Researchers at King’s College London have discovered a groundbreaking association between depression and inflammatory proteins in boys and girls. This new study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, reveals that the risk and severity of depression are linked to different inflammatory proteins depending on gender.
Sept. 13 (UPI) — The research team investigated how inflammatory proteins relate to depression in adolescents, focusing on sex differences. Previous studies have identified a connection between high cytokine levels and depression in adults, but the relationship with young people remained unclear.
“This is the first study to show differences between boys and girls in the patterns of inflammation that are linked to the risk and development of adolescent depression,” stated Zuzanna Zajkowska, the study’s first author and a postdoctoral researcher at King’s College.
The study involved 150 participants, consisting of 75 boys and 75 girls aged 14 to 16. The researchers measured blood cytokine levels to assess inflammation. The participants were divided into three groups: those at low risk for depression and not depressed, those at high risk for depression and not depressed, and those currently experiencing major depressive disorder (MDD).
The findings revealed distinct sex differences in the inflammatory proteins associated with depression in adolescents. Boys showed increased levels of the cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2), which correlated with higher risk and severity of depressive symptoms. Conversely, girls exhibited higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which were linked to greater depression severity. The researchers noted that IL-2 levels were significantly higher in the high-risk and depressed group of boys compared to the low-risk group.
“Our findings suggest that inflammation and biological sex may have a combined contribution to the risk for depression,” said Valeria Mondelli, clinical professor of psychoneuroimmunology at King’s College.
Understanding the specific inflammatory proteins involved in depression and how they differ between boys and girls could lead to more targeted treatments for adolescents. “[…] we hope that our findings can pave the way to understanding what happens at this critical time in life,” added Mondelli.
The study was conducted as part of the IDEA (Identifying Depression Early in Adolescence) project, funded by MQ Mental Health Research.
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