How Inflammation Affects Brain Chemicals and Depression
Author Information
Author(s): Batey L., Baumberger B., Khoshbouei H., Hashemi P.
Primary Institution: Imperial College London
Hypothesis
Investigating how inflammation affects the brain’s chemicals will help us to better understand depression.
Conclusion
Inflammation may serve an important physiological function in altering mood, with sickness or depressed mood being evolutionarily advantageous for recovery.
Supporting Evidence
- LPS administration reduces dopamine and serotonin levels while increasing norepinephrine levels in the brain.
- Inflammation and depression exhibit significant comorbidity.
- Monoamines like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are crucial in mediating the brain/body immune axis.
Takeaway
When the body gets inflamed, it can change the chemicals in the brain that affect how we feel, which might help us heal.
Methodology
The perspective reviews studies that find chemical changes in the brain after administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce rapid inflammation.
Limitations
The complexity of immune system activation and its overlap with other brain disorders makes it difficult to select an appropriate model for studying inflammation's effects on neurotransmitters.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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