Dataset Information

Longitudinal relationships of cytokines, depression and anhedonia in depressed adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Depression has been associated with low-grade elevation of plasma cytokines (e.g. interleukin-6, IL-6; tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNFα) in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in adults. Preclinical and clinical studies also suggest that IL-6 and TNFα elevation are associated with anhedonia. However, few studies have examined longitudinal relationships between cytokines and depression/anhedonia in clinically depressed samples, particularly adolescents.

Methods

Thirty-six adolescents with a depressive disorder receiving standard-of-care community treatment were assessed at a baseline and a follow-up timepoint. Self-report and clinical measures of depression and anhedonia, along with plasma IL-6 and TNFα levels, were obtained at both timepoints. Baseline cytokine measures were examined in association with baseline and follow-up clinical measures. On an exploratory basis, change in clinical measures over time was examined in relation to change in cytokine levels over time.

Results

Higher baseline TNFα levels predicted higher follow-up depression severity after approximately four months (controlling for baseline depression). Higher baseline TNFα levels also associated positively with baseline anhedonia and predicted higher anhedonia at follow-up (controlling for baseline anhedonia). No association was found between change in clinical measures and change in cytokine levels over time.

Conclusions

Among adolescents receiving standard-of-care community treatment for depression, higher levels of TNFα predicted greater depressive symptoms at 4-month follow-up, suggesting this cytokine may be used to help identify patients in need of more intensive treatment. Elevated TNFα levels were also associated with concurrent and future anhedonia symptoms, suggesting a specific mechanism in which TNFα affects depression trajectories. Future studies should examine the relationships between cytokine levels and depression/anhedonia symptoms at multiple timepoints in larger cohorts of depressed adolescents.

SUBMITTER: Rengasamy M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7952030 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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