Iodine Deficiency and the Risk of Depressive Disorder Development

Depressive disorders are an urgent problem of modern psychiatry and related disciplines and are a growing public health issue. Genetic and non-genetic (demographic, environmental and dietary) factors are associated with the development of depressive disorders in various age groups of the population. The relationship between nutrients and the severity of depressive disorders is of increasing interest to researchers and clinicians. Such nutrients include iodine, which is an important trace element in the development and functioning of the central nervous system. Iodine deficiency is clinically often accompanied by a decrease in mood, a feeling of fatigue, a feeling of depression or anxiety, nervousness and trembling, a decrease in life satisfaction, decreased appetite, emotional lability, difficulty concentrating, cognitive disorders. In this regard, nutritional support is considered as one of the components of disease-modifying therapy for depressive in children and adults. The narrative review presents updated knowledge about the relationship of iodine concentrations in blood serum and urine with the development and severity of depressive disorder in children and adults, based on the analysis and generalization of the results of domestic and international clinical and laboratory studies. It has been shown that low intake of iodine into the human body with food, dietary supplements, oral and transdermal drugs and an age-dependent increase in urinary iodine excretion are sensitive predictors of a high risk of developing depressive disorders. Monitoring and correction of iodine deficiency conditions in patients with severe and recurrent depressive disorders is an urgent problem in real psychiatric practice. It is possible to recommend a study of serum iodine levels and a study of the level of iodine excretion in urine for patients to diagnose iodine-associated depressive disorders and timely resolve the issue of personalized appointment of disease-modifying therapy for deficiency of this nutrient.