The Comorbidity of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology and Drug Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1764

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases represent a broad group of incurable and debilitating illnesses that negatively impact the functioning of neurons in the brain or in the peripheral nervous system. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease with Parkinson’s disease-related disorders, Huntington’s disease, or major depressive disorder compromise the conditions that are most frequently diagnosed. Globally, neurodegenerative diseases impact the quality of life of millions of people, affecting not only patients but also their families. Even though the elderly population is a group that is at risk, young adults can also suffer from these medical conditions. There are several different environmental and genetic factors that can promote the development of neurodegenerative diseases; however, sometimes, their cause remains unknown. Metabolic disturbances may affect the development of neurodegenerative diseases, though the molecular mechanisms via which the dysregulation of, for example, glucose or lipid homeostasis exerts a noxious effect on the brain remain poorly understood. Therefore, in our Special Issue, “The Comorbidity of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases”, we would like to bring together experts working in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and/or metabolic diseases and invite you to present your opinions and suggestions related to the link between these disorders, based on the latest results from pre-clinical research and clinical trials. Review articles exploring associations between the development of neurodegenerative diseases and of metabolic alterations are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Anna Serefko
Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Szopa
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. Metabolites 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 2700 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

  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • metabolic diseases
  • depression
  • dementia
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Huntington’s disease
  • obesity
  • diabetes

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 297 KiB  
Article
The Role of Inflammatory Markers in Linking Metabolic Syndrome to Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged Women: A Focus on TNF-α and IL-6
by Kinga Mruczyk, Angelika Cisek-Woźniak, Marta Molska and Aleksandra Skoczek-Rubińska
Metabolites 2025, 15(3), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15030186 - 11 Mar 2025
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related disorders, such as insulin resistance, pose significant health risks in middle-aged women, including cognitive decline. Chronic inflammation, characterized by elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), has been identified as a key mechanism linking [...] Read more.
Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related disorders, such as insulin resistance, pose significant health risks in middle-aged women, including cognitive decline. Chronic inflammation, characterized by elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), has been identified as a key mechanism linking metabolic disturbances to neurodegenerative processes. Methods: This study aimed to examine the associations between metabolic disorders, inflammatory markers, and cognitive function among middle-aged women. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 179 non-smoking perimenopausal and postmenopausal women aged 43–73 years. Anthropometric, metabolic, and cognitive parameters were assessed, including body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), fasting glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TG), IL-6, TNF-α, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the relationships between inflammation, MetS components, and cognitive impairments. Results: Women with insulin resistance showed significantly worse metabolic profiles and lower MMSE scores (23.98 vs. 24.91, p = 0.032). IL-6 levels were strongly associated with hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.096, 95% CI: 1.044–1.151, p < 0.001) and insulin resistance (OR = 1.068, 95% CI: 1.030–1.107, p < 0.001), while TNF-α correlated with abdominal obesity (WHtR OR = 1.429, 95% CI: 1.005–2.031, p = 0.047). Moreover, TNF-α was a significant predictor of cognitive impairments (OR = 1.362, 95% CI: 1.153–1.610, p < 0.001), whereas IL-6 showed no significant association. Conclusions: These findings highlight that TNF-α may be a key inflammatory marker associated with metabolic disturbances and cognitive decline in middle-aged women. IL-6 appears to be more specifically linked to lipid abnormalities and insulin resistance. Targeted interventions to reduce inflammation may moderate metabolic and cognitive risks in this population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Comorbidity of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases)

Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 821 KiB  
Review
Practical Recommendations in the Treatment of Acute and Chronic Life-Threatening Infectious Diseases in Patients with Acute Hepatic Porphyria
by Bruno de Mattos Lombardi Badia, Paulo de Lima Serrano, João Paulo Barile, Daniel Delgado Seneor, Patrícia Marques Mendes, Renan Brandão Rambaldi Cavalheiro, Kaliny Oliveira Peixoto, Igor Braga Farias, Roberta Ismael Lacerda Machado, Wladimir Bocca Vieira de Rezende Pinto, Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira and Paulo Sgobbi
Metabolites 2025, 15(2), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15020099 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 774
Abstract
Background: Acute hepatic porphyrias (AHPs) represent inherited metabolic disorders of the heme biosynthesis pathway, leading to neurological and systemic impairment. Despite the presence of well-recognized chronic symptoms and signs, acute neurological, both neuromuscular and central neurological complications pose a significant challenge in clinical [...] Read more.
Background: Acute hepatic porphyrias (AHPs) represent inherited metabolic disorders of the heme biosynthesis pathway, leading to neurological and systemic impairment. Despite the presence of well-recognized chronic symptoms and signs, acute neurological, both neuromuscular and central neurological complications pose a significant challenge in clinical practice, with a potential risk of greater severity and mortality during acute decompensation episodes of AHPs. Care related to the prescription of medications, considering the risk of porphyrinogenicity, is a major and recurring concern in the acute and chronic management of AHP patients. Infectious clinical complications are significant issues in both outpatient and hospital settings for patients with AHPs. It is crucial to identify therapeutic regimens with the best safety and efficacy profiles for treating such infectious complications in AHP patients. The scarcity of structured knowledge available in guidelines and recommendations often leads to the use of therapeutic options with higher potential risks in treating patients with AHPs. Objectives: This review article aims to provide practical recommendations for managing the most significant infectious complications in clinical practice, with a focus on their impact on the clinical care of patients with AHPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Comorbidity of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop