Researchers led by Professor Yvonne Nolan at University College Cork discovered that voluntary wheel running exercise counteracts depression-like behaviors induced by a cafeteria diet in adult male rats. The peer-reviewed study reveals exercise normalized elevated insulin and leptin levels while preserving key gut metabolites depleted by junk food consumption. These findings illuminate potential metabolic mechanisms linking lifestyle factors to mental health, offering insights for developing targeted interventions addressing mood disorders.

Researchers have discovered that genetic predisposition to elevated C-reactive protein identifies a distinct immunometabolic subtype of depression with specific symptom patterns and treatment responses. The study of 1059 patients revealed an unexpected U-shaped relationship between inflammatory genetic markers and antidepressant outcomes, with implications for precision psychiatry approaches. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Genomic Psychiatry, these findings bridge molecular mechanisms with clinical observations of depression dating back centuries.