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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Alan ThomasORCiD, Dr Sue Davis, Louise Ward, Professor John O'Brien
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Objective: Depression has been associated with increases in circulating cytokines in younger adults, and there is evidence for prefrontal inflammation in late-life depression. The authors tested the hypothesis that levels of cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) would be higher in subjects with late-life major depression. Method: Serum levels of IL-1beta were measured in three groups of subjects who were older than 60: 19 subjects with major depression, 20 subjects with subsyndromal depression, and 21 healthy comparison subjects. The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Geriatric Depression Scale were used to assess severity of depression. Results: Compared with healthy subjects, those with major depression had significantly higher levels of IL-1beta (170%); the higher levels of IL-1beta strongly correlated with current depression severity. There were no significant differences between subjects with subsyndromal depression and the other two groups. Conclusions: These findings support the existence of an inflammatory response, which may be state dependent, in late-life depression.
Author(s): Thomas AJ, Davis S, Morris C, Jackson E, Harrison R, O'Brien JT
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry
Year: 2005
Volume: 162
Issue: 1
Pages: 175-177
ISSN (print): 0002-953X
ISSN (electronic): 1535-7228
Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.1.175
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.162.1.175
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