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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Cell. Neurosci.
Sec. Non-Neuronal Cells
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1504555
This article is part of the Research Topic Astrocytes, Their Role in Shaping Neurotransmission View all 3 articles

Neuroinflammation and Major Depressive Disorder: Astrocytes at the Crossroads

Provisionally accepted
Melissa Puentes-Orozco Melissa Puentes-Orozco 1,2Sonia L. Albarracin Sonia L. Albarracin 2*María M. Velásquez María M. Velásquez 1*
  • 1 Instituto de Genética Humana. Facultad de Medicina. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana., Bogotá, Colombia
  • 2 Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana., Bogotá, Colombia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Major depressive disorder is a complex and multifactorial condition, increasingly linked to neuroinflammation and astrocytic dysfunction. Astrocytes, along with other glial cells, beyond their classic functions in maintaining brain homeostasis, play a crucial role in regulating neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity, key processes in the pathophysiology of depression. This mini-review explores the involvement of astrocytes in depression emphasizing their mediation in neuroinflammation processes, the impact of astrocytic dysfunction on neuroplasticity, and the effect of some antidepressants on astrocyte reactivity. Recent evidence suggests that targeting astrocyte-related signaling pathways, particularly the balance between different astrocytic phenotypes, could offer promising evidence for therapeutic strategies for affective disorders. Therefore, a deeper understanding of astrocyte biology may open the way to innovative treatments aimed at mitigating depressive symptoms by impacting both neuroinflammation and imbalances in neuroplasticity.

    Keywords: Major Depressive Disorder, Astrocytes, Neuroinflammation, Antidepressants, Neuroplasticity Neuroinflammation, major depressive disorder and astrocytes' function

    Received: 30 Sep 2024; Accepted: 31 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Puentes-Orozco, Albarracin and Velásquez. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Sonia L. Albarracin, Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana., Bogotá, Colombia
    María M. Velásquez, Instituto de Genética Humana. Facultad de Medicina. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana., Bogotá, Colombia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.