title: Muscle over mind.
abstract: Depression is associated with elevated kynurenine levels, a tryptophan metabolite generated under stress and inflammatory conditions. Agudelo et al. (2014) now reveal how PGC-1α1 overexpression in muscle mimics anti-depressant effects of exercise by promoting kynurenine aminotransferase expression, likely preventing kynurenine from crossing the blood brain barrier to disrupt neural plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Behavior Unit, Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Hyo Youl
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Behavior Unit, Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA. Electronic address: vanpraagh@mail.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Praag
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; D007737:Kynurenine