There is a gradual integration of the operations of the immune system, the biome, and the nervous system....
The immune systems of people with depression have been found to produce an increased inflammatory response. Thisinflammation can lead to the production of neurotoxic compounds that kill brain cells.
In a negative cycle, depression leads to inflammation in the brain, which further increases the feelings of depression.
Dr. Angelos Halaris, lead author of the study and professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, wanted to investigate whether SSRIs had an impact on this immune response.
The results of the study showed that the patients treated with escitalopram displayed a significant drop in the levels of two neurotoxic compounds over the course of the trial.
Specifically, 3-hydroxykynurenine fell by almost 70% between weeks 8 and 12, and quinolinic acid dropped by 50% during the first eight weeks. Both substances are implicated in neurotoxicity via immune reactions.
The study, after drop-outs, utilized data from just 20 patients. As a result, the researchers warn, the results must be approached with caution.