Abstract

In response to a peripheral infection, innate immune cells produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that act on the brain to cause sickness behaviour. When activation of the peripheral immune system continues unabated, such as during systemic infections, cancer or autoimmune diseases, the ensuing immune signalling to the brain can lead to an exacerbation of sickness and the development of symptoms of depression in vulnerable individuals. These phenomena might account for the increased prevalence of clinical depression in physically ill people. Inflammation is therefore an important biological event that might increase the risk of major depressive episodes, much like the more traditional psychosocial factors.

Keywords

Sickness behaviorImmune systemInflammationDepression (economics)ExacerbationMedicineImmunologyNeurosciencePsychology

MeSH Terms

AnimalsBrainCytokinesDepressionDiseaseHumansImmune SystemInflammation

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Publication Info

Year
2007
Type
review
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
46-56
Citations
6862
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Robert Dantzer, Jason C. O’Connor, Gregory G. Freund et al. (2007). From inflammation to sickness and depression: when the immune system subjugates the brain. Nature reviews. Neuroscience , 9 (1) , 46-56. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2297

Identifiers

DOI
10.1038/nrn2297
PMID
18073775
PMCID
PMC2919277

Data Quality

Data completeness: 86%