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The impact of insulin on the serotonergic system and consequences on diabetes‐associated mood disorders
Author(s) -
Martin Hugo,
Bullich Sébastien,
Guiard Bruno P.,
Fioramonti Xavier
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1111/jne.12928
Subject(s) - serotonergic , insulin , diabetes mellitus , serotonin , antidepressant , type 2 diabetes , animal models of depression , endocrinology , medicine , mood , psychology , glucose homeostasis , anxiety , neuroscience , insulin resistance , psychiatry , receptor
The idea that insulin could influence emotional behaviours has long been suggested. However, the underlying mechanisms have yet to be solved and there is no direct and clear‐cut evidence demonstrating that such action involves brain serotonergic neurones. Indeed, initial arguments in favour of the association between insulin, serotonin and mood arise from clinical or animal studies showing that impaired insulin action in type 1 or type 2 diabetes causes anxiety‐ and depressive symptoms along with blunted plasma and brain serotonin levels. The present review synthesises the main mechanistic hypotheses that might explain the comorbidity between diabetes and depression. It also provides a state of knowledge of the direct and indirect experimental evidence that insulin modulates brain serotonergic neurones. Finally, it highlights the literature suggesting that antidiabetic drugs present antidepressant‐like effects and, conversely, that serotonergic antidepressants impact glucose homeostasis. Overall, this review provides mechanistic insights into how insulin signalling alters serotonergic neurotransmission and related behaviours bringing new targets for therapeutic options.