Cited by 139Tryptophan and brain disordersTreatment of Major DepressionStress Responses and Cortisol

Cytokine-induced depression during IFN-α treatment: The role of IL-6 and sleep quality

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Prather, Aric A., Rabinovitz, Mordechai, Pollock, Bruce G., Lotrich, Francis E.·2009·Brain Behavior and Immunity

Abstract

Depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, and systemic markers of inflammation (e.g., interleukin (IL)-6) are frequently associated. Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy results in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in some people, offering the possibility to elucidate the relationship of MDD to sleep and inflammation during treatment. In particular, delineating the temporal relations among these factors could help inform their causal relationships. To this end, a cohort of 95 non-depressed hepatitis C patients was followed prospectively for four consecutive months during IFN-alpha therapy. We found that higher pre-treatment levels of circulating IL-6 predicted incidence of MDD (X(2)(1)=7.7; p<0.05). Time-lagged mixed-effect analyses supported uni-directional associations in which IL-6 predicted next month's PSQI scores (F(47,11.6)=78.4; p<0.0005), and PSQI scores predicted next month's depressive Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) scores (F(16,22.6)=3.4; p<0.005). In addition, on any given month of treatment, IL-6 levels predicted BDI symptoms the following month (F(16,97.5)=7.3; p<0.0005), and conversely BDI predicted next month's IL-6 (F(14,7.4)=5.2; p<0.05) - providing evidence for a positive feedback relationship between depressive symptoms and systemic inflammation. These data provide further evidence that high levels of inflammation and poor sleep quality may be risk factors for IFN-alpha induced depression. Furthermore, these findings highlight the complex temporal relationships that exist among sleep, depression, and inflammation, and support the need for further prospective investigations to elucidate the dynamics that underlie depression during IFN-alpha treatment.

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Authors
Prather, A. A., Rabinovitz, M., Pollock, B. G., & Lotrich, F. E.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
Corresponding author
Lotrich, Francis E.
Venue
Brain Behavior and Immunity
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-11
Volume
23
Issue
8
Pages
1109-1116
ISSN
0889-1591 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2071238162
Cited by
139
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 17
FWCI
4.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Brain Behavior and Immunity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH074012)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
interferon-alpha, interleukin-6, sleep quality, major depressive disorder, systemic inflammation, hepatitis C
MeSH terms
Analysis of Variance, Antiviral Agents, Major Depressive Disorder, Hepatitis C, Predictive Value of Tests, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sleep, Time Factors, Interleukin-6, Interferon-alpha, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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