Summary: Researchers have identified molecular elements that link anxiety and metabolic disorders.
Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Researchers at the Hebrew University reveal a molecular connection between anxiety and metabolic disorders, opening new possibilities for detection and treatment.
Metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes, together with anxiety-related disorders, represent a growing public health challenge worldwide. Although clinicians and researchers have long suspected overlapping biology between emotional states and metabolic health, clear molecular evidence has been limited until now.
A research team led by Prof. Hermona Soreq at the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Department of Biological Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has identified a group of microRNAs that act as a molecular bridge between anxiety and metabolic dysfunction. These small, non-coding RNAs regulate shared biological pathways that influence inflammation, nervous system signaling and metabolic regulation.
“We already know the body and mind influence one another, and that psychological stress can alter gene activity,” says Prof. Soreq. “Our earlier work showed that stress and anxiety raise the levels of specific microRNA regulators of inflammation in both brain and gut. In this study we incorporated obesity and metabolic syndrome into the picture and found that some anxiety-associated microRNAs not only suppress inflammation but can also activate processes linked to metabolic syndrome. Their expression varies across tissues and cell types, depending on genetic background and exposure to stress.”
The microRNA gene family was once dismissed as part of “junk DNA,” but research now shows these tiny RNA molecules play a major role in controlling protein production by other genes. At roughly one percent the size of a typical protein-coding gene, microRNAs can reduce inflammation by suppressing the translation of target proteins and thereby modulate multiple physiological systems simultaneously.
The study, published in the journal Trends in Molecular Medicine, summarizes evidence that microRNA pathways share regulatory networks in metabolic and anxiety-related conditions. Notably, several of the implicated microRNAs regulate acetylcholine signaling and related molecular machinery in the nervous system—pathways linked to autonomic regulation, emotional states and inflammatory responses.
Metabolic disorders such as abdominal obesity and type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic levels in many countries. For example, metabolic syndrome prevalence is estimated at roughly 35 percent in the United States and around 20–25 percent in several European countries. Anxiety disorders—including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and specific phobias—are more difficult to quantify because they are frequently under-diagnosed and their biological mechanisms are often poorly defined.
By mapping microRNA networks that influence both inflammation and metabolic pathways, the research highlights potential diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. Because microRNA activity can be targeted by DNA-based interventions and other molecular approaches, manipulating these regulators may enable new strategies to prevent or treat both metabolic dysfunction and anxiety-related conditions.
“The findings have diagnostic potential and practical implications,” Prof. Soreq explains. “They suggest a way to distinguish ‘healthy’ from ‘unhealthy’ anxiety and to identify metabolic-prone biological states. This could guide risk stratification and inform therapies while taking into account possible off-target effects.”
Funding: The study was supported by the European Research Council, the Legacy Heritage Biomedical Partnership Program of the Israel Science Foundation, and the Israeli Ministry of Science.
Source: Avivit Delgoshen – Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Image source: Image credited to Petra Pollins.
Original research: Abstract for “MicroRNA Regulators of Anxiety and Metabolic Disorders” by Chanan Meydan, Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty, and Hermona Soreq in Trends in Molecular Medicine. Published online August 22, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2016.07.001
Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Biological Link Between Stress and Obesity.” NeuroscienceNews. October 5, 2016.
Abstract
MicroRNA Regulators of Anxiety and Metabolic Disorders
Anxiety-related and metabolic disorders are under intense research focus. Anxiety-induced microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as regulators that can both suppress inflammation and promote processes associated with metabolic syndrome. This summary highlights evidence linking miRNA pathways that share regulatory networks in metabolic and anxiety-related conditions. Key miRNAs influence acetylcholine signaling and related molecular machinery in the nervous system, and have been associated with anxiety-prone states while also acting as inflammatory suppressors. In peripheral tissues, altered miRNA signaling can disrupt metabolic balance. Identifying common pathways between metabolic and anxiety-related phenomena may enable a reclassification of biological states as ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ and suggest targeted strategies for diagnosis, follow-up, risk stratification and treatment, while carefully considering potential off-target effects and risks.
Key points:
- MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate protein production and inflammation.
- Certain microRNAs link anxiety-related signaling and metabolic regulation, notably via acetylcholine-related pathways.
- These shared pathways could improve diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment of both anxiety and metabolic disorders.
- Therapeutic manipulation of microRNA activity presents opportunities but requires cautious evaluation of off-target effects.