The Interrelationship between Depression, Obesity, and Brain Tumour: Systematic Review
Tamunomiebi Douglas
Department of Pharmacy and Logistics, Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS), Delta, Nigeria.
Evelyn Foster-Pagaebi
*
Department of Public-Private Partnership, JSI Research and Training Institute, Bayelsa, Nigeria.
Olobayo Olufunsho Kunle
Pharmaceutical Technology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja, Nigeria.
Elishama Tamunomiebi Douglas
Department of Program Implementation, Healthy People International Foundation, Rivers, Nigeria.
Franca Aminci Nyimwadang
Department of Biochemistry and molecular biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburgh, Texas, USA.
Bukola Mekuleyi Asorho
Faculty of the School of Medicine, Windsor university school of medicine. Saint Kitts and Nevis, West Indies.
Tosin Ayodeji Oladosu
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, MN 55812, USA.
Henry Chukwuebuka-Egbuna Udenenwu
Department of Programs, Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS), Delta, Nigeria.
Ndidiamaka Christiana Ani
Jack Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Depression, obesity, and brain tumours represent significant public health challenges individually, but recent evidence says these conditions may share overlapping biological/ physiological pathways, which could cause compounding disease burden and complicating clinical management. Obesity has been associated with chronic systemic inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and neurobiological changes that increase vulnerability to mood disorders and certain cancers, including brain tumours. Depression is highly prevalent among patients with brain tumours and affects their quality of life, treatment adherence, and survival outcomes. However, the bidirectional interactions among obesity, depression, and brain tumours remain poorly understood.
Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize the existing evidence on the interrelationship between depression, obesity, and brain tumours, exploring their shared pathophysiological mechanisms, epidemiological links, and clinical implications.
Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and PsycINFO databases was conducted for studies published between 2000 and 2025. Eligible studies included observational, experimental, and review articles that examined the association between depression, obesity, and brain tumours in adult populations. Quality assessment was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist for observational studies, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed.
Results and Discussion: A total of 35 studies met the inclusion criteria. Evidence suggests that obesity-related inflammatory markers, such as IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP, may contribute to the neuroinflammation implicated in both depressive symptoms and tumour progression. Furthermore, depression is both a psychological consequence of brain tumours and a potential prognostic factor for worse clinical outcomes. Few studies have explicitly explored the tripartite relationship, indicating a significant research gap. Addressing obesity, screening for depression, and understanding shared biological pathways can improve prevention, early intervention, and treatment outcomes for depression, obesity, and brain tumours.
Conclusion: The available literature supports the interconnections among depression, obesity, and brain tumours, primarily through inflammatory and neuroendocrine pathways. However, integrated studies examining these three conditions concurrently are limited. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies to clarify these relationships and inform multidisciplinary preventive and treatment strategies.
Keywords: Depression, obesity, brain tumour, inflammation, psychoneuroimmunology, psychosocial, cancer