Researchers report that targeting inflammation may offer a new way to treat depression. The study focused on people with depression who had high levels of inflammation. The team reviewed clinical trials in which participants received anti-inflammatory drugs or a placebo.
Overall, anti-inflammatory treatments reduced depressive symptoms and eased anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure. The analysis also found no increase in serious side effects among people who received the drugs.
The authors noted these drugs are not approved by the FDA to treat depression, so psychiatric use would be off-label. One co-author said the result may make immunopsychiatry more relevant and could explain earlier mixed findings when studies did not select people by inflammatory status.
Difficult words
- inflammation — body reaction that causes redness or swelling
- anhedonia — not being able to feel pleasure
- placebo — a fake medicine given in a study
- clinical trial — a medical study that tests treatmentsclinical trials
- side effect — an unwanted medical problem from a drugside effects
- immunopsychiatry — study of immune system links to mental illness
- off-label — use of a drug not officially approved
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you try an anti-inflammatory drug for depression if a doctor suggested it? Why or why not?
- Why do the authors think earlier studies had mixed findings?
- How could anhedonia change a person's daily life?
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