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Further Evidence Of Cytokine Involvement In Major And Post-Viral Depression

Cytokine involvement in major and post-viral depression has now been confirmed.

It is recognized that interleukin-1b can induce the symptoms of depression and sickness behaviour and may have a contributory role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity seen in mood disorders.

Researchers from the Stanley Foundation Research Centre at the University of Newcastle Medical School, Newcaste, England, designed a study to investigate the possible role of interleukin-1b in both major and post-viral depression.

Interleukin-1b (IL-1b) is released a part of the acute phase immune response. It is able to directly stimulate corticotrophin-releasing hormone and can induce hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity. The acute phase immunologic response, which includes raised IL-1b production and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity has been shown to accompany major depression.

Participants include four groups, comprising 117 patients with post-viral depression, 20 patients suffering with major depression, 12 who were post-viral and euthymic and 20 who acted as normal controls.

By comparison with controls, the patients in both groups of depression had significantly elevated IL-1b. The post-viral group was shown to have higher serum concentrations of IL-1b than that seen in the major depression patients, although the difference was not considered significant.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandanavica 2001 Vol 103 No 3 pp 226-228. "Raised levels of plasma interleukin-1b in major and postviral depression"

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