Depression Heterogeneity and Its Biological Underpinnings: Toward Immunometabolic Depression

Epidemiological evidence indicates the presence of dysregulated homeostatic biological pathways in depressed patients, such as increased inflammation and disrupted energy-regulating neuroendocrine signaling (e.g., leptin, insulin). Alterations in these biological pathways may explain the considerable comorbidity between depression and cardiometabolic conditions (e.g., obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes) and represent a promising target for intervention. This review describes how immunometabolic dysregulations vary as a function of depression heterogeneity by illustrating that such biological dysregulations map more consistently to atypical behavioral symptoms reflecting altered energy intake/expenditure balance (hyperphagia, weight gain, hypersomnia, fatigue, and leaden paralysis) and may moderate the antidepressant effects of standard or novel (e.g., anti-inflammatory) therapeutic approaches.
Source: Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research