Obesity and Depression: Could some shared genes explain the relationship?

Abstract

Objective This review will focus on serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLP), Na/K ATPase isoforms, Fat-mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) and mTOR signaling pathway. Methods PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar database was the primary source to search with relevant key words. The search included all English-language papers published since 1974. Results Across the studies analyzed in this review, the association between obesity and depression is still controversial. With some emerging data pointing at a clear relationship between the two, however, others may claim the opposite. Starting with metabolism and nutrients uptake and moving to energy production, it seems that sodium pump and its different isoforms could be a partner with serotonin whether it leads to alteration in BMI or fluctuation in mood and behavior. The rising role of FTO in both obesity and depression with the exciting data that shows how mTOR pathway could be regulating its function, sodium pump once again could have a role in this play. Conclusion To sum up, it is still not clear how these three genes could be connected to each other, but looks like they deserve more focus in future research endeavors.