Kynurenine pathway dysregulation in major depressive disorder: the convergence of excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #major depressive disorder
- #neuroinflammation
- #kynurenine pathway
- Major depressive disorder (MDD) is linked to serotonergic neurotransmission deficiency, chronic stress, and heightened inflammation.
- The kynurenine pathway (KP) is activated by inflammatory cytokines and stress-related signals, playing a critical role in MDD.
- KP dysregulation in MDD leads to overproduction of quinolinic acid (an NMDA receptor agonist causing excitotoxicity) and reduced kynurenic acid (an NMDA antagonist with protective effects).
- KP metabolites like quinolinic acid and kynurenic acid serve as biomarkers for excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress in MDD.
- Antidepressants modulating the KP may offer therapeutic benefits, especially for treatment-resistant MDD patients.
- Understanding KP dysregulation could lead to targeted interventions addressing the biological drivers of MDD.