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Peer-reviewedCC BYFrontiers in psychiatry

Depression and musculoskeletal diseases: a framework of systemic mechanisms.

  • Xiaoyun Yang1
  • Yang Zhao2
  • Wang Gao2
  • Jinkun Liu3
  • Tao Wang4
  • Jingyu Wang1
  • Feixue Wang1
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Yantai, China.
  2. 2Department of General Education, Yantai Automobile Engineering Professional College, Yantai, China.
  3. 3Department of Transportation Engineering, Yantai Automobile Engineering Professional College, Yantai, China.
  4. 4School of Marxism, Yantai Automobile Engineering Professional College, Yantai, China.
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Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) encompass a broad spectrum of conditions affecting bones, joints, and muscles, characterized by significant pain and functional impairment, and have become a major global health burden. In recent years, accumulating evidence has revealed complex bidirectional interactions between depression and musculoskeletal health. This review focuses on depression and delineates how it may influence the pathological progression of MSDs through multiple pathways, including neuroendocrine dysregulation, aberrant inflammatory responses, epigenetic modifications, dysregulated extracellular vesicle-mediated communication, abnormal neural activity along the brain-joint axis, and gut microbiota ecological imbalance. Collectively, depression is associated with an increased risk of MSDs and engages intricate interactions across multiple biological systems. Our study underscores that musculoskeletal disorders are by no means confined to isolated joints or local tissues, but rather represent complex diseases with prominent systemic features. Integrated management strategies combining psychosocial interventions, appropriate physical exercise, and dietary modification hold promise as potential multitargeted approaches for the comprehensive treatment of MSDs.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{yang2026depression,
  title = {{Depression and musculoskeletal diseases: a framework of systemic mechanisms.}},
  author = {Xiaoyun Yang and Yang Zhao and Wang Gao and Jinkun Liu and Tao Wang and Jingyu Wang and Feixue Wang},
  journal = {Frontiers in psychiatry},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1977499},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42899055},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Depression and musculoskeletal diseases: a framework of systemic mechanisms.
AU  - Xiaoyun Yang
AU  - Yang Zhao
AU  - Wang Gao
AU  - Jinkun Liu
AU  - Tao Wang
AU  - Jingyu Wang
AU  - Feixue Wang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/05
JO  - Frontiers in psychiatry
DO  - 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1977499
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42899055
AB  - Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) encompass a broad spectrum of conditions affecting bones, joints, and muscles, characterized by significant pain and functional impairment, and have become a major global health burden. In recent years, accumulating evidence has revealed complex bidirectional interactions between depression and musculoskeletal health. This review focuses on depression and delineates how it may influence the pathological progression of MSDs through multiple pathways, including neuroendocrine dysregulation, aberrant inflammatory responses, epigenetic modifications, dysregulated extracellular vesicle-mediated communication, abnormal neural activity along the brain-joint axis, and gut microbiota ecological imbalance. Collectively, depression is associated with an increased risk of MSDs and engages intricate interactions across multiple biological systems. Our study underscores that musculoskeletal disorders are by no means confined to isolated joints or local tissues, but rather represent complex diseases with prominent systemic features. Integrated management strategies combining psychosocial interventions, appropriate physical exercise, and dietary modification hold promise as potential multitargeted approaches for the comprehensive treatment of MSDs.
SN  - 1664-0640
ER  -