Plasma Levels of Leptin in Reproductive-aged Women with Mild Depressive and Anxious States

Aims: Recent studies suggest that leptin may have an effect on emotion and mood. Low levels of leptin in depression and anxiety have been reported in many animal models; however in humans, it has yet to be elucidated as to whether plasma leptin levels are low in similar states. Therefore, in this study we investigated how plasma leptin level and salivary stress markers of reproductive-aged women, who constitute the majority of patients with mild depression and anxiety in our clinic, are different from those of healthy women.

Methods: We compared the results of the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, the Self-rating Questionnaire for Depression, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, plasma leptin levels, and salivary stress markers in 29 depressive and anxious reproductive-aged female patients with those in 26 age- and body-mass-index-matched healthy female volunteers.

Results: The Short-Form 36, Self-rating Questionnaire for Depression and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores in the patients were worse and their leptin levels were lower than those in the healthy volunteers. There were no significant differences in salivary stress markers, such as chromogranin A and cortisol, between the patients and healthy volunteers.

Conclusion: This study suggests that leptin might play a pathophysiological role in reproductive-aged female patients for mild depression and anxiety.