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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Psychiatry. Apr 19, 2026; 16(4): 117207
Published online Apr 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i4.117207
Comorbid depression and glycemic instability in adolescent type 1 diabetes: Clinical insights into suicide risk
Dong-Yang Wang, Meng-Ying Yuan, Hua Zhi
Dong-Yang Wang, Department of Nursing, The Third People’s Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province, China
Meng-Ying Yuan, School of Management, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province, China
Hua Zhi, Department of Endocrinology, The Third People’s Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Dong-Yang Wang and Meng-Ying Yuan.
Author contributions: Wang DY and Yuan MY contribute equally to this study as co-corresponding authors; Wang DY performed the majority of the writing, prepared the figures and tables; Yuan MY and Zhi H designed the outline and coordinated the writing of the paper.
Supported by 2024 Zhengzhou Medical and Health Sector Science and Technology Innovation Guidance Plan, No. 2024YLZDJH050.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest associated with any senior author or other coauthors who contributed their efforts in this manuscript.
Corresponding author: Dong-Yang Wang, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, The Third People’s Hospital of Henan Province, No. 346 Funiu Road, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province, China. wangdongyang1994@gmail.com
Received: December 2, 2025
Revised: December 29, 2025
Accepted: January 22, 2026
Published online: April 19, 2026
Processing time: 119 Days and 6.2 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: This review elucidates the lethal, bidirectional “neurotoxic cycle” connecting comorbid depression and glycemic dysregulation in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, identifying intentional insulin omission as a critical phenotype of covert self-harm. Beyond epidemiological associations, we synthesize evidence linking chronic hyperglycemia to neuroinflammatory changes in emotional regulation centers. Consequently, we advocate for a clinical paradigm shift from a singular “glucose-centric” approach to an integrated “psycho-metabolic” model, positioning routine suicide risk screening and means restriction as fundamental components of modern diabetes care.