中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2026, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (7): 2956-2957.

• 观点:退行性病与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

褪黑激素通过淋巴修复逆转肥胖引起的神经退行性变

  

  • 出版日期:2026-07-15 发布日期:2026-03-27

Melatonin reverses obesity-induced neurodegeneration through glymphatic restoration

Bandy Chen*   

  1. Department of Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
  • Online:2026-07-15 Published:2026-03-27
  • Contact: Bandy Chen, bac008@health.ucsd.edu.

摘要: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9099-1218 (Bandy Chen)
 

Abstract: Obesity is characterized by both central and peripheral alterations, increasing the risk for neurological and metabolic disorders. Recent evidence indicate that obesity can disrupt the glymphatic system and impair the clearance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This can lead to the build of neurotoxic molecules, potentially explaining obesity’s risk for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Given that glymphatic flow is tightly regulated by sleep, and that sleep disturbances are seen in obesity, melatonin emerges as a promising candidate to target glymphatic dysfunction in obesity. In both clinical and preclinical models, exogenous melatonin improves sleep quality and enhances slow-wave sleep, which is the sleep stage when glymphatic clearance is most active. This perspective aims to explore the mechanistic links between obesity and glymphatic dysfunction, highlighting melatonin as a novel therapeutic to mitigate cognitive and neurological consequences associated with obesity through the restoration of the glymphatic system. The mechanistic studies are predominantly based on animal models; therefore, additional human studies that explore the effect of melatonin on glymphatic function are much needed.