EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON THE KYNURENINE PATHWAY IN REGARD TO MODULATION OF DEPRESSION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Authors

  • Jocsa David Gomes Santos iesvap
  • Pedro Guilherme Barata Machado Barros Instituto de Educação Superior do Vale do Parnaíba – IESVAP. Parnaíba, Piauí, Brasil.
  • Pedro Henrique Bastos Teles Correia Instituto de Educação Superior do Vale do Parnaíba – IESVAP. Parnaíba, Piauí, Brasil.
  • Antonione Santos Bezerra Pinto Instituto de Educação Superior do Vale do Parnaíba – IESVAP. Parnaíba, Piauí, Brasil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18554/acbiobras.v8i2.8308

Keywords:

Physical Training, Mental Health, Metabolism, Tryptophan

Abstract

Introduction: Depression represents one of the most common mental disorders, affecting more than 300 million people of all ages worldwide, and is now the leading cause of global disability. Thus, despite the availability of effective psychological and pharmacological treatments, it is necessary to understand the influence of physical exercise as an adjuvant treatment for depressive disorder. Objective: To carry out a systematic review on the effects of physical exercise on the kynurenine pathway in modulating depression. Methodology: This is a systematic review of the literature, carried out through searches in several databases, including VHL, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Central, Scielo, Medline, PubMed and Psyinfo. The selected descriptors were "exercise", "kynurenine pathway" and "depression", combined using the Boolean operators AND OR to cover the search. The article selection period ranged from 2019 to 2024. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to ensure the relevance and quality of the selected studies, considering works in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Results: Physical exercise influences the different stages of the kynurenine metabolic pathway, modulating the production of neuroactive and neuroprotective metabolites. Specifically, exercise promotes changes in the activity of enzymes responsible for converting tryptophan into kynurenine, influencing the balance between the neuroprotective and neurotoxic branches of this metabolic pathway. In this sense, the significant effects on the regulation of neuroinflammatory balance promote a reduction in the inflammatory response associated with depression. Conclusion: Regular exercise contributes to reducing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, diverting tryptophan metabolism to alternative pathways, such as the serotonin pathway. Thus, physical exercise acts positively in reducing depressive symptoms, providing significant benefits in the mood, energy and motivation of affected individuals.

Author Biography

  • Antonione Santos Bezerra Pinto, Instituto de Educação Superior do Vale do Parnaíba – IESVAP. Parnaíba, Piauí, Brasil.

    Graduação em Odontologia (Universidade Estadual do Piauí - UESPI). Especialização em Docência do Ensino Superior (Faculdade de Tecnologia Intensiva - FATECI), em Radiologia Odontológica e Imaginologia, em Estomatologia e em Patologia Bucal. Mestrado em Radiologia Odontológica. Doutorado em Ciências Morfofuncionais pela Universidade Federal do Ceará. Habilitação em laserterapia. Aperfeiçoamento em Condutas Clínicas Odontológicas Voltadas para o Paciente com Necessidades Especiais e em Laser na Prevenção e Tratamento da Mucosite Oral em Pacientes Oncológicos. Foi professor Adjunto (temporário 2014 - 2019) do curso de Odontologia da Universidade Estadual do Piauí - UESPI. Professor do curso de Tecnologia em Radiologia da Faculdade Regional da Bahia (UNIRB - Unidade Parnaíba - PI - 2013 - 2020).Professor do curso de Odontologia na disciplina de Diagnóstico em Odontologia e Semiologia da Faculdade Maurício de Nassau (UNINASSAU - Parnaíba PI). Professor assistente do curso de Medicina da Faculdade de Ciências Humanas, Exatas e da Saúde de Piauí - Instituto de Educação Superior do Vale do Parnaíba (FAHESP-IESVAP) atuando como membro da Comissão de Avaliação do Curso de Medicina e membro do NAPED da Faculdade de Ciências Humanas, Exatas e da Saúde de Piauí - Instituto de Educação Superior do Vale do Parnaíba (FAHESP-IESVAP), professor de laboratório de Histologia e Patologia dos módulos de Sistemas Orgânicos Integrados II e III.

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Published

2025-10-31

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Revisão da Literatura

How to Cite

EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON THE KYNURENINE PATHWAY IN REGARD TO MODULATION OF DEPRESSION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. Acta Biologica Brasiliensia, [S. l.], v. 8, n. 2, p. 124–145, 2025. DOI: 10.18554/acbiobras.v8i2.8308. Disponível em: https://seer.uftm.edu.br/revistaeletronica/index.php/acbioabras/article/view/8308. Acesso em: 5 dec. 2025.