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The Role of Inflammation in Depression and Beyond: A Primer for Clinicians

  • REVIEW
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Abstract

Purpose of review

We evaluate available evidence for the role of inflammation in depression. We reappraise literature involving systemic inflammation, neuroinflammation and neurotransmission and their association with depression. We review the connection between depression, autoimmunity and infectious diseases. We revise anti-inflammatory treatments used in depression.

Recent Findings

Peripheral inflammatory markers are present in a subset of patients with depression and can alter common neurotransmitters in this population but there is no clear causality between depression and systemic inflammation. Infectious conditions and autoimmune illnesses do not have a clear correlation with depression. Certain medications have positive evidence as adjunctive treatments in depression but studies are heterogenic, hence they are sparsely used in clinical settings.

Summary

The current evidence does not fully support inflammation, infections or autoimmunity as possible etiologies of depression. The available studies have numerous confounders that obscure the findings. Anti-inflammatory agents may have potential for treatment of depression, but further research is needed to clarify their usefulness in routine clinical practice.

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Data Availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

This publication was partly made possible by grant number R01MH127315 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIMH.

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National Institute of Mental Health, R01MH127315, R01MH127315.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA

    Eduardo Andres Calagua-Bedoya

  2. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA

    Eduardo Andres Calagua-Bedoya

  3. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA

    Vignesh Rajasekaran

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA

    Lotje De Witte & M. Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez

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  1. Eduardo Andres Calagua-Bedoya
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  4. M. Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez
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EACB and VR wrote the main manuscript text. EACB prepared Fig. 1 and Table 1. LDW and MMPR edited and added information to all the sections of the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Eduardo Andres Calagua-Bedoya.

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MMPR has received research grant funding and consulting fees from Neurocrine, Alkermes, Takeda/ Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and AICure. The other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Calagua-Bedoya, E.A., Rajasekaran, V., De Witte, L. et al. The Role of Inflammation in Depression and Beyond: A Primer for Clinicians. Curr Psychiatry Rep 26, 514–529 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-024-01526-z

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