Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide plasma levels associated with affective symptoms and brain structure and function in healthy females.

Simon RA, Barazanji N, Jones MP, Bednarska O, Icenhour A, Engström M, Hamilton JP, Keita ÅV, Walter S

Scientific reports14 Jan 2021Cited by 7 (Europe PMC)

PMID33446759PMCIDPMC7809454DOI10.1038/s41598-020-80873-2PepBankPUB-33446759

Summary

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a neuroendocrine peptide distributed throughout the human body, including the CNS, where it is particularly abundant in brain regions associated with anxiety and depression. Based on earlier studies indicating that peripheral VIP may cross through the blood-brain barrier, we hypothesized plasma VIP levels to be associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as brain volume and resting-state functional connectivity in the amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampus, and orbitofrontal cortex. Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females. Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate functional connectivity and brain volume respectively, and their associations with VIP concentrations within brain regions associated with anxiety and depression. Negative correlations were found between VIP levels and symptoms of anxiety (r = - 0.44, p = 0.002) and depression (r = - 0.50, p = 0.001). Functional connectivity demonstrated significant VIP-dependent positive associations between the amygdala seed region with both the right parahippocampus (t₍₃₃₎ = 3.1, p_FDR = 0.02) and right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; t₍₃₃₎ = 2.9, p_FDR = 0.02). Moreover, VIP concentrations were significantly, positively correlated with brain volume in the left amygdala (r = 0.28, p = 0.007) and left lateral OFC (r = 0.29, p = 0.004). The present findings highlight a potential role for VIP in the neurobiology of affective symptoms.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study6

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured6

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

01HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In healthy females, plasma VIP levels correlated negatively with anxiety symptoms.
In plain wordsIn healthy women, higher natural VIP levels in blood were linked to fewer anxiety symptoms.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicablePlasma VIP and anxiety symptoms
Study
n = 37
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
Source sentences
Summary
Negative correlations were found between VIP levels and symptoms of anxiety (r = - 0.44, p = 0.002)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3344675901
02HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In healthy females, plasma VIP levels correlated negatively with depression symptoms.
In plain wordsIn healthy women, higher natural VIP levels in blood were linked to fewer depression symptoms.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicablePlasma VIP and depression symptoms
Study
n = 37
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
Source sentences
Summary
Negative correlations were found between VIP levels and symptoms of anxiety (r = - 0.44, p = 0.002) and depression (r = - 0.50, p = 0.001).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3344675902
03HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In healthy females, plasma VIP was positively associated with functional connectivity between the amygdala and the right parahippocampus.
In plain wordsIn healthy women, higher natural VIP levels in blood were linked to stronger connection between two brain regions.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicableAmygdala to right parahippocampus functional connectivity
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Measurements
t
3.1
amygdala-right parahippocampus
Source sentences
Summary
Functional connectivity demonstrated significant VIP-dependent positive associations between the amygdala seed region with both the right parahippocampus
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3344675903
04HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In healthy females, plasma VIP was positively associated with functional connectivity between the amygdala and the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex.
In plain wordsIn healthy women, higher natural VIP levels in blood were linked to stronger connection between two other brain regions.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicableAmygdala to right lateral orbitofrontal cortex functional connectivity
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Measurements
t
2.9
amygdala-right lateral OFC
Source sentences
Summary
Functional connectivity demonstrated significant VIP-dependent positive associations between the amygdala seed region with both the right parahippocampus (t₍₃₃₎ = 3.1, p_FDR = 0.02) and right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; t₍₃₃₎ = 2.9, p_FDR = 0.02).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3344675904
05HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In healthy females, plasma VIP concentrations correlated positively with left amygdala brain volume.
In plain wordsIn healthy women, higher natural VIP levels in blood were linked to a larger left amygdala.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicablePlasma VIP and left amygdala volume
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Measurements
r
0.28
left amygdala volume
Source sentences
Summary
Moreover, VIP concentrations were significantly, positively correlated with brain volume in the left amygdala (r = 0.28, p = 0.007) and left lateral OFC (r = 0.29, p = 0.004).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3344675905
06HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In healthy females, plasma VIP concentrations correlated positively with left lateral orbitofrontal cortex volume.
In plain wordsIn healthy women, higher natural VIP levels in blood were linked to a larger left lateral orbitofrontal cortex.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicablePlasma VIP and left lateral orbitofrontal cortex volume
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Brain and neuronal activity · Nervous system and cognition
Measurements
r
0.29
left lateral OFC volume
Source sentences
Summary
Moreover, VIP concentrations were significantly, positively correlated with brain volume in the left amygdala (r = 0.28, p = 0.007) and left lateral OFC (r = 0.29, p = 0.004).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Plasma VIP concentrations and anxiety/depression symptoms were measured in 37 healthy females.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3344675906

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

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Version 2Current
9 Oct 2026, 19:08 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 12:40 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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