Pathogenesis analysis of depression disorders from the perspective of the"form-qi-spirit"theory
10.3969/j.issn.1006-2157.2025.11.009
- VernacularTitle:形气神理论视域下抑郁障碍的病机解析
- Author:
Fuqing REN
1
;
Wenbo WANG
;
Rongjuan GUO
Author Information
1. 北京中医药大学研究生院 北京 100029
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
depressive disorder;
form-qi-spirit;
phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway;
inflammation;
mitochondria;
gut-brain axis
- From:
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;48(11):1547-1555
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Depression disorder is a common psychological condition characterized by high incidence,high relapse rates,and disability,and has become a major global public health issue.The prevalence of depression has increased by 27.6%after the COVID-19 pandemic.Depression disorder not only exacerbates healthcare resource consumption and reduces social productivity but may also trigger extreme behaviors such as suicide,posing a severe threat to the life and health of humans.However,the pathological mechanisms underlying depression disorder remain unclear.The phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway,one of the key pathways,participates in disease progression by mediating the inflammatory response,oxidative stress,and apoptosis.In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)theory,depression disorder is classified under categories such as"depression syndrome,""hysteria,"or"lily disease,"with deficiency,heat,phlegm,and blood stasis as its primary pathological factors and"stagnation-deficiency-obstruction"as the core phthogenesis.The theory of form,qi,and spirit,rooted in the holistic view of TCM,conceptualizes depression disorder as a dynamic process of"spirit dysfunction → qi depletion → physical damage."Notably,the biological processes mediated by the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway exhibit significant similarities with the pathological chain of the spirit-qi-form.This paper systematically explores the association between the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the pathogenesis of depression disorder from the perspective of the form-qi-spirit theory.Spirit dysfunction affects pathway activity through neuroendocrine pathways.Qi depletion is closely associated with mitochondrial dysfunction,which is regulated by the pathway.Physical damage involves pathological processes such as inflammation and apoptosis.By elucidating the intrinsic relationships between these three aspects,this study provides a theoretical foundation and research direction for the integration of traditional Chinese and western medicine treatments,as well as drug development for depression disorder.
