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The Yin and the Yang of the kynurenine pathway

Dates

on the March 27, 2019

Published in Behav. Pharmacol.

Dr. Barone's publication

The 'Yin' and the 'Yang' of the kynurenine pathway: excitotoxicity and neuroprotection imbalance in stress-induced disorders

Abstract

The amino-acid tryptophan (TRY) is converted into kynurenine (KYN) and subsequent metabolites by the tryptophan/catabolites (TRY/CAT) pathway (kynurenine pathway). 'Excito-toxic' and 'neuro-protective' metabolites are produced, which modulate the glutamatergic neurotransmission. The TRY/CAT pathway is activated by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal endocrine induction during stress by corticoids hormones, and the excitotoxic branch of the TRY/CAT pathway is activated by proinflammatory cytokines. During stress and major depressive disorders, it is generally accepted that inflammation induces an imbalance toward the excitotoxic branch of the TRY/CAT pathway, causing changes in brain connectivity in corticolimbic structures and therefore psychocognitive abnormalities. In neurodegenerative diseases, the activation of the oxidative branch of the TRY/CAT pathway has been frequently reported. We propose a comprehensive survey of the TRY/CAT pathway (kynurenine pathway) abnormalities in stress and inflammation-induced MDD and neurodegenerative diseases. As TRY/CAT pathway is a common feature of stress, inflammation, affective disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, we discuss the status of the TRY/CAT pathway as a possible link among chronic stress, inflammation, depressive disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. This review does not claim to be exhaustive, but in a pharmacological perspective, it will be proposed that modulation of the excitotoxicity/neuroprotection balance is a valuable strategy for new and more effective treatments of mood disorders.

#mood #disorders #stress #kynurenine

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