Allopregnanolone, a GABAergic neurosteroid and progesterone derivative, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD). Several mechanisms appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of PPD, including neuroendocrine dysfunction, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter alterations, genetic and epigenetic modifications. Recent evidence highlights the higher risk for incidence of PPD in mothers exposed to unhealthy diets that negatively impact the microbiome composition and increase inflammation, all effects that are strongly correlated with mood disorders. Conversely, healthy diets have consistently been reported to decrease the risk of peripartum depression and to protect the body and brain against low-grade systemic chronic inflammation. Several bioactive micronutrients found in the so-called functional foods have been shown to play a relevant role in preventing neuroinflammation and depression, such as vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and flavonoids. An intriguing molecular substrate linking functional foods with improvement of mood disorders may be represented by the peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) pathway, which can regulate allopregnanolone biosynthesis and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and thereby may reduce inflammation and elevate mood.

Herein, we discuss the potential connection between functional foods and PPAR and their role in preventing neuroinflammation and symptoms of PPD through neurosteroid regulation. We suggest that healthy diets by targeting the PPAR-neurosteroid axis and thereby decreasing inflammation may offer a suitable functional strategy to prevent and safely alleviate mood symptoms during the perinatal period.

GABA能神经甾体和孕酮衍生物Allopregnanolone最近获得了美国食品药物管理局的批准，可用于治疗产后抑郁症（PPD）。PPD的发病机制涉及多种机制，包括神经内分泌功能障碍，神经炎症，神经递质改变，遗传和表观遗传修饰。最近的证据表明，暴露于不健康饮食的母亲中PPD发生的风险较高，这会对微生物组组成产生负面影响并增加炎症，而所有这些影响均与情绪障碍密切相关。相反，一直以来都有健康的饮食可以降低围产期抑郁的风险，并保护身体和大脑免受低度全身性慢性炎症的侵害。所谓的几种生物活性微量营养素功能性食品已被证明在预防神经发炎和抑郁中具有重要作用，例如维生素，矿物质，omega-3脂肪酸和类黄酮。连接功能性食物与改善情绪障碍的有趣分子底物可能由过氧化物酶体-增殖物激活受体（PPAR）通路代表，该通路可以调节Allopregnanolone的生物合成和脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF），从而可以减少炎症并提高情绪。

在本文中，我们讨论了功能性食物与PPAR之间的潜在联系，以及它们在通过神经类固醇调节预防神经炎症和PPD症状中的作用。我们建议通过靶向PPAR-神经甾体轴并由此减少炎症的健康饮食，可以提供一种合适的功能策略，以预防和安全缓解围产期的情绪症状。