Saturday, May 31, 2008

Depression,Inflammation And Antidepressant Response

Major depressive disorder is a common and complex condition that ifffects about 15% of the population of the US, yet very little is known about the methods behind the psychiatric disorder. What is known is that there are clinical parallels between depressive affections and the affections of certain inflammatory disorders.

Researchers from University of Miami (In findings published electronically in Molecular Psychiatry ) found polymorphisms in inflammation-related genes which are added with susceptibility to major depression and antidepressant response. Two genes,PSMB4 (proteasome beta 4 subunit) and TBX21 (T-bet), critical for T-cell function in the immune system have been added with susceptibility for major depressive disorder and antidepressant treatment response.The population of study was made up of 284 depressed Mexican-Americans(from Los Angeles ) who were already enrolled in a pharmacogenetic study of antidepressant treatment response. There were 331 individuals in the control group from the same community.

Ma-Li Wong, M.D., professor and vice chair for translational research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Miller School of Medicine ,said that this search suggest that a simple blood test to look for these genes could help us identify people who are at risk for depression and we would know to watch these people in stressful conditions, like a soldier in combat, and intervene earlier to get them the help they need.Genetic variations in PSMB4 and TBX21 may also be relevant to psoriasis and asthma. These disorders are known to be co-morbid with major depressive disorder and related to psychosocial stressors.

Posted by Tom at 10:34:54 | Permalink | No Comments »