Lithium Decreases Plasma Adiponectin Levels in Bipolar Depression

Author(s)

Soeiro-de-Souza, Marcio Gerhardt ^[1] ; Gold, Philip W. ^[2] ; Brunoni, Andre R. ^[3] ; de Sousa, Rafael T. ^[4] ; Zanetti, Marcus V. ^{[4, 5]} ; Carvalho, Andre F. ^[6] ; Gattaz, Wagner Farid ^{[4, 5]} ; Machado-Vieira, Rodrigo ^{[4, 5, 2]} ; Teixeira, Antonio Lucio ^[7]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Mood Disorders Unit GRUDA, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 - USA

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Serv Interdisciplinary Neuromodulat, Interdisciplinary Ctr Appl Neuromodulat, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Univ Hosp, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Lab Neurosci, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Interdisciplinary Res Appl Neurosci NAPNA, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed Ceara, Fac Med, Psychiat Res Grp, Fortaleza, Ceara - Brazil

^[7] Univ Minas Gerais UFMG, Div Neurol, Neuropsychiat Branch, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Neuroscience Letters; v. 564, p. 111-114, APR 3 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 16

Abstract

Lithium, a first line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), has been associated with significant weight gain, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. It has been suggested that changes in production/release of adipokines - molecules secreted by adipose tissue presenting anti-inflammatory (adiponectin) and pro-inflammatory (leptin, resistin) properties - might be implicated. Adiponectin, resistin and leptin were assessed in 25 acutely depressed BD individuals (88% medication-free and 68% treatment-naive) at baseline and after 6 weeks of lithium therapy, and in 23 healthy controls matched by age. The 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to assess depression severity. Levels of adiponectin significantly decreased after lithium monotherapy, while the levels of resistin and leptin remained stable after the follow-up period. Adipokine levels during depressive episodes in BD did not differ compared to controls. Pretreatment levels of leptin were higher in remitters and changes in resistin levels were negatively correlated to improvement of depressive symptoms with lithium. Our findings shed light in this pathophysiological process, which might be associated with metabolic syndrome, inflammation and other medical comorbidities in BD. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/14891-9 - Longitudinal study on the neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects of lithium in bipolar disorder: identification of cellular and molecular targets clinically relevant
• Grantee: Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants