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Helbing DL, Dommaschk EM, Danyeli LV, Liepinsh E, Refisch A, Sen ZD, Zvejniece L, Rocktäschel T, Stabenow LK, Schiöth HB, Walter M, Dambrova M, Besteher B. Conceptual foundations of acetylcarnitine supplementation in neuropsychiatric long COVID syndrome: a narrative review. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024:10.1007/s00406-023-01734-3. [PMID: 38172332 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01734-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 can present as multi-organ pathology, with neuropsychiatric symptoms being the most common symptom complex, characterizing long COVID as a syndrome with a significant disease burden for affected individuals. Several typical symptoms of long COVID, such as fatigue, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment, are also key features of other psychiatric disorders such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, clinically successful treatment strategies are still lacking and are often inspired by treatment options for diseases with similar clinical presentations, such as ME/CFS. Acetylcarnitine, the shortest metabolite of a class of fatty acid metabolites called acylcarnitines and one of the most abundant blood metabolites in humans can be used as a dietary/nutritional supplement with proven clinical efficacy in the treatment of MDD, ME/CFS and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Basic research in recent decades has established acylcarnitines in general, and acetylcarnitine in particular, as important regulators and indicators of mitochondrial function and other physiological processes such as neuroinflammation and energy production pathways. In this review, we will compare the clinical basis of neuropsychiatric long COVID with other fatigue-associated diseases. We will also review common molecular disease mechanisms associated with altered acetylcarnitine metabolism and the potential of acetylcarnitine to interfere with these as a therapeutic agent. Finally, we will review the current evidence for acetylcarnitine as a supplement in the treatment of fatigue-associated diseases and propose future research strategies to investigate the potential of acetylcarnitine as a treatment option for long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Lucas Helbing
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Site Halle, Jena, Magdeburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Dommaschk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Lena Vera Danyeli
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Edgars Liepinsh
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Pharmacology, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Alexander Refisch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany
| | - Zümrüt Duygu Sen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany
| | - Liga Zvejniece
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Pharmacology, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
| | - Tonia Rocktäschel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Site Halle, Jena, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Leonie Karoline Stabenow
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Helgi B Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Site Halle, Jena, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Maija Dambrova
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Pharmacology, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Bianca Besteher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits, Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Site Halle, Jena, Magdeburg, Germany.
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Brum M, Nieberler M, Kehrwald C, Knopf K, Brunkhorst-Kanaan N, Etyemez S, Allers KA, Bittner RA, Slattery DA, McNeill RV, Reif A, Kittel-Schneider S. Phase-and disorder-specific differences in peripheral metabolites of the kynurenine pathway in major depression, bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia. World J Biol Psychiatry 2023; 24:564-577. [PMID: 36648064 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2023.2169348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Kynurenine, kynurenic and quinolinic acid are important metabolites in tryptophan metabolism. Due to an involvement in glutamatergic neurotransmission and immune response, previous studies have investigated this pathway in mental disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD) or schizophrenia (SCZ). Tryptophan and kynurenine have been shown to be decreased across disorders, hinting at the missing link how inflammation causes neurotoxicity and psychiatric symptoms. The main aim of our study was to investigate if individual catabolites could serve as diagnostic biomarkers for MDD, BD and SCZ. METHODS We measured plasma levels of tryptophan, kynurenine, kynurenic acid, quinolinic acid and ratio of quinolinic acid/kynurenic acid using mass spectrometry in n = 175 participants with acute episodes and after remission, compared with controls. RESULTS Decreased levels of all tryptophan catabolites were found in the whole patient group, driven by the difference between BD and HC. Manic and mixed phase BD individuals displayed significantly lower kynurenine and kynurenic acid levels. We could not find significant differences between disorders. Upon reaching remission, changes in catabolite levels partially normalised. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggests an involvement of the kynurenine pathway in mental disorders, especially BD but disqualifying those metabolites as biomarkers for differential diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murielle Brum
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Matthias Nieberler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Kehrwald
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Katrin Knopf
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nathalie Brunkhorst-Kanaan
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Semra Etyemez
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Current: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kelly A Allers
- CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Robert A Bittner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Ernst Struengmann Institute for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rhiannon V McNeill
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sarah Kittel-Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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Busili A, Makrami A, Keni A, Khardily A, Alzahrani D, Busaily I, Busayli F. COVID-19 exposure and depression-anxiety levels among Saudi adults in the Jazan region: a study with a predominantly female and undergraduate sample. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1200052. [PMID: 37645641 PMCID: PMC10462401 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant mental health challenges worldwide, as evidenced by numerous studies indicating high levels of depression and anxiety among individuals. However, the extent of mental health disorders following the pandemic and the association between anxiety and depression and COVID-19 exposure levels in the Jazan region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have received little research attention. Methods A convenience sample of 377 participants, predominantly female (85.4%) with undergraduate education (74.5%) and Saudi nationality (92.8%), was included in the study. The study utilized a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from participants between 1st August and 8th September 2022. The questionnaire consisted of four parts, including demographic characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression assessment, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety evaluation. Statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), and regression analysis were employed to analyze the collected data. Results The mean age of the study participants was 30.97 years (SD = 9.072). The mean score for COVID-19 exposure was 2.98 (SD = 1.48). The mean level of depression was 7.83 (SD = 6.43), with 20% of participants experiencing moderate to severe depression. Additionally, the study found that the mean score of anxiety level among participants was 6.75 (SD = 6.57), with 26% of the participants experiencing moderate to severe anxiety. Independent t-test revealed significant differences in mean depression and anxiety scores between participants with varying COVID-19 exposure levels (p = 0.001). The regression analysis demonstrated that anxiety levels were significant predictors of depression (p < 0.001). There is a significant difference in the depression mean between participants with high levels of anxiety (≥10) compared to others with levels <10. Furthermore, significant predictors of anxiety levels included either student or unemployment status (p < 0.001), increased age (≥35) (p = 0.049), female gender (p = 0.009), marital status of not being married, divorced, or widowed (p = 0.004), low monthly income (p = 0.019), and increased depression level (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study provides evidence of significant depression and anxiety levels among participants, with higher COVID-19 infection exposure correlating with increased scores for both. Anxiety was identified as a significant predictor of depression. Demographic factors, such as employment status, age, gender, and marital status, played a role in influencing anxiety levels. The findings highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions to address the psychological impact of COVID-19 infection exposure and support affected individuals effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani Busili
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Nursing College, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Amnah Keni
- Damad General Hospital, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Khardily
- Diabetes and Endocrinology Center, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Idris Busaily
- Dental College, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
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Fesharaki Zadeh A, Arnsten AFT, Wang M. Scientific Rationale for the Treatment of Cognitive Deficits from Long COVID. Neurol Int 2023; 15:725-742. [PMID: 37368329 PMCID: PMC10303664 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint15020045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained cognitive deficits are a common and debilitating feature of "long COVID", but currently there are no FDA-approved treatments. The cognitive functions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) are the most consistently afflicted by long COVID, including deficits in working memory, motivation, and executive functioning. COVID-19 infection greatly increases kynurenic acid (KYNA) and glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) in brain, both of which can be particularly deleterious to PFC function. KYNA blocks both NMDA and nicotinic-alpha-7 receptors, the two receptors required for dlPFC neurotransmission, and GCPII reduces mGluR3 regulation of cAMP-calcium-potassium channel signaling, which weakens dlPFC network connectivity and reduces dlPFC neuronal firing. Two agents approved for other indications may be helpful in restoring dlPFC physiology: the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine inhibits the production of KYNA, and the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist guanfacine regulates cAMP-calcium-potassium channel signaling in dlPFC and is also anti-inflammatory. Thus, these agents may be helpful in treating the cognitive symptoms of long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Fesharaki Zadeh
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Amy F. T. Arnsten
- Departments of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA;
| | - Min Wang
- Departments of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA;
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Kovtun AS, Averina OV, Angelova IY, Yunes RA, Zorkina YA, Morozova AY, Pavlichenko AV, Syunyakov TS, Karpenko OA, Kostyuk GP, Danilenko VN. Alterations of the Composition and Neurometabolic Profile of Human Gut Microbiota in Major Depressive Disorder. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2162. [PMID: 36140263 PMCID: PMC9496097 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Factors causing the pathogenesis of MDD include gut microbiota (GM), which interacts with the host through the gut–brain axis. In previous studies of GM in MDD patients, 16S rRNA sequencing was used, which provided information about composition but not about function. In our study, we analyzed whole metagenome sequencing data to assess changes in both the composition and functional profile of GM. We looked at the GM of 36 MDD patients, compared with that of 38 healthy volunteers. Comparative taxonomic analysis showed decreased abundances of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia hominis, and Roseburia intestinalis, and elevated abundances of Escherichia coli and Ruthenibacterium lactatiformans in the GM of MDD patients. We observed decreased levels of bacterial genes encoding key enzymes involved in the production of arginine, asparagine, glutamate, glutamine, melatonin, acetic, butyric and conjugated linoleic acids, and spermidine in MDD patients. These genes produced signature pairs with Faecalibacterium prausntizii and correlated with decreased levels of this species in the GM of MDD patients. These results show the potential impact of the identified biomarker bacteria and their metabolites on the pathogenesis of MDD, and should be confirmed in future metabolomic studies.
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