Peptides from adipose tissue in mental disorders

Integrative omics analysis reveals epigenomic and transcriptomic signatures underlying brain structural deficits in major depressive disorder

Several lines of evidence support the involvement of transcriptomic and epigenetic mechanisms in the brain structural deficits of major depressive disorder (MDD) separately. However, research in these two areas has remained isolated. In this study, we proposed an integrative strategy that combined neuroimaging, brain-wide gene expression, and peripheral DNA methylation data to investigate the genetic basis of gray matter abnormalities in MDD. The MRI T1-weighted images and Illumina 850 K DNA methylation microarrays were obtained from 269 patients and 416 healthy controls, and brain-wide transcriptomic data were collected from Allen Human Brain Atlas. The between-group differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and differentially methylated CpG positions (DMPs) were examined. The genes with their expression patterns spatially related to GMV changes and genes with DMPs were overlapped and selected. Using principal component regression, the associations between DMPs in overlapped genes and GMV across individual patients were investigated, and the region-specific correlations between methylation status and gene expression were examined. We found significant associations between the decreased GMV and DMPs methylation status in the anterior cingulate cortex, inferior frontal cortex, and fusiform face cortex regions. These DMPs genes were primarily enriched in the neurodevelopmental and synaptic transmission process. There was a significant negative correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression in genes associated with GMV changes of the frontal cortex in MDD. Our findings suggest that GMV abnormalities in MDD may have a transcriptomic and epigenetic basis. This imaging-transcriptomic-epigenetic integrative analysis provides spatial and biological links between cortical morphological deficits and peripheral epigenetic signatures in MDD.

The Antiviral Potential of AdipoRon, an Adiponectin Receptor Agonist, Reveals the Ability of Zika Virus to Deregulate Adiponectin Receptor Expression

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a pathogenic member of the flavivirus family, with several unique characteristics. Unlike any other arbovirus, ZIKV can be transmitted sexually and maternally, and thus produce congenital syndromes (CZS) due to its neurotropism. This challenges the search for safe active molecules that can protect pregnant women and their fetuses. In this context, and in the absence of any existing treatment, it seemed worthwhile to test whether the known cytoprotective properties of adiponectin and its pharmacological analog, AdipoRon, could influence the outcome of ZIKV infection. We showed that both AdipoRon and adiponectin could significantly reduce the in vitro infection of A549 epithelial cells, a well-known cell model for flavivirus infection studies. This effect was particularly observed when a pre-treatment was carried out. Conversely, ZIKV revealed an ability to downregulate adiponectin receptor expression and thereby limit adiponectin signaling.

Outrunning a bad diet: interactions between exercise and a Western-style diet for adolescent mental health, metabolism and microbes

Adolescence is a period of biological, psychological and social changes, and the peak time for the emergence of mental health problems. During this life stage, brain plasticity including hippocampal neurogenesis is increased, which is crucial for cognitive functions and regulation of emotional responses. The hippocampus is especially susceptible to environmental and lifestyle influences, mediated by changes in physiological systems, resulting in enhanced brain plasticity but also an elevated risk for developing mental health problems. Indeed, adolescence is accompanied by increased activation of the maturing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sensitivity to metabolic changes due to increased nutritional needs and hormonal changes, and gut microbiota maturation. Importantly, dietary habits and levels of physical activity significantly impact these systems. In this review, the interactions between exercise and Western-style diets, which are high in fat and sugar, on adolescent stress susceptibility, metabolism and the gut microbiota are explored. We provide an overview of current knowledge on implications of these interactions for hippocampal function and adolescent mental health, and speculate on potential mechanisms which require further investigation.

Changes in adipokine concentrations in antidepressant-resistant bipolar depression after ketamine infusion and electroconvulsive therapy

OBJECTIVES

This study attempts to assess the concentration of two opposite-acting adipokines (anti-inflammatory adiponectin and pro-inflammatory resistin) in antidepressant-resistant patients undergoing ketamine infusion (KI) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

METHODS

The study group comprised 52 patients hospitalised due to episodes of depression in the course of bipolar disorders. The Hamilton depression scale was used to assess the intensity of the depression symptoms before starting therapy and one day after its completion. The serum concentration of adipokines was determined before and after the therapeutic intervention using an ELISA method.

RESULTS

Baseline adipokine levels differed between patients receiving KI and ECT therapy. Regardless of the procedure used, these levels changed after treatment, with the nature of these changes being different. In the case of KI, the adiponectin levels increased, and resistin levels decreased. In contrast, after ECT, the concentrations of both adipokines decreased. Changes in adipokine concentrations correlated with improvement in mental status, as assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale, type of bipolar disorder, and gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Adipokines remain interesting candidate biomarkers in assessing the state and course of the disease depending on the therapeutic procedure applied. However, the relatively small study group and limited original research available for discussion justify further investigation.

Low serum adiponectin level is associated with better physical health-related quality of life in chronic kidney disease

Hyperadiponectemia is paradoxically associated with renal disease progression and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its association with health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) is unknown. This study aimed to verify the association between adiponectin and HR-QOL in Korean pre-dialysis CKD cohort. This cross-sectional study analyzed 1551 pre-dialysis CKD patients from KNOW-CKD (KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease). Participants were categorized into three tertiles (T1–T3) according to adiponectin levels. HR-QOL was assessed using SF-36. High physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) were defined as highest quartile of each score. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for high PCS and MCS. Prevalence of high PCS were 33.3%, 27.5%, and 17.0% and that of high MCS were 31.7%, 24.8%, and 21.3% for T1, T2, and T3 (both p for trend < 0.001). The adjusted OR [95% CI] of T1 and T2 in reference to T3 were 1.56 [1.09–2.23] and 1.19 [0.85–1.68] for high PCS and 1.19 [0.85–1.68] and 0.94 [0.68–1.29] for high MCS. Serum adiponectin level was inversely associated with physical HR-QOL in Korean pre-dialysis CKD patients. This relationship was independent of various cardiovascular risk factors.

Omentin and visfatin in adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa; association with symptoms

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with significant weight loss; thus, it is crucial to discern the contribution of hormones produced by adipose tissue. Some of the adipokines have not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, the present study aims to measure serum concentrations of omentin and visfatin, in adolescent inpatients with AN. The correlations between selected adipokines and psychopathological symptoms of AN were also analyzed. Thirty adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa and thirty healthy age and height matched girls (CONT) were enrolled in the study. The physical and mental examination, anthropometric and psychometric assessment - Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) and Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), and blood analysis were performed at two-time points - in the malnourished patients (AN T1) and after partial weight recovery (8.30 ± 3.75 weeks) (AN T2). The omentin concentration was not significantly different from the CONT neither in AN T1 nor AN T2. The visfatin level was altered in AN T1 and did not change after partial weight normalization (AN T2). A positive correlation between visfatin and YBOCS was found in AN T2. Visfatin concentrations were decreased in adolescent inpatients suffering from AN in the acute phase of the disease and did not normalize after partial weight restoration. The studies considering visfatin as a biomarker of the acute phase of AN should be continued. Moreover, the visfatin showed association with the obsessive and compulsive symptoms; thus its participation in non-homeostatic regulation of food intake should be investigated in further studies.

A Different View on the Etiopathogenesis of Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder from an Inflammation Perspective

Objective

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a complex etiology and genetic, environmental and biological factors are considered to play a role in the etiology of ADHD by mutually interacting. Recent studies have emphasized that inflammation may be present in the etiology of ADHD. This study aims to investigate the possible role of visfatin, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α molecules in the etiology of ADHD.

Methods

The study included 60 patients and 20 healthy controls between the ages of 6−18. Serum visfatin, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were evaluated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits at a biochemistry laboratory.

Results

The study showed no statistically significant difference between children with ADHD and healthy controls in terms of visfatin, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels. When ADHD subgroups (combined and predominantly inattentive types) and the control group were compared in terms of visfatin, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels, no statistically significant difference was recorded.

Conclusion

Data on the relationship between ADHD and IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in this study are in compliance with the literature. However, no study was found on visfatin in ADHD. This study is the first one evaluating the ADHD-Visfatin relationship.

Exercise-Linked Irisin: Consequences on Mental and Cardiovascular Health in Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder associated with insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Chronic exposure to a T2DM microenvironment with hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, oxidative stress and increased levels of proinflammatory mediators, has negative consequences to the cardiovascular system and mental health. Therefore, atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and mental health issues have been strongly associated with T2DM. Lifestyle modifications, including physical exercise training, are necessary to prevent T2DM development and its associated complications. It is widely known that the regular practice of exercise provides several physiological benefits to subjects with T2DM, such as managing glycemic and blood pressure levels. Different types of exercise, from aerobic to resistance training, are effective to improve mental health and cognitive function in T2DM. Irisin is a myokine produced in response to exercise, which has been pointed as a relevant mechanism of action to explain the benefits of exercise on cardiovascular and mental health in T2DM patients. Here, we review emerging clinical and experimental evidence about exercise-linked irisin consequences to cardiovascular and mental health in T2DM.

Impaired LTD-like motor cortical plasticity in female patients with major depression disorder

BACKGROUNDS

Long-term depression (LTD) is a form of physiologic plasticity that is important for reversal learning and may be linked to major depression. Few studies have examined LTP-like plasticity in patients with depression. It is unclear if continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) induced LTD is altered in depression patients.

METHODS

Here we recruited 29 healthy control subjects and 31 female patients with depression. We performed cTBS protocol on left motor cortex and employed motor evoked potentials (MEPs) response to measure LTD-like plasticity. Peripheral molecules were measured for correlation analyses to cortical plasticity.

RESULTS

Our results revealed persistent LTD-like plasticity deficits in female patients with depression. LTD-like plasticity was impaired in patients with depression despite the fact that peripheral concentrations of BDNF were comparable to that of healthy subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide evidence for impaired LTD-like plasticity in patients with depression which may be an important mechanism linked to the pathophysiology and treatment of this disorder.

Depression and Cardiovascular Disease: The Viewpoint of Platelets

Depression is a major cause of morbidity and low quality of life among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and it is now considered as an independent risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events. Increasing evidence indicates not only that depression worsens the prognosis of cardiac events, but also that a cross-vulnerability between the two conditions occurs. Among the several mechanisms proposed to explain this interplay, platelet activation is the more attractive, seeing platelets as potential mirror of the brain function. In this review, we dissected the mechanisms linking depression and CVD highlighting the critical role of platelet behavior during depression as trigger of cardiovascular complication. In particular, we will discuss the relationship between depression and molecules involved in the CVD (e.g., catecholamines, adipokines, lipids, reactive oxygen species, and chemokines), emphasizing their impact on platelet activation and related mechanisms.

Adipocytokines: Are they the Theory of Everything?

INTRODUCTION

Adipose tissue secretes various bioactive peptides/proteins, immune molecules and inflammatory mediators which are known as adipokines or adipocytokines. Adipokines play important roles in the maintenance of energy homeostasis, appetite, glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, angiogenesis, immunity and inflammation. Enormous number of studies from all over the world proved that adipocytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of diseases affecting nearly all body systems, which raises the question whether we can always blame adipocytokines as the triggering factor of every disease that may hit the body.

OBJECTIVE

Our review targeted the role played by adipocytokines in the pathogenesis of different diseases affecting different body systems including diabetes mellitus, kidney diseases, gynecological diseases, rheumatologic disorders, cancers, Alzheimer's, depression, muscle disorders, liver diseases, cardiovascular and lung diseases.

METHODOLOGY

We cited more than 33 recent literature reviews that discussed the role played by adipocytokines in the pathogenesis of different diseases affecting different body systems.

CONCLUSION

More evidence is being discovered to date about the role played by adipocytokines in more diseases and extra research is needed to explore hidden roles played by adipokine imbalance on disease pathogenesis.

Serum Levels of Chemerin, Apelin, and Adiponectin in Relation to Clinical Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Psychological Factors in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Adipokines have endocrine roles in metabolism and immunity. Dysregulation of adipokine levels is associated with several diseases with chronic inflammation. We aimed to assess the serum concentrations of chemerin, apelin, and adiponectin in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Furthermore, we evaluated the possible association of these adipokines with clinical symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and psychological factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this case-control study, 114 male and female IBS patients were recruited from outpatient clinics. Along with the IBS patients, 114 sex and age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. Patients filled in the questionnaires of the IBS severity scoring system (IBSSS), gastrointestinal (GI) and somatic symptoms, IBS specific QoL (IBS-QoL), and psychological disorders, and went to the lab for blood sampling.

RESULTS

Serum levels of both adiponectin and apelin were significantly (P=0.04, 0.03, respectively) lower, whereas chemerin was significantly (P=0.01) higher in IBS patients. Chemerin was higher in IBS-D compared with both IBS-C and IBS-A, while apelin and adiponectin were not different between subtypes. After adjustments for confounders only, chemerin had a positive association with IB severity scoring system and GI symptoms. Furthermore, chemerin had positive associations, whereas apelin and adiponectin had inverse associations with somatic symptoms and psychological factors. There were no significant associations between adipokines including chemerin, apelin, and adiponectin, and IBS-QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Chemerin had significant associations with both the severity of clinical symptoms and psychological factors in IBS; thus, it could be considered as a potential therapeutic target in these patients; however, further studies are needed.

Prebiotics may reduce serum concentrations of C-reactive protein and ghrelin in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

CONTEXT

Biochemical markers correlate positively with the development and severity of obesity, depression, and anxiety, and can be modulated by changes in intestinal microbiota composition.

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of prebiotics or synbiotics on blood biomarkers of obesity, depression, and anxiety (including: ACTH [adrenocorticotropic hormone], cortisol, leptin, ghrelin, TSH [thyroid-stimulating hormone], PTH [parathyroid hormone], vitamin D, BDNF [brain-derived neurotrophic factor], and PCR [polymerase chain reaction]) in individuals with overweight or obesity.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and CENTRAL databases were searched, along with the reference lists of included articles. Authors were contacted for unpublished data.

STUDY SELECTION

RCT in individuals with overweight or obesity, supplemented with prebiotics or synbiotics, assessing any of the outcomes of interest.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted independently by three researchers.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies were identified up to March 7, 2018. Regarding outcomes, 1 study assessed leptin, 4 studies assessed ghrelin, and 10 studies assessed CRP (C-reactive protein). Meta-analysis showed reduction in serum concentrations of ghrelin (-37.17 pg/mL; 95%CI = -69.62, -4.73; P = 0.025) and CRP (SMD [standardized mean difference] = -0.31; 95%CI = -0.58, -0.04; P = 0.027) after supplementation of inulin-type fructans.

CONCLUSIONS

Prebiotics may help regulate blood concentrations of ghrelin and CRP in overweight or obese individuals.

Leptin and psychiatric illnesses: does leptin play a role in antipsychotic-induced weight gain?

Antipsychotic-induced weight gain is the most prevalent somatic adverse event occurring in patients treated by antipsychotics, especially atypical antipsychotics. It is of particular interest because of its repercussion on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality especially now that the use of second-generation antipsychotics has been extended to other mental health illnesses such as bipolar disorders and major depressive disorder. The mechanism underlying antipsychotics-induced weight gain is still poorly understood despite a significant amount of work on the topic. Recently, there has been an on-going debate of tremendous research interest on the relationship between antipsychotic-induced weight gain and body weight regulatory hormones such as leptin. Given that, researchers have brought to light the question of leptin's role in antipsychotic-induced weight gain. Here we summarize and discuss the existing evidence on the link between leptin and weight gain related to antipsychotic drugs, especially atypical antipsychotics.

The Role of Adiponectin in the Pathogenesis of Metabolic Disturbances in Patients With Schizophrenia

Antipsychotic-induced metabolic disturbance is a common adverse event occurring in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs. The mechanisms underlying metabolic dysregulation are complex, involving various neurochemical and hormonal systems, the interaction of genetic and lifestyle risk factors, and the antipsychotic drug prescribed. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the relationship between antipsychotic-induced metabolic disturbances and body weight regulatory hormones such as adiponectin. Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived protein related to insulin sensitivity, weight gain, and anti-inflammation, has attracted great attention because of its potential role of being a biomarker to predict cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Previous studies regarding the effects of antipsychotics on blood adiponectin levels have shown controversial results. Several factors might contribute to those inconsistent results, including different antipsychotic drugs, duration of antipsychotic exposure, age, sex, and ethnicity. Here we summarize the existing evidence on the link between blood adiponectin levels and metabolic disturbances related to antipsychotic drugs in patients with schizophrenia. We further discuss the effects of individual antipsychotics, patients' gender, ethnicity, age, and treatment duration on those relationships. We propose that olanzapine and clozapine might have a time-dependent biphasic effect on blood adiponectin levels in patients with schizophrenia.

Inflammatory gene expression in adipose tissue according to diagnosis of anxiety and mood disorders in obese and non-obese subjects

Psychiatric disorders have been widely reported to be associated with systemic inflammation upregulation and adiposity. However, there are no data that link adipose tissue inflammation to these mental disorders. The analysis of adipokines and inflammation-related markers in adipose tissue could help to elucidate the potential association between obesity and mental health. An observational study was conducted in samples of patients consisting of non-obese and obese subjects, who were diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders. Gene expression of adiponectin (ADIPOQ), leptin (LEP) and inflammatory markers (IL6, IL1B, TNF, CCL2, CSF3, ITGAM, and PLAUR) were determined in visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissues. Our results showed that the gene expression of adipokines and inflammation-related markers was higher in the VAT and SAT of obese subjects compared with non-obese subjects. Regarding mental disorders, all the inflammatory genes in the VAT were significantly higher in non-obese subjects with anxiety or mood disorders than in subjects without mental disorders, except for TNF and ITGAM. Additionally, IL6 expression was significantly lower in SAT. In contrast, obese patients diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders only showed significantly lower expression levels of IL1B in VAT and ADIPOQ in SAT when compared with obese subjects without mental disorders. These data suggest the potential involvement of VAT inflammation in anxiety and mood disorders, involving complex mechanisms which are strongly affected by obesity.

Time course of adiponectin and its relationship to psychological aspects in patients with anorexia nervosa during inpatient treatment

OBJECTIVE

The protein hormone adiponectin promotes metabolic and psychological health. The aim of the study was to track changes in adiponectin levels in response to weight gain and to assess associations between adiponectin and psychological aspects in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN).

METHODS

To investigate if adiponectin levels depend on AN severity, data were assessed from 11 inpatients with a very low body mass index (BMI) and a high chronicity (high severity group; HSS), and nine with less severe symptoms (LSS). During the course of treatment, serum adiponectin concentrations were assessed on a weekly basis along with BMI. Psychological variables (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, and AN-specific symptoms) were obtained by means of electronic diaries. Longitudinal regressions and correlations were calculated to evaluate the temporal course of adiponectin and its relationship with psychological self-ratings.

RESULTS

At the beginning adiponectin was not increased in HSS patients (p = .56), and only marginally elevated in LSS patients (p = 0.07) compared with controls. In HSS patients, adiponectin increased along with BMI during the first treatment phase (i.e., when the BMI of patients was below 16 kg/m2) and thereafter decreased with further weight gain. In LSS patients, adiponectin was not associated with BMI increase. Furthermore, adiponectin was strongly negatively correlated with psychological self-ratings when the BMI of patients was above 16 kg/m2, i.e., higher levels of adiponectin were related to lower ratings of depression, anxiety, and AN-specific symptoms.

DISCUSSION

The study connects previous varying results by indicating that the course of adiponectin is dependent on BMI and symptom severity. Similarly, associations of adiponectin and psychological health depended on BMI.

Cardiovascular Risk in Early Psychosis: Relationship with Inflammation and Clinical Features 6 Months after Diagnosis

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the state of cardiovascular risk/protection factors in early psychosis patients.

METHODS

A total 119 subjects were recruited during the first year after their first episode of psychosis. Eighty-five of these subjects were followed during the next 6 months. Cardiovascular risk/protection factors were measured in plasma and co-variated by sociodemographic/clinical characteristics. Multiple linear regression models detected the change of each biological marker from baseline to follow-up in relation to clinical scales, antipsychotic medication, and pro-/antiinflammatory mediators.

RESULTS

Glycosylated hemoglobin is a state biomarker in first episode of psychosis follow-up patients and inversely correlated to the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. We found opposite alterations in the levels of VCAM-1 and E-selectin in first episode of psychosis baseline conditions compared with control that were absent in the first episode of psychosis follow-up group. Adiponectin levels decreased in a continuum in both pathological time points studied. E-Selectin plasma levels were inversely related to total antipsychotic equivalents and adiponectin levels inversely co-related to the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. Finally, adiponectin levels were directly related to antiinflammatory nuclear receptor PPARγ expression in first episode of psychosis baseline conditions and to proinflammatory nuclear factor nuclear factor κB activity in follow-up conditions, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the need for integrating cardiovascular healthcare very early after the first episode of psychosis.

Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Depression

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a systemic disease with hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations, including neuropsychiatric conditions. Depression is a frequent disorder, which has been reported in one-third of patients with HCV infection and has an estimated prevalence of 1.5 to 4.0 times higher than that observed in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection or the general population. HCV seems to play a direct and indirect role in the development of depression. Impaired quality of life and increasing health care costs have been reported for patients with HCV infection with depression. Treatment-induced HCV clearance has been associated with improvement of depression and quality of life.

Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin and clinical parameters in women with fibromyalgia and overweight/obesity

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the serum levels of adipokines in women with fibromyalgia with and without overweight/obesity, and to correlate the adipokines levels with clinical parameters associated with fibromyalgia and adipose tissue mass (body fat).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The study included 100 women divided into four groups: (a) fibromyalgia and overweight/obesity; (b) fibromyalgia and normal weight; (c) controls and overweight/obesity; and (d) controls and normal weight. Patients and controls were evaluated for clinical, anthropometric, and fibromyalgia-related parameters. Assessments included serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Levels of adipokines were further adjusted for fat mass.

RESULTS

Fibromyalgia patients with overweight/obesity or normal weight had no differences in clinical parameters. Unadjusted leptin levels were lower in fibromyalgia patients than controls, a finding that was more remarkable in fibromyalgia patients with overweight/obesity. Leptin levels had no correlation with clinical parameters of fibromyalgia or inflammation markers (MCP-1 and CRP), and adiponectin levels showed no difference between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

No correlation was observed between adjusted leptin levels and clinical parameters of fibromyalgia. Patients with fibromyalgia and overweight/obesity presented lower levels of leptin than controls with overweight/obesity.

Adiposity-independent hypoadiponectinemia as a potential marker of insulin resistance and inflammation in schizophrenia patients treated with second generation antipsychotics

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore body fat independent effect of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) on measures of glucose and adipokine homeostasis, and markers of inflammation.

METHOD

Eight non-diabetic men with schizophrenia (age: 55±3years, BMI: 29.7±1.2kg/m(2)) on SGAs were studied after an overnight fast. DXA and single-cut CT of abdomen were respectively used for the assessment of total body and abdominal fat. Blood samples were collected for measurements of glucose, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and TNF-α. Data in schizophrenic subjects were compared to eight age (55±2.8years) and BMI (29.6±1.1kg/m(2)) matched healthy men.

RESULTS

The results were significant for markedly decreased serum adiponectin in schizophrenia patients (4.6±0.9 vs 11.1±1.5ng/mL, p=0.001). Lower levels of adiponectin in schizophrenia men were associated with significant increases in insulin resistance (4.2±0.7 vs 1.7±0.4, p=0.004), CRP (3.5±1.2 vs 1.2±0.3, p=0.037), and leptin (12±1.4 vs 8.5±1.4ng/mL, p=0.05). Various measures of adiposity, including fat mass index (FMI) and abdominal fat were not different in the two study groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings in the context of comparable age and total body/abdominal fat mass are assumed to be either disease specific, and/or treatment inflicted. The definitive invoking etiology and a presumptive role of hypoadiponectinemia in the development of insulin resistance and increased risk of inflammation warrant future investigation.

Plasma adiponectin and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Some authors have described an inverse association between adiponectin and depression, but this association has not yet been investigated during the perinatal period.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between the plasma adiponectin levels and symptoms of depression in women from early pregnancy to 30-45 days postpartum.

METHODS

A prospective cohort of 235 women was analyzed, with four waves of follow-up: 5-13th, 22-26th, and 30-36th gestational weeks and 30-45 days postpartum. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; cutoff ≥ 11). The plasma adiponectin concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The statistical analyses included linear mixed effects regressions to model the association between these time-dependent variables.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 35.5%, 22.8%, 21.8%, and 16.9% and the median (µg/mL) adiponectin levels were 4.8, 4.7, 4.4, and 7.5 in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters and the postpartum period, respectively. Women who remained non-depressed throughout the study tended to have higher values of adiponectin throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period compared to those who had depressive symptoms at least once, but this difference was not statistically significant (β=-0.14; p=0.071). There was no statistically significant association between the plasma adiponectin levels and the EPDS scores in the multiple model (β=-0.07; p=0.320).

LIMITATIONS

Losses to follow-up, different procedures for the blood draws at the prenatal and postpartum visits, and the presence of a nested clinical trial with omega-3 supplementation.

CONCLUSION

The plasma adiponectin levels were not associated with depressive symptoms during the perinatal period.

Synaptic plasticity and depression: new insights from stress and rapid-acting antidepressants

Depression is a common, devastating illness. Current pharmacotherapies help many patients, but high rates of a partial response or no response, and the delayed onset of the effects of antidepressant therapies, leave many patients inadequately treated. However, new insights into the neurobiology of stress and human mood disorders have shed light on mechanisms underlying the vulnerability of individuals to depression and have pointed to novel antidepressants. Environmental events and other risk factors contribute to depression through converging molecular and cellular mechanisms that disrupt neuronal function and morphology, resulting in dysfunction of the circuitry that is essential for mood regulation and cognitive function. Although current antidepressants, such as serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, produce subtle changes that take effect in weeks or months, it has recently been shown that treatment with new agents results in an improvement in mood ratings within hours of dosing patients who are resistant to typical antidepressants. Within a similar time scale, these new agents have also been shown to reverse the synaptic deficits caused by stress.

A Follow-Up Study of 50 Chronic Hepatitis C Patients: Adiponectin as a Resilience Biomarker for Major Depression

OBJECTIVE

Major depression (MD) is a condition associated with both hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and pegylated interferon (IFN)-α treatment. IFN induces a depressive syndrome that is associated with an inflammatory profile. We aimed to investigate whether there is any specific alteration in plasma biomarkers associated with MD.

METHODS

HCV-monoinfected patients, with and without IFN treatment, were followed up for 18 months and went through structured psychiatric evaluation. We assessed plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and its soluble type 1 and type 2 receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2, respectively), and adipokines (adiponectin, leptin and resistin) using ELISA.

RESULTS

Among the 50 patients included in the study, 14 were treated with IFN during the follow-up. Being older, not married, presenting higher body mass index, higher liver inflammatory activity, lower baseline adiponectin levels and use of IFN were associated with MD development. Higher levels of sTNFR1 during IFN treatment were associated with sustained virological response. The lack of a control group without HCV infection did not allow any assumption of a biomarker change exclusively due to the infection itself.

CONCLUSION

Adiponectin may be a resilience biomarker for MD in HCV-infected patients.

Second-generation antipsychotics and adiponectin levels in schizophrenia: A comparative meta-analysis

People with schizophrenia treated with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have lower plasma adiponectin levels, as compared with general population, that may lead to metabolic abnormalities. However, the contribution of different SGAs on adiponectin dysregulation is still unclear. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate differences in adiponectin levels among people with schizophrenia treated with different SGAs. We systematically searched for observational studies published up to March 2015 in main electronic databases. Different SGAs were included if data on adiponectin were available from at least three different samples involving as a minimum five participants per treatment arm. Standardized mean differences with relevant 95% confidence intervals were generated. I(2) was used to test heterogeneity among studies. Eight studies were included with data suitable for carrying out four different comparisons: Clozapine vs. Olanzapine (including n=877 individuals with schizophrenia); Clozapine vs. Risperidone (n=660); Olanzapine vs. Risperidone (n=738); Quetiapine vs. Risperidone (n=186). There were no differences on adiponectin levels between people taking Clozapine and those taking Olanzapine (p=0.86), but high heterogeneity was detected (I(2)=82%). Both individuals taking Clozapine (p<0.001; I(2)=0%) and those taking Olanzapine (p=0.02; I(2)=9%), but not subjects treated with Quetiapine (p=0.47; I(2)=0%), had adiponectin levels significantly lower than people taking Risperidone. Our findings are consistent with previous evidence showing greater metabolic abnormalities attributable to Clozapine and Olanzapine, as compared with other SGAs. Although mechanisms whereby both these SGAs influence adiponectin remain unexplained, its reduction might mediate relevant abnormalities. Prospective evaluations of long-term effects of different SGAs on adiponectin are needed.