Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health How Chronic Stress Increases Risk of Depression
Nov 8, 2025
Chronic stress rewires the brain by recruiting immune cells, triggering anxiety and social withdrawal. Key immune signals suppress dopamine, shifting focus from pleasure to threat detection. Stress also damages brain mitochondria, leading to fatigue and mood disorders. Natural interventions like healthy carbs, regular exercise, and creativity can counter these effects. Mindset practices and social touch strengthen emotional stability, while simple daily actions can improve mood and energy. Understanding this biology is crucial for mental health.
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Stress Drives Meningeal Immune Activation
- Chronic repeated stress pushes the immune system into a persistent, low-grade inflammatory state that targets brain borders.
- This immune activation, not just hormones, helps explain why depression can resist standard antidepressants.
Neutrophil Invasion Near The Brain
- Neutrophils surge into the meninges after chronic social defeat stress and correlate with anxiety and social withdrawal.
- Many are recruited from skull bone marrow and traffic through vascular channels into brain borders.
Interferon Signals Drive Behavioral Change
- Meningeal neutrophils show a strong type I interferon signature and remain elevated for days after stress.
- Blocking interferon signaling reversed stress effects and restored pleasure-seeking in animals.