Depression and Inflammation

[Sequoia]

A study published in October raises the possibility that chronic depression may be a neuroinflammatory condition.

Here's the full article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1020091857.htm

And a brief quote from the article:

...if chronic depression is proven to be a neuroinflammatory condition, then anti-inflammatory treatments should also have some antidepressant effects. Several small trials with depressed patients have already been published that support this possibility, though [the researchers] cautioned that much more specific research and larger clinical trials are required.

Since MS is also a neuroinflammatory condition, it would seem to me that these new findings may provide a better explanation than we previously had of why the incidence of depression is so high in people with MS...although the chicken/egg question still remains.

Using anti-inflammatory treatments, although the article doesn't specify which ones, might well include adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. There's lots of information on anti-inflammatory eating on the "Tara's Nutrition & Supplement Notebook" forum.

Here's a simple, clear graphic showing the principles:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/pyrami...odpyramid.html

[BigA]

thanks. Somehow so many of us have anxiety and depression before diagnosis. I'm convinced it's no coincidence.

[jumpinjiminy]

This is interesting. There are also imaging studies that show inflammation is involved in schizophrenia and bipolar as well. Then there are studies that show antidepressants are neuroprotective against inflammation. One of these days, they'll solve the puzzle.