To elucidate the liver-brain axis (LBA) and its implications in metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Approach:
Communication Mechanisms: Describes the bidirectional communication network between the liver and CNS, integrating neural, humoral, and immune pathways.
Species-Specific Disparities: Examines differences between humans and mice regarding signaling mediators and the blood-brain barrier.
Pathophysiological Perspective: Establishes LBA dysfunction as a driver of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and psychiatric disorders.
Therapeutic Advances: Highlights recent interventions targeting LBA for managing metabolic dysfunction-associated liver diseases and psychiatric conditions.
Key Findings:
The liver actively modulates peripheral neuroimmune responses, challenging the view of it as a passive organ.
LBA dysfunction is linked to obesity, diabetes, and associated neuropsychiatric disorders.
The liver communicates with the CNS through neural, humoral, and immune pathways.
Interpretation:
The LBA plays a critical role in systemic homeostasis and offers novel therapeutic insights for metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Limitations:
The article primarily focuses on mechanisms and does not provide extensive clinical trial data.
Species-specific differences may limit the generalizability of findings from animal models to humans.
Conclusion:
The LBA represents a significant area for therapeutic exploration in managing metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Ahead of HPLC 2026, Eli Lilly’s Sarah O’Keeffe reflects on leadership, collaboration, and the analytical advances helping bring increasingly complex medicines to patients