Psychoneurendocrinology: a science of the past or a new pathway for the future?

Neurobiology of depression: A neurodevelopmental approach

OBJECTIVES

The main aims of this paper are to review and evaluate the neurobiology of the depressive syndrome from a neurodevelopmental perspective.

METHODS

An English language literature search was performed using PubMed.

RESULTS

Depression is a complex syndrome that involves anatomical and functional changes that have an early origin in brain development. In subjects with genetic risk for depression, early stress factors are able to mediate not only the genetic risk but also gene expression. There is evidence that endocrine and immune interactions have an important impact on monoamine function and that the altered monoamine signalling observed in the depressive syndrome has a neuro-endocrino-immunological origin early in the development.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurodevelopment is a key aspect to understand the whole neurobiology of depression.

"I Am I and My Bacterial Circumstances": Linking Gut Microbiome, Neurodevelopment, and Depression

Recently, there has been renewed interest in the role played by microbiome in both human health and human disease. A correct equilibrium between the human host and their microorganisms is important for an appropriate physiological function. Extensive research has shown that microbes that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract-or gut microbiota-are involved not only in both nutritive and digestive activities but also in immunological processes. Moreover, the gut microbiome influences both central nervous system and energy homeostasis. An altered gut microbiome has been associated with the pathophysiology of different diseases, including neuropsychiatric disorders. Apparently, both environmental-diet, exposition to antibiotics, and infections-and host-genetic factors have a strong influence on gut microbiome, modulating the risk for neuropsychiatric illness. Also, early life disruption of the microbiome-gut-brain (MGB) axis has been associated with an increased risk of developing depression later in life, suggesting a link between gut microbiome, neurodevelopment, and depression. This review aims to contribute to this growing area of research by exploring the role played by the gut microbiome in neurodevelopment and in the etiology of the depressive syndrome, including nutritional, immunological, and energy homeostasis approaches.

Psychoendokrinologie der Angst

Zusammenfassung. Ätiologie, Symptomatik und Verlauf von Angststörungen sind multikausal zu erklären. Ein Teilaspekt der psychobiologischen Erklärungsansätze von Angststörungen sind endokrine Auffälligkeiten, anhand derer bestimmte Unterformen pathologischer Angst charakterisiert werden können. Vor allem die Hypothalamus-Hypophysen-Nebennierenrinde-Achse und das sympathiko-adrenomedulläre System werden im Zusammenhang mit Emotionsregulation und pathologischer Angst untersucht. Beide Hormonsysteme spielen bei der Anpassung an individuelle Belastungssituationen eine bedeutende Rolle und beeinflussen die psychobiologische Anpassung an angstauslösende Situationen nachhaltig. In dieser Überblicksarbeit werden endokrine Dysregulationen der o.g. Hormonsysteme für verschiedene Unterformen von Angststörungen aufgezeigt und bzgl. ihrer ätiologischen Bedeutsamkeit, auch unter Berücksichtigung genetischer Befunde, diskutiert. Darüber hinaus werden erste therapeutische Ansätze, bei denen psychoendokrinologische Methoden genutzt werden, aufgezeigt.