Involvement of Kynurenine Metabolism in Bipolar Disorder: An Updated Review

Abstract

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe affective disorder, mainly characterized by alternative depressive and manic or hypomanic episodes, yet the pathogenesis of BD has not been fully elucidated. Recent researches have implicated the altered kynurenine (KYN) metabolism involved in the neurobiology of BD. Excessive activation of the immune system also occurs in patients with BD, which further accelerates the KYN pathway for tryptophan metabolism. Changes of the KYN metabolites have effects on neuronal receptors and are involved in neuroendocrine transmissions. Interactions between KYN metabolism and the immune system may contribute to the neuropathogenesis of BD. Various studies have shown that alterations of the KYN metabolites were associated with mood, psychotic symptoms, and cognitive functions in patients with BD. In this review, we briefly introduce the KYN pathway and describe the immune dysregulation in BD as well as their interactions. We then focus on the research advances on the KYN metabolism in BD, which hold promise for identifying novel treatment targets in patients stricken with this disorder.