Plasma Leptin in Depressed Patients and Healthy Controls

Deuschle, Michael; Blum, WF; Englaro, Piera; Schweiger, Ulrich; Weber, Bernhard; Pflaum, Claus-Dieter; Heuser, Isabella

doi:10.1055/s-2007-979885

Cited by 111 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Two studies reported patients with major depression to have low leptin levels in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid (30,33). However, another clinical study reported that plasma leptin levels did not differ between depressed patients and healthy controls (31). It may be that leptin deficiency occurs in a subgroup of depressed patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Leptin: A potential novel antidepressant

Kim

Frazer

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

387

329

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Leptin, a hormone secreted from adipose tissue, was originally discovered to regulate body weight. The localization of the leptin receptor in limbic structures suggests a potential role for leptin in emotional processes. Here, we show that rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress and chronic social defeat exhibit low leptin levels in plasma. Systemic leptin treatment reversed the hedoniclike deficit induced by chronic unpredictable stress and improved behavioral despair dose-dependently in the forced swim test (FST), a model widely used for screening potential antidepressant efficacy. The behavioral effects of leptin in the FST were accompanied by increased neuronal activation in limbic structures, particularly in the hippocampus. Intrahippocampal infusion of leptin produced a similar antidepressant-like effect in the FST as its systemic administration. By contrast, infusion of leptin into the hypothalamus decreased body weight but had no effect on FST behavior. These findings suggest that: (i) impaired leptin production and secretion may contribute to chronic stress-induced depression-like phenotypes, (ii) the hippocampus is a brain site mediating leptin's antidepressant-like activity, and (iii) elevating leptin signaling in brain may represent a novel approach for the treatment of depressive disorders.depression ͉ hippocampus ͉ stress ͉ forced swim test ͉ social defeat

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Clinical data on the possible association of leptin levels with depression are very limited and divergent (30)(31)(32)(33). Two studies reported patients with major depression to have low leptin levels in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid (30,33).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leptin: A potential novel antidepressant

Kim

Frazer

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

387

329

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Eating disorders are among the first that attracted the attention of investigators. It appears that in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, non-specific eating disorders (Grinspoon et al, 1996;Ferron et al, 1997) as well as depression (Deuschle et al, 1996) serum leptin levels are similar to those of control subjects with comparable BMI (Heberbrand et al, 1997). In addition, both serum and CSF leptin levels are associated with the BMI of patients with anorexia nervosa (Mantzoros et al, 1997e).…”

Section: Leptin In Distinct Clinical Entitiesmentioning

confidence: 91%

Leptin: in search of role(s) in human physiology and pathophysiology

Mantzoros

Moschos

1998

Clinical Endocrinology

188

117

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Obesity, a health problem reaching epidemic proportions in western countries, is an important risk factor for the most frequent diseases in the western world, i.e. diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer. Thus, significant research efforts have been focusing on its aetiology, prevention and treatment. The recent discovery of leptin (from the Greek word leptos: i.e. thin), the product of the ob gene (Zhang et al., 1994), has greatly advanced our understanding of body adiposity and energy balance regulation. This hormone, produced mainly by adipose tissue, conveys to the brain information about the size of energy stores and activates hypothalamic centres that regulate energy intake and expenditure (Flier, 1997). Moreover, leptin affects several neuroendocrine mechanisms and regulates multiple hypothalamicpituitary axes (Flier, 1997). The realization that adipose tissue is not simply a storage depot, but also an important endocrine gland, has created new opportunities for the investigation and, possibly, treatment of diseases such as obesity and eating disorders.In this review, we discuss the biology of leptin secretion and regulation, as well as our current knowledge of the role leptin plays in various physiological and pathophysiological states. Although most available research studies have been based on animal models, a substantial amount of information has been accumulated over the last 3 years on the role of leptin in humans. Thus, this article mainly focuses on our current knowledge about the role of leptin in human physiology and pathophysiology. Finally, some of the important unanswered questions about leptin physiology are discussed and future directions for leptin research are suggested.

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“…One study reported that leptin levels did not differ between depressed patients and healthy controls [18]. Two studies found that plasma leptin levels were higher in depressed patients with a bias in female patients [19,20].…”

Section: Human Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The leptin hypothesis of depression: a potential link between mood disorders and obesity?

Lü

2007

Current Opinion in Pharmacology

253

198

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SummaryThe adipose-derived hormone leptin is well known for its function in the control of energy homeostasis. Recent studies suggest a novel role for this adipokine in the regulation of mood and emotion. Low levels of leptin have been found to be associated with depressive behaviors in rodents and humans. Pharmacological studies indicate that leptin has antidepressant-like efficacy. Both leptin insufficiency and leptin resistance may contribute to alterations of affective status. Identifying the key brain regions that mediate leptin's antidepressant activity and dissecting its intracellular signal transduction pathways may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of depression and facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of this illness.

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Plasma Leptin in Depressed Patients and Healthy Controls

Cited by 111 publications

References 6 publications

Leptin: A potential novel antidepressant

Leptin: A potential novel antidepressant

Leptin: in search of role(s) in human physiology and pathophysiology

The leptin hypothesis of depression: a potential link between mood disorders and obesity?

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