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Folate and Other B Vitamins in Brain Health and Disease—2nd Edition

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Micronutrients and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 August 2023) | Viewed by 6616

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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vitamins of the B complex group play critical roles in cellular metabolism, and their deficiency leads to specific disorders. This is of utmost significance in embryonic development, especially in the development of the brain and the structural refinement and metabolic functioning of the neonatal and adult brain.

This Special Issue will focus on the role of these vitamins in brain development and function, the disruption of this process, and potential strategies for the prevention and treatment of brain disorders resulting from the deficiency or disrupted metabolism of B vitamins. Special emphasis will be placed on B12 and folate because of their role in fetal and neonatal brain development and in adult brain functional disorders such as depression, dementia, and schizophrenia. We also aim to explore genetic and epigenetic influences on developmental disorders, as well as the role that methyl donors play in regulating this process.

Defining the role of other B vitamins in fetal brain development as well as adult brain function will also be an integral part of the overall theme.

Authors are invited to submit research, reviews, and hypothesis-driven articles that address topics related to the role of folate, B12, and other B vitamins in brain development and brain health, with an emphasis on prevention and treatment strategies.

Section 1: Developmental requirements and relates diseases.

Section 2: Requirements of the aging brain and related diseases.

Dr. Edward Quadros
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

folate
vitamin B12
brain development
brain metabolism
brain function
epigenetics
gene regulation
genetic disorders
fetal development

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 7063 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Choline Regulates SOX4 through miR-129-5p and Modifies H3K27me3 in the Developing Cortex

by Evan M. Paules, Jorge A. Silva-Gomez, Walter B. Friday, Steve H. Zeisel and Isis Trujillo-Gonzalez

Nutrients 2023, 15(12), 2774; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15122774 - 16 Jun 2023

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Abstract

Choline availability regulates neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in the developing cerebral cortex. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying this process and demonstrated that choline regulates the transcription factor SOX4 in neural progenitor cells. Specifically, we found that low choline intake during neurogenesis reduces SOX4 protein levels, causing the downregulation of EZH2, a histone methyltransferase. Importantly, we demonstrate that low choline is not involved in SOX4 protein degradation rate and established that protein reduction is caused by aberrant expression of a microRNA (miR-129-5p). To confirm the role of miR-129-5p, we conducted gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays in neural progenitor cells and demonstrated that directly altering miR-129-5p levels could affect SOX4 protein levels. We also observed that the reduction in SOX4 and EZH2 led to decreased global levels of H3K27me3 in the developing cortex, contributing to reduced proliferation and precocious differentiation. For the first time, to our knowledge, we demonstrate that a nutrient, choline, regulates a master transcription factor and its downstream targets, providing a novel insight into the role of choline in brain development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Folate and Other B Vitamins in Brain Health and Disease—2nd Edition)

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Review

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24 pages, 930 KiB

Open AccessReview

Folate and Its Significance in Depressive Disorders and Suicidality: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

by Timur Liwinski and Undine E. Lang

Nutrients 2023, 15(17), 3859; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173859 - 4 Sep 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4207

Abstract

Depressive disorders pose significant challenges to global public health, necessitating effective prevention and management strategies. Notably, the occurrence of suicide frequently coincides with depressive episodes. Suicide is as a paramount global health concern that demands efficacious preventive strategies. Current psychiatric approaches heavily rely on pharmacological interventions but have had limited success in addressing the global burden of mental health issues. Suboptimal nutrition, with its impact on the neuroendocrine system, has been implicated in the underlying pathology of depressive disorders. Folate, a group of water-soluble compounds, plays a crucial role in various central nervous system functions. Depressed individuals often exhibit low levels of serum and red blood cell folate. Multiple studies and systematic reviews have investigated the efficacy of folic acid and its derivative, L-methylfolate, which can cross the blood–brain barrier, as stand-alone or adjunct therapies for depression. Although findings have been mixed, the available evidence generally supports the use of these compounds in depressed individuals. Recent studies have established links between the one-carbon cycle, folate–homocysteine balance, immune system function, glutamate excitation via NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, and gut microbiome eubiosis in mood regulation. These findings provide insights into the complex neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of folate and related compounds in depression. Through a comprehensive review of the existing literature, this study aims to advance our understanding of the therapeutic potential of folic acid and related compounds in depression treatment. It also seeks to explore their role in addressing suicidal tendencies and shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms involved, leveraging the latest discoveries in depression research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Folate and Other B Vitamins in Brain Health and Disease—2nd Edition)

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