Cytokine-induced sickness behaviour: mechanisms and implications
Abstract
Sickness behaviour represents the expression of the adaptive reorganization of the priorities of the host during an infectious episode. This process is triggered by pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by peripheral phagocytic cells in contact with invading micro-organisms. The peripheral immune message is relayed to the brain via a fast neural pathway and a slower humoral pathway, resulting in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophage-like cells and microglia in the brain. The cellular and molecular components of this previously unsuspected system are being progressively identified. These advances are opening new avenues for understanding brain disorders, including depression.
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Cytokines reduce levels of serotonin and possibly other related neurotransmitters by decreasing the availability of tryptophan.
“cytokines have been found to reduce levels of serotonin and possibly other related neurotransmitters by decreasing the availability of its serotonin precursor, an essential amino acid called tryptophan”
From From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: A social signal transduction theory of depression. (2014) · cites this paper as Konsman, Parnet, & Dantzer, 2002
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- Authors
- Konsman, J. P., Parnet, P., & Dantzer, R.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Dantzer, Robert
- Venue
- Trends in Neurosciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2002-03
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 154-159
- ISSN
- 0166-2236 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2120987567
- Cited by
- 999
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 61 · 2012: 44
- FWCI
- 5.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trends in Neurosciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- sickness behavior, inflammatory cytokines, neuroimmune interactions, microglia, macrophages, peripheral immune activation, infection, depression, neuroinflammation, brain disorders
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anorexia, Brain, Communicable Diseases, Depression, Humans, Immune System, Sick Role, Signal Transduction, Cytokines, Visceral Afferents
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