Gene Expression of Inflammation Markers in Depression

Abstract

Investigating the gene expression signature of depression is a powerful tool to study molecular events leading to the pathophysiology of the disease, with a promising potential for establishing clinically relevant biology-based markers of depression for diagnostic purposes and for tailoring the treatment options for affected individuals. In this chapter, the current state of knowledge and validity on gene expression of inflammation markers of depression will be presented. Collectively, upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL1B, IL6, TNF, and INF and transcription factors FN-kB and CREB1 has been observed in the brain and in the periphery, supporting the cytokine hypothesis of depre..