METABOLIC SYNDROME AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITIES

Abstract

A trend emanating in the recent past is a connectedness between metabolic syndrome (MetS), a set of associated metabolic disorders, and neuropsychiatric issues such as melancholy, anxiety and cognitive loss.  With clear criteria in diagnosing MetS and verified psychological assessment instruments (PHQ-9, GAD-7, MoCA), the mixed-methods research examined the shared experiences of 312 individuals aged 25-65 who are experiencing some form of neuropsychiatric load.  The measuring of mental and cognitive discomfort has resulted in a new scoring called Neuropsychiatric Burden Score (NPBS).  Quantitative data indicated that high fasting glucose and central adiposity were the most appropriate predictors of high NPBS (p < 0.01). Regression models also indicated that the higher the number of MetS-related factors an individual had, the poorer his/ her mental health outcomes became.  Individuals with HOMA-IR of 2.5 or higher had significantly higher NPBS very low MoCA score, so it demonstrates the consequences of insulin resistance in the brain.  Emotional exhaustion, sleep disorders, weight-related stigma, and reported cognitive failures theme were singled out by a qualitative analysis of 22 patient interviews. These thematics form a suitable pattern with the biomarker and the psychometric findings.  Individuals with elevated NPBS were frequently receiving issues with cortisol levels as well as elevated levels of hs-CRP. This confirms the conception that neuroinflammation and HPA dysfunction is present.  The integrated design of the study integrated into Figure 1 was able to merge both the metabolic diagnostics and psychiatric profiling hence forging a complete biopsychosocial map of comorbidity.  These findings indicate that we require generalizable screening procedures and treatments that are interdisciplinary and take care of plans to control metabolism and psychological robustness in individuals with MetS