The Effects of Inflammation on Depression

Researchers have found that inducing inflammation in certain patients can trigger depression. Interferon alpha, which is sometimes used to treat chronic hepatitis C and other conditions, causes a major inflammatory response throughout the body. It does this by flooding the immune system with proteins known as cytokines - molecules that facilitate reactions ranging from mild swelling to septic shock. Devising an effective anti-inflammatory treatment for depression may depend on knowing which of these causes is at work. The loss of such connections is thought to contribute to mood disorders. But it's also unclear whether simply treating inflammation could be enough to alleviate depression.