The Role of Fatty Acid Binding Proteins in Neuropsychiatric Diseases: A Narrative Review.

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) transport lipids in the brain and may be involved in the course of various neuropsychiatric syndromes, e.g., major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, schizophrenia, neurodegenerative disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance use disorders (SUDs). However, the nature of this link is not sufficiently elucidated. To that end, we performed a comprehensive literature search on the role of FABPs in neuropsychiatric disorders. Literature searches were conducted from Medline/PubMed electronic databases utilizing the search terms ("fatty acid binding protein" OR "FABP") AND ("psychiatry" OR "ADHD" OR "autism" OR "schizophrenia" OR "substance abuse" OR "substance use disorder" OR "addiction" OR "cocaine" OR "ethanol" OR "tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)" OR "nicotine" OR "anxiety" OR "depression" OR "major depressive disorder", OR "neurodegenerative" OR "Alzheimer" OR "Parkinson" OR "dementia"). Of the 1281 publications found, 90 met the inclusion criteria. FABP alterations were found to be involved in pathology and/or associated with the severity of all conditions examined. Elevated levels of FABP2 and FABP7 were found in patients with MDD and ASD, while FABP3 is implicated in dopamine receptor regulation linked to ADHD and SUDs. Moreover, FABPs' involvement in neuroinflammation and lipid metabolism could shed light on new therapeutic strategies. Alterations in FABP expression may contribute to the increased prevalence and severity of certain neuropsychiatric conditions. Our findings, albeit pending further validation via prospective clinical trials, call for further research into the mechanisms by which FABPs affect neurophysiopathology and highlight the therapeutic potential of FABP inhibitors in mitigating such illnesses.