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Review
. 2015 Mar 31:9:40.
doi: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00040. eCollection 2015.

Inflammation and neuronal plasticity: a link between childhood trauma and depression pathogenesis

Annamaria Cattaneo  1 , Flavia Macchi  2 , Giona Plazzotta  3 , Begni Veronica  2 , Luisella Bocchio-Chiavetto  4 , Marco Andrea Riva  2 , Carmine Maria Pariante  5
Affiliations
Review

Inflammation and neuronal plasticity: a link between childhood trauma and depression pathogenesis

Annamaria Cattaneo et al. Front Cell Neurosci. .

Abstract

During the past two decades, there has been increasing interest in understanding and characterizing the role of inflammation in major depressive disorder (MDD). Indeed, several are the evidences linking alterations in the inflammatory system to Major Depression, including the presence of elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, together with other mediators of inflammation. However, it is still not clear whether inflammation represents a cause or whether other factors related to depression result in these immunological effects. Regardless, exposure to early life stressful events, which represent a vulnerability factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, act through the modulation of inflammatory responses, but also of neuroplastic mechanisms over the entire life span. Indeed, early life stressful events can cause, possibly through epigenetic changes that persist over time, up to adulthood. Such alterations may concur to increase the vulnerability to develop psychopathologies. In this review we will discuss the role of inflammation and neuronal plasticity as relevant processes underlying depression development. Moreover, we will discuss the role of epigenetics in inducing alterations in inflammation-immune systems as well as dysfunction in neuronal plasticity, thus contributing to the long-lasting negative effects of stressful life events early in life and the consequent enhanced risk for depression. Finally we will provide an overview on the potential role of inflammatory system to aid diagnosis, predict treatment response, enhance treatment matching, and prevent the onset or relapse of Major Depression.

Keywords: childhood trauma; depression; inflammation; neuroplasticity; stress.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic rappresentation of the direct and indirect effect of stress on inflammation and neuroplasticity related processes. Stress induces directly an immediate release of glucocorticoids and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, CRP, TNF-α, INF-α); in turn incresead levels of glucocorticoids act on the brain by altering the CRH-ACTH signaling and, in turn, negatively affecting neurogenesis as well as the production of neurotrophic factors, including Brain Derived neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Similarly, proinflammatory cytokines can negatively affect brain functioning and neurotrophins production and release. Stress can also work indirectly by activating epigenetic mechanisms (methylation, deacetylation, miRNAs), which may act on the same target stress related genes i.e., glucocorticid receptors, cytokines and BDNF. Red arrows indicate a suppressive effect, green arrows a stimulating effect.
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