Role of IL-8, CRP and epidermal growth factor in depression and anxiety patients treated with mindfulness-based therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy in primary health care
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and inflammatory markers have been associated with various neuro-psychiatric disorders. However, their role in mild to moderate depression and anxiety patients treated with mindfulness-based group therapy (mindfulness) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is not known. In this study we analyzed plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and EGF before (baseline) and after treatment (8 weeks) and investigated their role in response to both arms of the treatment. To cover variety of mental symptoms, treatment response was analyzed by four scales, the Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale (MADRS), Hospital anxiety and depression scale- Depression (HADS-D) and anxiety (HADS-A) and patients health questionnaire-9. EGF levels were significantly decreased after both mindfulness and CBT and were associated with treatment response on all scales independent of the use of tranquilizers and antidepressant treatment. Moreover, baseline EGF levels were significantly associated only with baseline scores of anxiety scale. Levels of inflammatory markers analyzed in this study, were not significantly associated with treatment response on any scale. Our findings suggest that improvement in symptoms of depression and anxiety after both mindfulness and CBT is associated with changes in EGF levels but not with the inflammatory markers.
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Studies on the effect of cognitive-behavioral therapies on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with clinical anxiety have presented mixed results.
“Despite robust evidence as an effective treatment for GAD, research on the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) in the inflammatory profile of patients with clinical anxiety has presented mixed results.”
From Inflammatory markers changes following acceptance-based behavioral psychotherapy in generalized anxiety disorder patients: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as Memon et al., 2017
CBT or mindfulness-based therapy showed no effect on IL-8 or CRP in patients with depression and anxiety after 8 weeks of treatment.
“Similarly, CBT or mindfulness-based therapy showed no effect on IL-8 or CRP in patients with depression and anxiety after 8 weeks of treatment (Memon et al., 2017).”
From Inflammatory markers changes following acceptance-based behavioral psychotherapy in generalized anxiety disorder patients: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as Memon et al., 2017
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“Similarly, CBT or mindfulness-based therapy showed no effect on IL-8 or CRP in patients with depression and anxiety after 8 weeks of treatment (Memon et al., 2017).”
BackgroundMethodResult
- Authors
- Memon, A. A., Sundquist, K., Ahmad, A., Wang, X., Hedelius, A., & Sundquist, J.
- Affiliations
- Lund University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Memon, Ashfaque A.
- Venue
- Psychiatry Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-08
- Volume
- 254
- Pages
- 311-316
- ISSN
- 0165-1781 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2613560536
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 1.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychiatry Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Region Skåne
- Australian Liver Foundation
- Vetenskapsrådet (K2012-70X-15428-08-3)
- Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd (2013-1836)
- 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
- interleukin-8, C-reactive protein, epidermal growth factor, depression, anxiety, mindfulness-based interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, inflammatory markers, treatment response, primary care, plasma biomarkers
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, C-Reactive Protein, Depression, Epidermal Growth Factor, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Primary Health Care, Psychotherapy, Group, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interleukin-8, Young Adult, Mindfulness
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