Evidence mapPaperPMID 42450641Full record

ReviewBiology2026

Glucose Dysregulation as a Driver of Autoimmune Mimicry, Inflammation, and Psychiatric Symptoms: A Narrative Review.

Jacob Warner-Palacio, Hannah Hunsaker, Amanda McKenna, Brigita Budginas, Levi Fridriksson, Alexander Tam, Christina Nelson, David Sant, Kyle B Bills

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In one paragraph

Review in Biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jacob Warner-PalacioDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3936-7064
Hannah HunsakerDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.
Amanda McKennaDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.
Brigita BudginasDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-4680-8251
Levi FridrikssonDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.
Alexander TamDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-9518-6503
Christina NelsonDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5258-9126
David SantDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7372-9896
Kyle B BillsDepartment of Research, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2162 S 180 E, Provo, UT 84606, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlycemic control influences a wide range of psychiatric and physiological symptoms. Many psychiatric conditions are linked to poor glucose regulation. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), widely used to screen for autoimmune disease, may sometimes reflect transient metabolic immune activation rather than chronic pathology. Evidence suggests that glucose dysregulation, including glycemic variability, reactive hypoglycemia, and postprandial spikes, can trigger systemic inflammation, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and temporary autoantibody production. This review explores how these metabolic phenomena complicate diagnosis and may contribute to misclassification or overtreatment.

methodsWe conducted a narrative literature review prioritizing studies on immune activation, psychiatric outcomes, metabolic measures (including continuous glucose monitoring), and therapeutic interventions. Articles from the last ten years were emphasized, with older foundational studies included when relevant.

resultsMetabolic instability drives immune dysregulation through macrophage polarization, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and impaired clearance of apoptotic debris. Glycemic variability correlates with increased inflammatory cytokines, autonomic dysfunction, and psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. Emerging evidence from small studies suggests that correcting glucose abnormalities may reduce metabolic dysfunction and improve neuropsychiatric symptoms.

conclusionsRecognizing glucose dysregulation as a contributor to autoimmune-like and psychiatric symptoms may refine diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Incorporating a dynamic holistic approach, which in practice includes metabolic assessments, dietary interventions, use of continuous glucose monitoring, and history of blood sugar instability, into rheumatologic and psychiatric evaluations could improve diagnostic precision, reduce unnecessary immunosuppression, and enhance patient outcomes.

Indexed as

anxietyautoimmunedepressionglucose dysregulationketogenic dietmetabolismvery low-carbohydrate diet

Identifiers

PMID42450641
PMCPMC13360587

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.