Role of the serumand glucocorticoid-inducible-kinase-1 (SGK1) in the regulation of brain function and in the pathophysiology of mental disorders (review)

The fundamental problem of biological psychiatry is uncovering the pathogenetic mechanisms of mental disorders. The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible-kinase-1 gene (SGK1) is the central early stress response gene. SGK1 is involved in numerous intracellular signaling pathways, regulation of hormone release, neuroexcitability, inflammation and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of apoptosis playing an important role in the pathophysiology of brain diseases. The present brief review based on the PubMed data highlights the putative role of SGK1 in the regulation of brain function and in the pathophysiology of mental disorders.