prevalent condition worldwide, but the proportion of patients receiving treatment has not increased. Biomarkers related to drug-treatment responses can be used to monitor the effectiveness of medication. Serum protein levels were compared among patients with depression who received medication, those who did not, and a control group. Eight biomarkers were identified, which can be used to monitor the effectiveness of drug treatment.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Alfredo L. Sklar, Fang -Cheng Yeh, Mark Curtis, Dylan Seebold, Brian A. Coffman, Dean F. Salisbury
Summary: This study investigated semantic verbal fluency (SVF) impairments in first-episode psychosis patients within the schizophrenia spectrum. The findings revealed disruptions in both functional and structural connectivity in these patients, as well as an association between enhanced connectivity in the right hemisphere and worse SVF performance and longer disease duration.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychiatry
Maksymilian Rejek, Blazej Misiak
Summary: This study investigates the association of the exposome score (ES) with psychosis risk in a non-clinical population. The results show that the ES is associated with the extended psychosis phenotype, suggesting its potential to identify individuals who may benefit from further psychosis risk assessment.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2024)
