Regulatory Molecules of Synaptic Plasticity in Anxiety Disorder

Zhongwei Sha; Jian Xu; Nana Li; Ou Li

doi:10.2147/IJGM.S413176

Regulatory Molecules of Synaptic Plasticity in Anxiety Disorder

Int J Gen Med. 2023 Jul 6:16:2877-2886. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S413176. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhongwei Sha¹, Jian Xu¹, Nana Li¹, Ou Li¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Mental Diseases, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Synaptic plasticity is the capacity of synaptic transmission between neurons to be strengthened or weakened. There are many signal molecules accumulated in the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes that can lead to the regulation of synaptic plasticity and involvement in numerous of neurological and psychiatric diseases, including anxiety disorder. However, the regulatory mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in the development of anxiety disorder have not been well summarized. This review mainly aims to discuss the biological functions and mechanisms of synaptic plasticity-related molecules in anxiety disorder, with a particular focus on the metabotropic glutamate receptors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, and postsynaptic density 95. The summarized functions and mechanisms of synaptic plasticity-related molecules in anxiety will provide insight into novel neuroplasticity modifications for targeted therapy for anxiety.

Keywords: BDNF; HCN; PSD95; anxiety; mGluRs; synaptic plasticity.

Publication types

Review