Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice >
Research progress on BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway in comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and major depressive disorder
Received date: 2025-11-26
Revised date: 2026-03-06
Accepted date: 2026-03-09
Online published: 2026-08-31
The comorbidity of diabetes mellitus (DM) and major depressive disorder (MDD) is common in clinical practice. The risk of MDD in patients with DM is 2-3 times higher than that in those without DM. Conversely, MDD may also increase the risk of developing DM. The two conditions interact with and exacerbate each other, which not only reduces patients' quality of life but also increases their economic burden and treatment difficulty. Recent studies have found that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) signaling pathway is a key "molecular bridge" connecting metabolic disorders and mental disorders. This pathway is closely associated with multiple pathological processes, including hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction, imbalance of central monoamine neurotransmitters, chronic low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, microbiota-gut-brain axis dysregulation, and structural and functional brain remodeling. Its abnormal regulation may be the key pathological basis of DM with MDD (diabetes mellitus with depression, DD). This article systematically elucidates the pivotal role of the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of DD, providing a reference for the formulation of precise intervention strategies for DD in the future.
CHEN Tiantian , NIU Xiaojuan . Research progress on BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway in comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and major depressive disorder[J]. Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice, 2026 , 25(04) : 492 -499 . DOI: 10.16150/j.1671-2870.2026.04.013
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