MicroRNA Regulators of Anxiety and Metabolic Disorders

Chanan Meydan, Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty, Hermona Soreq*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

Anxiety-related and metabolic disorders are under intense research focus. Anxiety-induced microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as regulators that are not only capable of suppressing inflammation but can also induce metabolic syndrome-related processes. We summarize here evidence linking miRNA pathways which share regulatory networks in metabolic and anxiety-related conditions. In particular, miRNAs involved in these disorders include regulators of acetylcholine signaling in the nervous system and their accompanying molecular machinery. These have been associated with anxiety-prone states in individuals, while also acting as inflammatory suppressors. In peripheral tissues, altered miRNA pathways can lead to dysregulated metabolism. Common pathways in metabolic and anxiety-related phenomena might offer an opportunity to reclassify ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’, as well as metabolic and anxiety-prone biological states, and inform putative strategies to treat these disorders.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)798-812
Number of pages15
JournalTrends in Molecular Medicine
Volume22
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

  • anxiety
  • cholinergic
  • metabolic disorder
  • miRNAs
  • obesity

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