Posted by Mistermindmasta on November 27, 2005, at 21:14:55
Does anyone agree with the idea that depression is caused by the immune system? After doing hours and hours and hours of endless reading books and online researching, I am essentially convinced that most mental illness is CAUSED by the immune system. I do not believe immune system activation is caused by depression. It is, in my opinion, most definitely the other way around.
I do not believe depression is directly related to imbalances in serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine or any of the bigger name peptides that are being researched. I believe activation of components of the immune system by some sort of bacterial / viral / fungal component is the CAUSE of (most) mental illness, by indirectly altering the sensitivity of glutocorticoid receptors and also indirectly altering the monoamines mentioned above. A lot of recent studies show that interleukins and interferon alpha cause behavior identical to depression. And interestly, a lot of antidepressants might work NOT through serotonin or norepinephrine, but by inhibiting interleukin 6 or tumor necrosis factor alpha. St. John's Wort, for example, is thought by some to relieve depression through lowering IL-6 levels; this, they believe, is the first and foremost action that allows antidepressant activity. Secondary actions, though not related to antidepressant activity, are reuptake of all monoamines, glutamate, gaba, alteration of sodium channels, etc. Do the research on pubmed.org. See what you find. Or go to google. Type "IL-6 depression" or "St. John's Wort IL-6".
Isn't it weird that most of our depressions are accompanied by feelings of true sickness?? We often feel SICK, not just depressed. I know from my experience, most of what doctors would have called depression was actually me feeling sick. I was depressed because I felt sick. Initially, my main symptom was continuous nausea.
Most of us have pain syndromes or IBS, especially. Yet doctors say the pain syndromes are from not enough norep and serotonin going around, so you take antidepressants. But yet, antidepressants are often direct anti-inflammatory agents by lowering cytokines like IL-6, not necessarily through altering serotonin.
Cytokines have been shown to cause a wide variety of memory deficits, attentional deficits, mood alterations and can cause anxiety. People with mood disorders show substantial increases in these same cytokines. For example: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16199015&query_hl=
This study shows that a medication for HIV, efavirenz, increases interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha. This medication also causes fatigue, insomnia and depression so severe that some people get suicidal. And what do they use to LOWER LEVELS OF THESE CYTOKINES? Paroxetine. Paroxetine prevented increases of the pro inflammatory cyokintes and alleviates the depression:
Does it not seem entirely plausible that people who have increased ENDOGENOUS cytokines might also be experiencing increased endogenous depression?
So what else causes increased inflammatory cytokines besides this antiviral medication mentioned above? Here's an answer:
Within our small and large intestine, we have a slew of bacteria that are generally symbiotic or harmless. Sometimes, the balance of bacteria gets altered so that more inflammation causing bacteria are present, which often happens in IBS. Keep in my mind that people with IBS often have depression or anxiety. Anyway, when the balance of bacteria gets altered so that more pathogenic bacteria are present, inflammatory cytokine levels start to get higher. Studies have been done in people with IBS where they supplement their diet with probiotics - the good bacteria - and symptoms of their IBS improves. At the same time, the pro inflammatory cytokines decrease.
So...
People with IBS have abnormal bacteria which causes increased pro inflammatory cytokines... These same cytokines can cause cognitive and mood dysfunction... And antidepressants in fact lower levels of pro inflammatory cytokines, which correlates with clinical improvement... people with depression often feel TRULY sick...
Maybe we are! Doesn't it seem like there actually IS a sickness here, not just some delusional beliefs and distorted anxieties leading to bowel dysfunction!
I don't mean to sound like my theory is 100% fact, because in reality, there just aren't enough studies that link one thing to the other to the other the way I have. However, I do have a lot of confidence in the validity of this theory and I'm not afraid to show it. Let me put things this way: I've been a hardcore pubmed research nut for 4 years old, initially for my IBS symptoms and now also for my brain dysfunction. I have hundreds and hundreds of studies printed out with notes on the side. As I watch various research on probiotics, IBS and antidepressants pile up, I only become more and more convinced of the truth of my theory. Pieces, here and there add up in my mental memory. I'll make the rather bold statement that in 20 years, you'll see antidepressants that function DIRECTLY by altering cytokine profiles. In addition, you will see "depression" being cured through the use of altering the bacterial, fungal and viral populations in the body. Indeed, depression is genetic in part, as researchers will tell you. BUT, mostly in the response to bacteria / fungus / viruses and the brain's response to cytokines. Some people respond to interferon alpha therapy with suicidal depression. Some people feel fine. THAT'S genetics.
Also, I must conclude by saying that there are, of course, other mechanisms by which the brain enters a state of dysfunction. Nutritional deficiencies can cause this. Environmental toxins can contribute. Inappropriate emotional reactions to events in one's life, etc. But most importantly, we must all take a closer look at our own immune systems if we want to see whats REALLY going on most of the time!
poster:Mistermindmasta
thread:582826
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051126/msgs/582826.html