Inflammation Causes Mood Changes Through Alterations in Subgenual Cingulate Activity and Mesolimbic Connectivity

BackgroundInflammatory cytokines are implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. In rodents, systemically administered inflammatory cytokines induce depression-like behavior. Similarly in humans, therapeutic interferon-α induces clinical depression in a third of patients. Conversely, patients with depression also show elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines.ObjectivesTo determine the neural mechanisms underlying inflammation-associated mood change and modulatory effects on circuits involved in mood homeostasis and affective processing.MethodsIn a double-blind, randomized crossover study, 16 healthy male volunteers received typhoid vaccination or saline (placebo) injection in two experimental sessions. Mood…

• WT
  Wellcome Trust

  Award: 074333/Z/04/Z
• BH
  British Heart Foundation

  Award: RG/05/006