title: Cholesterol in mood and anxiety disorders: review of the literature and new hypotheses.
abstract: Cholesterol plays an integral role in the structure and function of the cell membrane and may also affect neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Previous work has identified abnormalities in serum cholesterol levels in patients with mood and anxiety disorders as well as in suicidal patients. However, the biological significance of these abnormalities remains to be clarified. An understanding of how serum cholesterol relates to the pathophysiology of mood disorders may generate biological markers that predict treatment response as well as targets for novel therapeutic strategies. In this article, we review the literature studying the significance of cholesterol in mood and anxiety disorders, with an emphasis on new studies focusing on the adverse impact of hypercholesterolemia on the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). We then propose possible mechanisms that would account for the relationship between elevated cholesterol and treatment non-response in MDD.
authors.affiliation: Depression Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 15 Parkman Street, WACC #812, Boston, MA 02114, USA. gpapakostas@partners.org
authors.forename: George I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Papakostas
authors.forename: Dost
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ongür
authors.forename: Dan V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Iosifescu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mischoulon
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fava
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D002784:Cholesterol