Frontiers in psychiatry

Disrupted Biological Clocks as a Key Cause of Anxiety and Depression

Updated

Abstract

Circadian rhythm disruption is implicated as a core mechanism in anxiety and depressive disorders, rather than just a symptom.

  • Sleep disturbances are traditionally viewed as secondary symptoms of anxiety and depression but may be fundamentally linked to circadian rhythm disruption.
  • Five key pathways are examined: the SCN-limbic circuit, HPA axis, immune inflammation, neurotransmitter plasticity, and the gut-brain axis.
  • Actionable subtypes of circadian disruption are defined, providing a framework for understanding different manifestations of these disorders.
  • Chronotherapies, such as light therapy and melatonin, are summarized as potential interventions for addressing circadian disruptions.
  • Current controversies regarding the causality between circadian disruption and emotional/sleep abnormalities are analyzed.
  • Future research directions include the use of multi-omics sampling and the development of personalized intervention algorithms.

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