Increased intake of fat and cholesterol as a pathogenetic factor of depression: A possible molecular mechanism

Abstract

Depression is a disease that is associated with high economic and social burdens; some of its epidemiological factors are yet to be studied. In particular, the consumption of high levels of fat and cholesterol, which are typical of the “western diet” may be a factor in the prevalence of depression and a part of its pathogenesis. This review focuses on the effect of a diet with high fat and cholesterol consumption on the risk of the development of this disease. The published data that reveal the common molecular mechanisms of depression and obesity, as well as studies that investigate the effects of the “western diet” on the development of depressive-like symptoms in humans and animals are discussed in this review.