Compelling new research has discovered a previously unknown cause of depression, opening way for new potential new treatment pathways. The significance of this enormous as over half of all people who have major depression are not able to find relief from antidepressants.
There is no single known cause of depression but we do know that it takes more than one biological change to trigger an episode.
Inflammation in the brain seems to be one of these changes, with new research finding a compelling link between brain inflammation and major depression.
Brain scans were compared between people with clinical depression and those without. The scans revealed that brain inflammation in people with depression was 30% more than those without. The inflammation was highest in those people who were experiencing the most severe depression.
Inflammation in the brain serves a similar protective function as it does in the rest of the body, but too much can be damaging.
Evidence is increasingly pointing to the role of inflammation in generating the symptoms of major depression such as low mood and appetite and sleep disturbances. The role of brain inflammation on clinical depression seems to be independent of any other physical illness.
The findings have significant implications for the development of new treatments. Lead researcher Dr Jeffrey Meyer explains, ‘It provides a potential new target to either reverse the brain inflammation or shift to a more positive repair role, with the idea that it would alleviate symptoms.’
Our knowledge of depression and its possible causes is expanding all the time, opening new paths and possibilities for effective treatments.
Like so many illnesses, depression draws a circle around one person and draws those who are close to that person in. See here for what to do when someone you care about has depression.
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It seems inflammation is being connected to so many of our health problems. Will the same dietary changes recommended for inflammation in other parts of our body help reduce inflammation in our brains as well?
This such a good question. This research is in its very early days and researchers are still exploring the implications. There are many connections being made between diet and mental health. I’ll certainly be following the research and posting about it. Thank you for making contact with me.
I have thoroughly enjoyed your articles on depression and anxiety in children. Is this anxiety in children more prevalent in boys or girls or the same? Thank you so much for your insight.
I’m so pleased you’ve enjoyed the articles. Now about the prevalence in boys and girls, it depends on what sort of anxiety. Social anxiety and separation anxiety are more common in girls. Girls are also twice as likely as boys to have panic attacks. Girls are also more likely to develop generalised anxiety disorder – about 2 in 3 are girls. Obsessive compulsive disorder are about equal. Hope this helps.