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Blood–brain barrier permeability of adipokines and myokines

Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2026)Cite this article

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The use of adipokines and myokines measured in serum or cerebrospinal fluid as biomarkers or disease modifiers in neurological disorders is limited. Their permeability to the blood–brain barrier is either unknown or overlooked. A novel classification of adipokines and myokines on the basis of their cerebrospinal fluid to serum ratio is warranted.

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Fig. 1: Classification of adipokines and myokines by their specific CSF to serum ratio.

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  1. Department of Internal Medicine III, Giessen University Hospital, Giessen, Germany

    Andreas Schäffler, Andreas Schmid & Thomas Karrasch

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  1. Andreas Schäffler
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  2. Andreas Schmid
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  3. Thomas Karrasch
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Correspondence to Andreas Schäffler.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Schäffler, A., Schmid, A. & Karrasch, T. Blood–brain barrier permeability of adipokines and myokines. Nat Rev Endocrinol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-026-01232-1

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