Inflammation a Core Feature of Depression
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New research suggests that depression and inflammation are biologically linked ― a finding that may have important implications for patients whose condition fails to respond to treatment with antidepressants. In the largest-ever examination of genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and medical drivers of inflammation in major depressive disorder (MDD), levels of the key inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) were higher in patients with depression than in those with no mental disorder.
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@achin In animal models, stress stimulates the entire immune system, bone marrow included, which leads to the hyperactive production of immune cells.
Humans with depression also produce more white blood cells, particularly monocytes. The release of these important immune cells into the bloodstream prompts further response elsewhere in the body. Inflammation is an immune response to infection or other stresses on the body. High inflammation levels are associated with autoimmune disorders and can be risk factors for cardiovascular illness or other ailments.