Is depression an inflammatory disorder?
- PMID: 21927805
- PMCID: PMC3285451
- DOI: 10.1007/s11920-011-0232-0
Is depression an inflammatory disorder?
Abstract
Studies consistently report that groups of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) demonstrate increased levels of a variety of peripheral inflammatory biomarkers when compared with groups of nondepressed individuals. These findings are often interpreted as meaning that MDD, even in medically healthy individuals, may be an inflammatory condition. In this article, we examine evidence for and against this idea by looking more closely into what the actual patterns of inflammatory findings indicate in terms of the relationship between MDD and the immune system. Data are presented in support of the idea that inflammation only contributes to depression in a subset of patients versus the possibility that the depressogenic effect of inflammatory activation is more widespread and varies depending on the degree of vulnerability any given individual evinces in interconnected physiologic systems known to be implicated in the etiology of MDD. Finally, the treatment implications of these various possibilities are discussed.
Figures
![Fig. 1](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/3285451/bin/nihms-356319-f0001.gif)
Similar articles
-
Inflammation, sanitation, and consternation: loss of contact with coevolved, tolerogenic microorganisms and the pathophysiology and treatment of major depression.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010 Dec;67(12):1211-24. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.161. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010. PMID: 21135322 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Inflammation and its discontents: the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of major depression.Biol Psychiatry. 2009 May 1;65(9):732-41. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.11.029. Epub 2009 Jan 15. Biol Psychiatry. 2009. PMID: 19150053 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Translational evidence for the Inflammatory Response System (IRS)/Compensatory Immune Response System (CIRS) and neuroprogression theory of major depression.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 20;111:110343. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110343. Epub 2021 May 5. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021. PMID: 33961966 Review.
-
Novel Insight into Neuroimmune Regulatory Mechanisms and Biomarkers Linking Major Depression and Vascular Diseases: The Dilemma Continues.Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Mar 27;21(7):2317. doi: 10.3390/ijms21072317. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. PMID: 32230840 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The cytokine network in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder. Close to translation?Autoimmun Rev. 2020 May;19(5):102504. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2020.102504. Epub 2020 Mar 13. Autoimmun Rev. 2020. PMID: 32173514 Review.
Cited by
-
Examining immune-inflammatory mechanisms of probiotic supplementation in depression: secondary findings from a randomized clinical trial.Transl Psychiatry. 2024 Jul 24;14(1):305. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-03030-7. Transl Psychiatry. 2024. PMID: 39048549 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
The interplay between polygenic score for tumor necrosis factor-α, brain structural connectivity, and processing speed in major depression.Mol Psychiatry. 2024 May 1. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02577-7. Online ahead of print. Mol Psychiatry. 2024. PMID: 38693319
-
Probiotics and Paraprobiotics: Effects on Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis and Their Consequent Potential in Neuropsychiatric Therapy.Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2024 Jan 31. doi: 10.1007/s12602-024-10214-6. Online ahead of print. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2024. PMID: 38294675 Review.
-
Depression in Women: Potential Biological and Sociocultural Factors Driving the Sex Effect.Neuropsychobiology. 2024;83(1):2-16. doi: 10.1159/000531588. Epub 2024 Jan 25. Neuropsychobiology. 2024. PMID: 38272005 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Childhood and Adolescent Obesity with Somatic Indicators of Stress, Inflammation, and Dysmetabolism before and after Intervention: A Meta-Analysis.J Pers Med. 2023 Aug 28;13(9):1322. doi: 10.3390/jpm13091322. J Pers Med. 2023. PMID: 37763090 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- De Berardis D, Conti CM, Serroni N, et al. The effect of newer serotonin-noradrenalin antidepressants on cytokine production: a review of the current literature. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2010;23:417–22. - PubMed
-
- Dowlati Y, Herrmann N, Swardfager W, et al. A meta-analysis of cytokines in major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2010;67:446–57. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
- R01 MH087604-03/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH083746/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH075102/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH075102-05/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH083746-02/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH083746-01A1/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH087604-02/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH075102-04/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- UL1 TR000454/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH087604-01A1/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH075102-03/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH075102-02/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH083746-03/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH075102-01A1/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH083746-04/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH087604/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical