The Role of Long Non-Coding RNA in Anxiety Disorders: A Literature Review

Abstract

Anxiety is a fear response that triggers a stress reaction with the purpose of defending against or avoiding danger, which is considered physiological, until it becomes excessive and persistent, affecting daily life activities. Non-coding RNAs have been explored in terms of their relationship with diseases, and several of them, such as miRNAs, have been found to be key factors in the development of diseases. Specifically, the expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been implicated in the development of anxiety through various mechanisms such as nervous system development, synaptic function, neurotransmitter regulation, and neuroinflammation. However, several recent reviews have explored the roles of lncRNAs in various mental diseases (mainly in schizophrenia), and considering that existing reviews do not cover the interaction between lncRNAs and aspects such as neuroimmunity in anxiety disorder pathophysiology, the aim of this literature review is to summarize the current knowledge about the contributions of lncRNAs to the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders. Additionally, we explore their potential applications in the diagnosis, as well as possible treatment approaches, of these disorders, challenges, and current limitations.