International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 3 authors, 2 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This narrative review summarizes the evidence on circulating miRNAs as potential peripheral biomarkers for major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and associated suicidal behavior. The main finding is that specific miRNA profiles in blood or CSF show promise for diagnosis, prognosis, and predicting treatment response, but significant challenges remain regarding heterogeneity, reproducibility, and clinical validation.
This narrative review examines the potential of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as molecular biomarkers for mood disorders and suicidal behavior. The background highlights the prevalence and diagnostic challenges of MDD and BD, and the interest in peripheral biomarkers that reflect brain pathology. The methods involved a literature search of studies from the last ten years investigating circulating miRNAs in MDD, BD, and suicidality. Key results show that numerous miRNAs are dysregulated in the peripheral circulation (blood, CSF) of patients with MDD and BD compared to controls. Specific miRNAs like miR-124-3p, miR-134, and let-7b-5p have been linked to diagnosis, treatment response, and even future risk of developing MDD. In BD, miRNAs such as miR-132, miR-152, and miR-155 are associated with disease state and severity. Limited studies suggest miRNAs may also change in association with suicidal ideation and recovery. Bioinformatic analyses indicate these miRNAs target key neuronal signaling pathways (e.g., PI3K-AKT, MAPK). Limitations include significant heterogeneity in findings across studies, the influence of medications and environmental factors, the lack of standardized panels, and the need for larger, longitudinal validation studies. The implications suggest that circulating miRNAs hold promise as minimally invasive tools for improving the diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized treatment of mood disorders, but their clinical utility is not yet established.
