The discovery of “why” is part of many animal health pros’ scientific makeup. We investigate to understand and then study more to be sure we understand. For several months, our industry has been focused on suicide and its underpinnings, including depression. This article references studies that have shown a link between chronic immune responses and the development and presence of major depression.
Source: Medium, June 24, 2018. Link.
Our immune system acts as the sensory organ when our body is confronted with pathogens. The immune system alerts the brain, and the rest of the body, to the presence of these pathogens by generating an immune response. The cells responsible for our immunity (T cells, B cells and mast cells) release cytokines in response to activation. Cytokines, such as interleukins and interferons, are peptides (proteins) that orchestrate the immune response. They are released both in the periphery as well as the brain during immune stimulation, and can affect neural, neuroendocrine, and behavioral functions.
INSIGHTS:
It is important to understand that depression isn’t one single type of disorder. It is extremely heterogenous. This implies that the cause and manifestation of the illness could both vary for different individuals and shouldn’t be studied as one.