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New study finds that the effects of depression can seep into the bones themselves — and, conversely, the bones can send pervasive messages back to the brain.
A study last week in Biomoleculesrevealed a two-way street: depression and osteoporosis are related.
The three Chinese neurologists who led the research argue that this new and captivating field of research that could be crucial to improving patient care.
The authors detail the “bone–brain axis” theory and explain how this concept can help us better understand and treat a “silent killer” such as osteoporosis and depression.
The conclusion of the new study is that the brain–bone axis, once considered a speculative construct, is now “represents a legitimate physiological network”.
“The clinical implications are substantial and immediate”the authors reiterate Pengpeng Lifrom Xi’an Aerospace Hospital, Yangyang GaoNingxia Medical University, and Xudong Zhaofrom Jiangnan University, speaking to .
As the same magazine writes, both osteoporosis and depression are common problems among elderly patients. THE Research has confirmed that patients with depression often face skeletal problemssuch as reduced bone density.
On the other hand, patients who have osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass, tend to have higher rates of depression.
The two coexisting conditions may have real molecular and cellular bonds that unite them and the brain–bone axis may be the bridge – argue the authors of the review.
At first glance, the soft human brain and our dense, hard bones may not appear to have much in common, but our scientific understanding of both follows a similar historical trajectory.
It is possible for depression to affect bone health. For example, the Chronic overactivity of stress pathways is common in people with depression and can lead to bone loss through the secretion of brain-derived hormones, such as cortisol, and cascading inflammatory responses.
In other words, the severity of depression and osteoporosis may feed each other through the brain–bone axis.
“Future research must validate axis-directed interventions through rigorous clinical trials, but current knowledge already supports the incorporation of this conceptual framework into patient management strategies,” the scientists write.
