Is depression a kind of allergic reaction?

[minkeygirl]

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...-allergic-reaction-inflammation-immune-system

 

[Denise]

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...-allergic-reaction-inflammation-immune-system

Interesting article @minkeygirl. The article also points to a youtube video (

) and an article (http://www.biolmoodanxietydisord.com/content/4/1/10).

The biolmoodanzietydisord article (haven't read it yet) has some interesting references including:

Hornig M, Briese T, Licinio J, Khabbaz RF, Altshuler LL, Potkin SG, Schwemmle M, Siemetzki U, Mintz J, Honkavuori K, Kraemer HC, Egan MF, Whybrow PC, Bunney WE, Lipkin WI: Absence of evidence for bornavirus infection in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

VanElzakker MB: Chronic fatigue syndrome from vagus nerve infection: a psychoneuroimmunological hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 2013, 81:414-423

 

[heapsreal]

interesting as there is another thread discussing inflammation in neurological disorders. Although many cfsers cant tolerate antidepressants, they are prescribed to people with neurological disorders for not only depression but also for there anti inflammatory effects.

 

[Bob]

I think it's a very good article apart from this sentence which seems a bit out of place: "...it starts to look as if depression is a kind of allergy to modern life – which might explain its spiralling prevalence all over the world as we increasingly eat, sloth and isolate ourselves into a state of chronic inflammation."

There's no mention of potential genetic propensity which I personally think might play a major role for many people with depression and bi-polar. But inflammation and infection might still be a key to treatment, even in those with a strong genetic propensity.

 

[Research 1st]

Certainly eating a high calorie diet and becoming obese, will only worsen inflammation.

Perhaps one treatment of depression could be a form of agreed fasting, or periods of such to get weight down to levels where estrogen doesn't dominate in men, never mind women.

 

[IreneF]

I've always been able to tell the difference between being sick and being depressed.

 

[jimells]

I think it's a very good article apart from this sentence which seems a bit out of place: "...it starts to look as if depression is a kind of allergy to modern life – which might explain its spiralling prevalence all over the world as we increasingly eat, sloth and isolate ourselves into a state of chronic inflammation."

There was a discussion of this on CBC Radio this morning. My reaction was, "Well, yes, I *am* allergic to society," And I experience a very bad reaction to living in a society where half the population thinks that torturing Evildoers is just fine, along with smashing any society that fails to follow US diktats.

I suspect that biomedical researchers will eventually find that depression is a symptom caused by various diseases. For one subgroup, "demoralization" would be a better term than "depression". I'm thinking of the demoralization caused by alienation, feelings of powerlessness, and lack of social supports, such as experienced by so many of us.