For decades, scientists have been searching for differences in the bodies of depressed and healthy people. For many years, however, the hoped-for breakthrough failed to materialize. However, a flood of recent research provides reason for hope. The hottest current clue is that depression could be caused by inflammations in the body. Even if the causal question has not yet been fully clarified, this could lead to promising new therapeutic approaches in the coming years. But some things can already be implemented now…

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Research (just a small selection):

Berk, M., Williams, L. J., Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Pasco, J. A., Moylan, S., … & Maes, M. (2013). So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from?. BMC medicine, 11(1), 1-16.

Beurel, E., Toups, M., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2020). The bidirectional relationship of depression and inflammation: double trouble. Neuron, 107(2), 234-256.

Burck, E. (2021). Naturtherapie bei Angst und Depression: Die erstaunliche Wirkung von Heilkräutern, gesunder Ernährung und anderen natürlichen Therapien auf Gehirn und Stimmung im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Antidepressiva. BoD–Books on Demand.

Fisker, L., Köhler-Forsberg, O., & Hageman, I. (2018). The relation between depression and inflammation. Ugeskrift for laeger, 180(20).

Halaris, A. (2013). Inflammation, heart disease, and depression. Current psychiatry reports, 15(10), 400.

Halaris, A. (2019). Inflammation and depression but where does the inflammation come from?. Current opinion in psychiatry, 32(5), 422-428.

Jokela, M., Virtanen, M., Batty, G. D., & Kivimäki, M. (2016). Inflammation and specific symptoms of depression. JAMA psychiatry, 73(1), 87-88.

Kohler, O., Krogh, J., Mors, O., & Eriksen Benros, M. (2016). Inflammation in depression and the potential for anti-inflammatory treatment. Current neuropharmacology, 14(7), 732-742.

Majd, M., Saunders, E. F., & Engeland, C. G. (2020). Inflammation and the dimensions of depression: A review. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 56, 100800.

Miller, A. H., & Raison, C. L. (2016). The role of inflammation in depression: from evolutionary imperative to modern treatment target. Nature reviews immunology, 16(1), 22-34.

Patel, A. (2013). The role of inflammation in depression. Psychiatr Danub, 25(Suppl 2), S216-23.

Raison, C. L., Capuron, L., & Miller, A. H. (2006). Cytokines sing the blues: inflammation and the pathogenesis of depression. Trends in immunology, 27(1), 24-31.

Strawbridge, R., Arnone, D., Danese, A., Papadopoulos, A., Vives, A. H., & Cleare, A. J. (2015). Inflammation and clinical response to treatment in depression: a meta-analysis. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 25(10), 1532-1543.