Bridging metabolic syndrome and cognitive dysfunction: role of astrocytes

Zihan Li; Ya-Yi Jiang; Caiyi Long; Xi Peng; Jiajing Tao; Yueheng Pu; Rensong Yue

doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1393253

Bridging metabolic syndrome and cognitive dysfunction: role of astrocytes

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 May 10:15:1393253. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1393253. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Zihan Li^#^{1

2}, Ya-Yi Jiang^#^{1

2}, Caiyi Long^{1

2}, Xi Peng^{1

2}, Jiajing Tao^{1

2}, Yueheng Pu^{1

2}, Rensong Yue^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Endocrinology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
² Clinical Medical School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cognitive dysfunction pose significant challenges to global health and the economy. Systemic inflammation, endocrine disruption, and autoregulatory impairment drive neurodegeneration and microcirculatory damage in MetS. Due to their unique anatomy and function, astrocytes sense and integrate multiple metabolic signals, including peripheral endocrine hormones and nutrients. Astrocytes and synapses engage in a complex dialogue of energetic and immunological interactions. Astrocytes act as a bridge between MetS and cognitive dysfunction, undergoing diverse activation in response to metabolic dysfunction. This article summarizes the alterations in astrocyte phenotypic characteristics across multiple pathological factors in MetS. It also discusses the clinical value of astrocytes as a critical pathologic diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target for MetS-associated cognitive dysfunction.

Keywords: astrocytes; cognitive dysfunction; immunometabolism; metabolic syndrome; neurodegeneration.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Astrocytes* / metabolism
Astrocytes* / pathology
Cognitive Dysfunction* / etiology
Cognitive Dysfunction* / metabolism
Cognitive Dysfunction* / physiopathology
Humans
Metabolic Syndrome* / metabolism
Metabolic Syndrome* / physiopathology

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The authors’ work in this area is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (82274486); Science and Technology Research Special project of Sichuan Provincial; Department (2022YFS0382); YR’s TCM studio.