Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers

Depression has been shown to be associated with systemic inflammatory activity and the mode of action of several antidepressants appears to involve immunomodulation. Effects on immune system activity have also recently been observed in correlation with therapeutic response to mirtazapine in cardiac...

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Main Authors: Shahzad M. Alikhan, Jessica A. Lee, Luiz Dratcu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Psychiatry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/697872
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author Shahzad M. Alikhan
Jessica A. Lee
Luiz Dratcu
author_facet Shahzad M. Alikhan
Jessica A. Lee
Luiz Dratcu
author_sort Shahzad M. Alikhan
collection DOAJ
description Depression has been shown to be associated with systemic inflammatory activity and the mode of action of several antidepressants appears to involve immunomodulation. Effects on immune system activity have also recently been observed in correlation with therapeutic response to mirtazapine in cardiac patients with depression, but no study has yet examined these effects in otherwise physically healthy depressed patients treated with mirtazapine. This report describes an association between a clinical antidepressant response and a decrease in markers of systemic inflammation observed during pharmacotherapy with mirtazapine in a severely depressed but physically well patient. This observation adds to the evidence that changes in inflammatory responses may be implicated in the mode of action of antidepressants. Further studies of antidepressant responses to mirtazapine and levels of inflammatory markers in depressed patients without medical comorbidity can help elucidate the role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of depression, and hence contribute to the development of novel antidepressant therapies.
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spelling doaj-art-e87e2bfa611a481e8bf7d1f40a9201d82025-02-03T01:01:49ZengWileyCase Reports in Psychiatry2090-682X2090-68382013-01-01201310.1155/2013/697872697872Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory MarkersShahzad M. Alikhan0Jessica A. Lee1Luiz Dratcu2ST4 in General Adult Psychiatry, Bracton Centre, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Dartford, Kent DA2 7AF, UKSouth West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust, Springfield University Hospital, 61 Glenburnie Road Tooting, London SW17 7DJ, UKSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, UKDepression has been shown to be associated with systemic inflammatory activity and the mode of action of several antidepressants appears to involve immunomodulation. Effects on immune system activity have also recently been observed in correlation with therapeutic response to mirtazapine in cardiac patients with depression, but no study has yet examined these effects in otherwise physically healthy depressed patients treated with mirtazapine. This report describes an association between a clinical antidepressant response and a decrease in markers of systemic inflammation observed during pharmacotherapy with mirtazapine in a severely depressed but physically well patient. This observation adds to the evidence that changes in inflammatory responses may be implicated in the mode of action of antidepressants. Further studies of antidepressant responses to mirtazapine and levels of inflammatory markers in depressed patients without medical comorbidity can help elucidate the role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of depression, and hence contribute to the development of novel antidepressant therapies.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/697872
spellingShingle Shahzad M. Alikhan
Jessica A. Lee
Luiz Dratcu
Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
Case Reports in Psychiatry
title Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
title_full Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
title_fullStr Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
title_full_unstemmed Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
title_short Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
title_sort mirtazapine treatment of a severe depressive episode and resolution of elevated inflammatory markers
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/697872
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