ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on an exploration of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a particular disorder that is not only practically important to address but is also theoretically important, as PCOS may lend a unique perspective on the potential role of insulin resistance (IR) as an interface between obesity and mood disorders. PCOS, a common endocrine disorder of reproductive-age women, which is closely associated with obesity and IR, is increasingly at the center of the debate surrounding the connections between metabolic dysregulation and mood disorders. While hyperandrogenemia and IR—in addition to other endocrine and metabolic disorders common to PCOS—exhibit the potential to impact mood pathophysiologically, it is impossible to ignore the psychosocialaspectsof PCOS that may also engender depressive symptoms. The associations between obesity and mood disorders have gained attention in part because of the observation that pharmacological treatment of mood disorders may impact metabolic parameters.
