Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

Autor: M Seidl, Frederike T. Fellendorf, Sabrina Mörkl, Robert Queissner, Martina Platzer, Alexandra Rieger, B Leitner-Afschar, Alexander Maget, Harald Mangge, Helmut Schöggl, Melanie Lenger, Carlo Hamm, L Mendel, L Wetzlmair, Armin Birner, Nina Dalkner, Eva Z. Reininghaus, Sieglinde Zelzer, R. Unterweger, A Kohlhammer-Dohr, T Färber, K Schwalsberger, T Lahousen, Susanne Bengesser, DV Amberger-Otti
Přispěvatelé: University of St Andrews. School of Medicine
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Affective Disorders. 294:441-446
ISSN: 0165-0327
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021
Popis: Zonulin measurement was funded by Institut Allergosan (Graz, Austria). Introduction: The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings. Methods: In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status. Results: Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity. Discussion: Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli. Publisher PDF
Databáze: OpenAIRE