A groundbreaking study led by researchers at McMaster University has unveiled a novel connection between body fat and anxiety, offering fresh insights into the complex relationship between metabolism and mental health. The findings, published in the esteemed journal Nature Metabolism on April 15, 2025, have far-reaching implications, particularly as both anxiety and obesity rates continue to rise globally.
The research highlights how metabolic changes in adipose tissue, or body fat, play a role in anxiety disorders. Gregory Steinberg, the senior author and a professor at McMaster’s Department of Medicine, emphasizes that understanding this link could pave the way for new treatments targeting the root biological processes behind anxiety.
“Our findings underscore the intricate interplay between metabolism and mental health, and we hope they will lead to improved outcomes for individuals affected by anxiety,” said Steinberg, who is also the co-director of McMaster’s Centre for Metabolism, Obesity, and Diabetes Research.
The study reveals that psychological stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, triggering lipolysis, a process where fat cells release fats. These fats, in turn, prompt the release of a hormone called GDF15 from immune cells within fat tissue. GDF15 then signals the brain, contributing to anxiety. This discovery was made through a series of rigorous experiments involving mice, behavioral assessments of anxiety-like behaviors, and molecular analyses that confirmed the connection between metabolic changes in adipose tissue and anxiety.
Logan Townsend, the first author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at McMaster, notes that these findings open up new avenues for anxiety treatment. “By exploring how stress-induced changes in fat cells affect anxiety, we could develop innovative therapies targeting these metabolic processes, offering more effective and tailored relief for individuals with anxiety disorders,” Townsend explained. Notably, some companies are already developing GDF15 blockers for cancer treatment, raising the possibility that these therapies could also be repurposed for anxiety.
The research was conducted at McMaster University, with significant contributions from Marc Jeschke of Hamilton Health Sciences and Katherine Morrison, a professor in McMaster’s Department of Pediatrics. The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Diabetes Canada.
As scientists continue to uncover the complex relationship between metabolism and mental health, this study marks a significant step forward, opening new pathways for targeted, metabolic-based anxiety treatments.
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