Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent mental illness and leading cause of disability worldwide. While treatments exist, they are far from optimal and up to 30% of patients fail to respond. There is an urgent need to identify factors that may enhance treatment response in MDD. Targeting inflammation has been proposed as a …
A new study provides evidence that the psychedelic compound psilocybin has both immediate and lasting anti-inflammatory effects in healthy volunteers. The findings shed light on how psilocybin may improve mood, social behavior, and potentially treat depression. Key facts: Psilocybin decreased the inflammatory marker TNF-alpha immediately after administration. Seven days later, psilocybin reduced two other inflammatory …
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors. Research increasingly points to dysregulation of the innate immune system and neuroinflammation as contributing factors in ASD. Key facts: Inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are consistently elevated in the blood of individuals with ASD. These suggest activation of the …
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a naturally occurring molecule that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and neuroprotective effects in the body and brain. Key Facts: PEA is produced naturally in the body and is also found in many foods like egg yolks, coffee, and soy. It activates PPAR-alpha receptors which regulate inflammation, pain perception, and …
Researchers have discovered that a common soil bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae) may help reduce stress, anxiety, and inflammation in the brain. Key Facts: M. vaccae is a naturally occurring bacterium found in soil, mud, and water. It is considered harmless to humans. When heat-killed M. vaccae is injected into rats, it reduces stress-induced …
New research suggests we may one day be able to vaccinate against depression, reducing suffering. Key facts: Depression is linked to inflammation in the body and brain. Anti-inflammatory treatments improve depression. Environmental factors like lack of contact with “old friends” (microbes we coevolved with) are increasing inflammation and depression. Probiotics, helminths and vaccines that restore …
A new study in mice shows how the immune system may play a role in the early gastrointestinal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, decades before movement problems develop. Researchers found that injecting a specific piece of the alpha-synuclein protein into genetically modified mice triggered inflammation and loss of nerve cells in the gut, leading to constipation …
Researchers have uncovered an important new mechanism that causes inflammation and damage to the brain’s white matter in Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery about how brain cells called microglia die could lead to new Alzheimer’s treatments. Key Facts: The study found that microglia, which are immune cells in the brain, die through a process called “ferroptosis” …
A new study published in Nature Medicine has identified two biological profiles, based on routine blood tests during COVID-19 hospitalization, that can predict patients’ risk of developing post-COVID brain fog months later. Key Facts: The study analyzed data from over 1,800 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the UK. It linked certain patterns of blood biomarkers during …
Feeling lonely and socially isolated is associated with poorer health outcomes and increased risk of early mortality. Research in monkeys now reveals how loneliness impacts the immune system, providing clues into the mechanisms underlying the health risks of loneliness. Key Facts: Lonely monkeys show altered activity in the sympathetic nervous system and compromised immune cell …
