Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

A Maget; N Dalkner; C Hamm; S A Bengesser; F T Fellendorf; M Platzer; R Queissner; A Birner; M Lenger; S Mörkl; A Kohlhammer-Dohr; A Rieger; M Seidl; L Mendel; T Färber; L Wetzlmair; K Schwalsberger; D V Amberger-Otti; H Schöggl; T Lahousen; B Leitner-Afschar; R Unterweger; S Zelzer; H Mangge; E Z Reininghaus

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021

Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

A Maget, N Dalkner, C Hamm, S A Bengesser, F T Fellendorf, M Platzer, R Queissner, A Birner, M Lenger, S Mörkl, A Kohlhammer-Dohr, A Rieger, M Seidl, L Mendel, T Färber, L Wetzlmair, K Schwalsberger, D V Amberger-Otti, H Schöggl, T LahousenB Leitner-Afschar, R Unterweger, S Zelzer, H Mangge, E Z Reininghaus

School of Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Introduction: The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings.

Methods: In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status.

Results: Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity.

Discussion: Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	441-446
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume	294
Early online date	21 Jul 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2021

Keywords

Inflammation
Zonulin
Affective disorders
Intestinal permeability
Depression
Bipolar disorder

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Maget_2021_JAD_Sex-differences_CC
Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Final published version, 1.69 MBLicence: CC BY

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Maget, A., Dalkner, N., Hamm, C., Bengesser, S. A., Fellendorf, F. T., Platzer, M., Queissner, R., Birner, A., Lenger, M., Mörkl, S., Kohlhammer-Dohr, A., Rieger, A., Seidl, M., Mendel, L., Färber, T., Wetzlmair, L., Schwalsberger, K., Amberger-Otti, D. V., Schöggl, H., ... Reininghaus, E. Z. (2021). Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 294, 441-446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021

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title = "Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms",

abstract = "Introduction: The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings.Methods: In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status.Results: Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity.Discussion: Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli.",

keywords = "Inflammation, Zonulin, Affective disorders, Intestinal permeability, Depression, Bipolar disorder",

author = "A Maget and N Dalkner and C Hamm and Bengesser, {S A} and Fellendorf, {F T} and M Platzer and R Queissner and A Birner and M Lenger and S M{\"o}rkl and A Kohlhammer-Dohr and A Rieger and M Seidl and L Mendel and T F{\"a}rber and L Wetzlmair and K Schwalsberger and Amberger-Otti, {D V} and H Sch{\"o}ggl and T Lahousen and B Leitner-Afschar and R Unterweger and S Zelzer and H Mangge and Reininghaus, {E Z}",

note = "Zonulin measurement was funded by Institut Allergosan (Graz, Austria).",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021",

language = "English",

volume = "294",

pages = "441--446",

journal = "Journal of Affective Disorders",

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Maget, A, Dalkner, N, Hamm, C, Bengesser, SA, Fellendorf, FT, Platzer, M, Queissner, R, Birner, A, Lenger, M, Mörkl, S, Kohlhammer-Dohr, A, Rieger, A, Seidl, M, Mendel, L, Färber, T, Wetzlmair, L, Schwalsberger, K, Amberger-Otti, DV, Schöggl, H, Lahousen, T, Leitner-Afschar, B, Unterweger, R, Zelzer, S, Mangge, H & Reininghaus, EZ 2021, 'Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms', Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 294, pp. 441-446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

AU - Maget, A

AU - Dalkner, N

AU - Hamm, C

AU - Bengesser, S A

AU - Fellendorf, F T

AU - Platzer, M

AU - Queissner, R

AU - Birner, A

AU - Lenger, M

AU - Mörkl, S

AU - Kohlhammer-Dohr, A

AU - Rieger, A

AU - Seidl, M

AU - Mendel, L

AU - Färber, T

AU - Wetzlmair, L

AU - Schwalsberger, K

AU - Amberger-Otti, D V

AU - Schöggl, H

AU - Lahousen, T

AU - Leitner-Afschar, B

AU - Unterweger, R

AU - Zelzer, S

AU - Mangge, H

AU - Reininghaus, E Z

N1 - Zonulin measurement was funded by Institut Allergosan (Graz, Austria).

PY - 2021/11/1

Y1 - 2021/11/1

N2 - Introduction: The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings.Methods: In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status.Results: Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity.Discussion: Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli.

AB - Introduction: The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings.Methods: In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status.Results: Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity.Discussion: Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli.

KW - Inflammation

KW - Zonulin

KW - Affective disorders

KW - Intestinal permeability

KW - Depression

KW - Bipolar disorder

U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021

DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.021

M3 - Article

C2 - 34320451

SN - 0165-0327

VL - 294

SP - 441

EP - 446

JO - Journal of Affective Disorders

JF - Journal of Affective Disorders

ER -

Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

Abstract

Keywords

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