Mental illness and metabolic syndrome – a literature review

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Researchers' opinions are divided on whether metabolic syndrome is a separate clinical entity. Undoubtedly, the components of the syndrome, such as abdominal obesity, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertriglyceridaemia, adversely affect metabolism, bringing with it a number of consequences, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease which significantly impair the quality of life. ABBREVIATED DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE: In recent years, much attention has been paid to research on the prevalence of metabolic disorders in mentally ill patients. This is due to a growing awareness that some antipsychotic medications contribute to weight gain in patients suffering from mental illness, and consequently lead to the development of a number of interrelated somatic factors, such as abdominal obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertriglyceridaemia, and hypertension. Weight gain and other metabolic syndrome components have been noticed not only in patients, but also in their families. This paper presents current research on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in people with mental illness. An analysis of the causes of metabolic disorders in this population has been conducted, including the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and cortisol secretion in the development of components of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Components of the metabolic syndrome are especially observed in mentally ill people. The mechanisms of their formation are not fully understood. A large role in their formation besides the negative effects of antipsychotic medication and specific lifestyle, play a specific dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Undoubtedly, further research and analysis in this area is necessary.