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Scientists have revealed a deep connection between depression and inflammation, which could change the way we understand depression. The research of Professor Raz Yirmiya, a neuroscientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is not just limited to laboratories.
- Treatment of depression can be made better-
Their findings demonstrate how microglia cells and interleukin-1 play a role in stress-induced depression. This raises the question of whether understanding the process of inflammation could help improve treatments for depression, and whether different types of immune responses influence different forms of depression.
“Most depressed patients do not have any obvious inflammation-related disease, but we and other scientists found that stress, which is a major cause of depression, activates inflammatory processes in the brain,” Professor Yirmiya explained in an interview published in the journal Brain Medicine.
- Immune system affects mental health-
Yirmiya's team has identified several potential treatment targets using cutting-edge techniques and applied studies. Their work focuses on the microglial checkpoint system and stress tolerance, which opens new avenues for understanding how the immune system affects mental health.
His research suggests that personalized treatments based on controlling inflammation could be developed. "My main goal is to use my own research and that of other scientists to develop new antidepressants that target inflammatory processes," says Yirmiya.
Their findings suggest that activating or suppressing the immune system can lead to symptoms of depression. Therefore, individualized treatment is needed for each patient. This interview with Yirmiya is part of a series that highlights the people behind new ideas in science. The authors of this series say that each interview presents a unique blend of the scientists' research and their personal views.
