Depression is usually treated with talk therapy and antidepressant medication, but many patients find that these treatments do not work well enough.
Now, British researchers are investigating whether inflammation in the body could play a role in depression, according to The Sun.
Previous studies have shown that some patients with depression also display signs of inflammation in their blood.
This has led researchers to test the drug tocilizumab, which is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
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Small trial
The study included 30 people with moderate to severe depression. All participants had previously experienced limited benefits from standard antidepressant medication.
The participants were divided into two groups. One group received weekly injections of tocilizumab for four weeks, while the other group received a placebo.
According to the researchers, the group treated with the arthritis drug experienced improvements in areas including anxiety, fatigue, and quality of life.
Surprising results
The trial was published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, and the researchers emphasized that the study was small and that larger trials are needed before the treatment can be fully evaluated.
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However, the results showed that 54 percent of participants in the tocilizumab group went into remission from depression. In the placebo group, the figure was 31 percent.
Researchers from the University of Bristol believe the study could be an important step toward more targeted treatments for depression in patients showing signs of inflammation.
Sources: The Sun and JAMA Psychiatry.
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