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Brain Sciences
Special Issues
Mental Health: From a Neurobiology Perspective
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Mental Health: From a Neurobiology Perspective

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropsychiatry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (13 June 2025) | Viewed by 7967

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zuleide Maria Ignácio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Chapecó 89815-899, SC, Brazil
Interests: psychiatric disorders; translational neuroscience; biological mechanisms; neuroinflammation; epigenetics; neurotransmission; new therapeutic strategies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Margarete Dulce Bagatini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Chapecó 89815-899, SC, Brazil
Interests: ectonucleotidases; oxidative stress; neurodegenerative diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Background and history of this topic: Understanding mental health from a neurobiology perspective has gained significant traction in recent decades, propelled by advances in neuroscience and psychology. The advent of technologies like neuroimaging and molecular biology has opened new avenues for exploring the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of mental health disorders.

Aim and scope of the Special Issue: This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest research and insights into mental health from a neurobiology perspective. It delves into the neurobiological underpinnings of various mental health conditions, exploring novel therapeutic interventions targeting neurobiological pathways to advance the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders.

Cutting-edge research: Cutting-edge research in mental health neurobiology spans various fronts, such as identifying neural circuits for mood and anxiety, understanding neuroinflammation in psychiatric disorders, studying genetic and epigenetic influences on mental illness, exploring early life stress effects on brain development, advancing neuroimaging for mental disorder diagnosis, identifying biomarkers for early detection and treatment, and using computational methods for data analysis.

What kind of papers we are soliciting: In this Special Issue, we invite researchers to submit original research manuscripts, reviews, and mini reviews related to understanding mental health and psychiatric disorders, focusing on the various biological and neurobiological mechanisms involved.

Dr. Zuleide Maria Ignácio
Dr. Margarete Dulce Bagatini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurobiology
  • mental health
  • psychiatric disorders
  • neurotransmission
  • signaling pathway
  • genetic and epigenetic factors
  • neurodevelopment
  • inflammation
  • therapeutic interventions
  • translational and clinical research

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2274 KiB  
Article
Quercetin and Tranylcypromine Improve Memory, Behavioral Performance, and Cholinergic Function in Male Rats Subjected to Chronic Restraint Stress
by Vitor Bastianello Mostardeiro, Charles Elias Assmann, Adriel Antonio Schirmann, Marcylene Vieira da Silveira, Bianca Vedoin Copês Rambo, Mairin Schott, Aline da Silva Pereira, Vanessa Valéria Miron, Heloiza Winck Soares, Larissa Varotto Dambrós, Sabrina Fontana Belinazo, Thamires Gelatti Vidal, Margarete Dulce Bagatini, Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger and Vera Maria Melchiors Morsch
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(7), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15070709 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 427
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness, and chronic stress is a contributing factor for depressive symptoms. However, despite intense research, the mechanisms of MDD remain substantially unidentified. Quercetin is a powerful flavonoid and could be used as a possible [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness, and chronic stress is a contributing factor for depressive symptoms. However, despite intense research, the mechanisms of MDD remain substantially unidentified. Quercetin is a powerful flavonoid and could be used as a possible therapeutic strategy for depression. Acknowledging the potential benefits of quercetin, this study investigated its effect alone or in association with the standard drug tranylcypromine (TCP) in a rodent model of chronic restraint stress (CRS). Methods: Adult male rats were subjected to a CRS model consisting of an immobilization session of 4 h daily during 14 consecutive days. Quercetin (50 mg/kg, gavage) was administered for 45 days. TCP (10 mg/kg, gavage) was administered for 14 days. Behavioral tasks were conducted to assess locomotor functions, memory, anhedonia, depression-like behaviors, and anxiety-like behaviors. The activity, gene expression, and protein density of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were investigated. Results: Behavioral tasks showed that the CRS model effectively induced stable behavioral changes. CRS did not alter locomotor function assessed by the open field test (OFT) or anhedonia behavior assessed by the sucrose preference test (SPT). CRS increased total fecal count, which was prevented by quercetin administration in rats. TCP and the association of quercetin and TCP increased the recognition index in comparison with the CRS group in the novel object recognition (NOR) test and improved the swimming and immobility times in comparison to stressed animals in the forced swim test (FST). All treatments were able to decrease the anxiety index assessed by the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. The activity, gene expression, and protein density of AChE were increased in the CRS model compared to control males. Overall, quercetin and TCP proved to reverse CRS-induced alterations in these parameters. Conclusions: Quercetin mitigated cognitive deficits, behavioral impairments, and neurochemical alterations induced by the CRS model, especially in association with TCP, supporting its potential as a promising therapeutic agent for depression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health: From a Neurobiology Perspective)
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Review

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19 pages, 2229 KiB  
Review
Neurobiological Relationships Between Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Mood Disorders
by Amanda Gollo Bertollo, Camila Ferreira Puntel, Brunna Varela da Silva, Marcio Martins, Margarete Dulce Bagatini and Zuleide Maria Ignácio
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(3), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15030307 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 2565
Abstract
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of conditions that arise early in development and are characterized by deficits in personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. These disorders frequently co-occur and include conditions [...] Read more.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of conditions that arise early in development and are characterized by deficits in personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. These disorders frequently co-occur and include conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mood disorders (MDs), such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, also pose significant global health challenges due to their high prevalence and substantial impact on quality of life. Emerging evidence highlights overlapping neurobiological mechanisms between NDDs and MDs, including shared genetic susceptibilities, neurotransmitter dysregulation (e.g., dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways), neuroinflammation, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Environmental factors such as early-life adversity further exacerbate these vulnerabilities, contributing to the complexity of their clinical presentation and comorbidity. Functional neuroimaging studies reveal altered connectivity in brain regions critical for emotional regulation and executive function, such as the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, across these disorders. Despite these advances, integrative diagnostic frameworks and targeted therapeutic strategies remain underexplored, limiting effective intervention. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the shared neurobiological underpinnings of NDDs and MDs, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary research, including genetic, pharmacological, and psychological approaches, for unified diagnosis and treatment. Addressing these intersections can improve clinical outcomes and enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by these disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health: From a Neurobiology Perspective)
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Other

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23 pages, 803 KiB  
Systematic Review
Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review
by Yaiza Ara-García, Manuel Martí-Vilar, Laura Badenes-Ribera and Francisco González-Sala
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15010038 - 2 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3383
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Studies on executive functions in child sex offenders relate their findings to the presence of pedophilia, but they are not able to distinguish between paraphilia and abuse. It is therefore this lack of a distinction that leads us to complement the existing [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Studies on executive functions in child sex offenders relate their findings to the presence of pedophilia, but they are not able to distinguish between paraphilia and abuse. It is therefore this lack of a distinction that leads us to complement the existing information. Thus, the purpose of this review is to find all available evidence on the neurocognitive and neuroanatomical differences in executive functions among pedophilic and non-pedophilic child sex offenders, and non-offender pedophiles. Methods: The present review, in accordance with the PRISMA statement, ran a systematic search of three databases (Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest). This search identified 5697 potential articles, but only 16 studies met all the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were conducted in Europe, using a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample. Results: The results showed alterations in frontal, temporal and parietal structures related to executive functions (e.g., response inhibition) in child sexual offenders, regardless of the presence of pedophilia. Conclusions: In summary, there are differences in brain structure underlying executive functions related to child sexual abuse, but not to pedophilia as such. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health: From a Neurobiology Perspective)
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