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Biological Basis of Depression in Adults with Diabetes

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Abstract

Diabetes and depression are common comorbid conditions. Although certain health behaviors and risk factors partially explain the association of depression and diabetes, other potential mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. Certain neuroendocrine alterations such as activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) may contribute to the association. Additionally, presence of a proinflammatory state shown in recent literature in both diabetes and depression may contribute to this as well. The objectives of this review are to summarize and review the recent evidence showing alterations of these three biological systems—HPA axis, SNS, and inflammatory cascade—in depression, diabetes, and diabetes-related risk factors.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Golden was supported by a Patient-Oriented Mentored Scientist Award through the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases (5K23 DK071565). Dr. Champaneri was supported by a training grant (T32 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award). This research was supported by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine General Clinical Research Grant grant number M01-RR00052, from the National Center for Research Resources/National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins Prevention and Control Core of the Diabetes Research and Training Center from the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases grant number P60 DK079637. We thank Dr. Mark Punyanitya for performing visceral fat measurements and our research coordinator, Ms. Bennette Drummond-Watts, for her excellent recruitment and study coordination skills.

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Champaneri, S., Wand, G.S., Malhotra, S.S. et al. Biological Basis of Depression in Adults with Diabetes. Curr Diab Rep 10, 396–405 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-010-0148-9

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