Work

Evidence for IL-1 receptor blockade as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of depression.

Year: 2009

Type: review

Abstract: Uncontrollable stress, a major precipitant of depression in humans and in animal paradigms, impairs hippocampal neurogenesis, which is necessary for the behavioral effects of antidepressants in models of depression that require chronic treatment. However, the mechanisms underlying these anti-neurogenic and behavioral effects of stress have not been elucidated. Proinflammatory cytokines are thought to be contributing factors to stress and have been implicated in stress-related mood disorders such as major depression. In particular, IL-1 beta has been proposed to be a key mediator in a variety of behavioral actions of stress. Notably, the administration of a IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) blocks the stress-like effects of IL-1 beta in both cellular and behavioral models. This review highlights the increasing interest in the relationship between IL-1 beta, neurogenesis, stress and depression, and discusses the potential of IL-1Ra or other cytokine antagonists as new candidates for the treatment of depression.

Source: PubMed

Authors: Ja Wook Koo, Ronald S Duman

Institution: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Language: English

Topic: Tryptophan and brain disorders

Subfield: Biological Psychiatry

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health

Awards: Antidepressants: Signal Transduction and Gene Expression, NEUROBIOLOGICAL BASIS OF MAJOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION IN BRAIN