Prospective study on cytokine levels in medication-na�ve adolescents with first-episode major depressive disorder
Background Evidence suggests that depression is correlated with immune-inflammatory
responses, and efforts have been made to identify the relationships between depression
and inflammatory markers. This study investigated the level of cytokines before and after
treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in medication-na�ve adolescents with first-
episode MDD and compared them with the levels in healthy adolescents. The relationship
between cytokine levels and the severity of depressive symptoms was also examined�…
responses, and efforts have been made to identify the relationships between depression
and inflammatory markers. This study investigated the level of cytokines before and after
treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in medication-na�ve adolescents with first-
episode MDD and compared them with the levels in healthy adolescents. The relationship
between cytokine levels and the severity of depressive symptoms was also examined�…
Background
Evidence suggests that depression is correlated with immune-inflammatory responses, and efforts have been made to identify the relationships between depression and inflammatory markers. This study investigated the level of cytokines before and after treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in medication-na�ve adolescents with first-episode MDD and compared them with the levels in healthy adolescents. The relationship between cytokine levels and the severity of depressive symptoms was also examined.
Methods
Twenty-five adolescents with MDD and 25 healthy controls aged 13 to 18 years were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained, and depression severity was assessed twice in the MDD group before and after treatment and once in the healthy group.
Results
When compared with healthy controls, adolescents with MDD had lower levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and IL-10 before treatment and higher levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10 after treatment. In addition, the IFN-γ levels correlated with depressive severity scores in both the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The IL-10 level correlated with depressive severity only on the HDRS.
Limitations
The sample size was small, and the 12-week follow-up time after treatment was relatively short.
Conclusion
IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 levels in medication-na�ve adolescents with first-episode MDD differed from those in healthy controls. The levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10 were altered after antidepressant treatment. Further, the IFN-γ and IL-10 levels correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms.
Elsevier