LONDON — A group of scientists in the United Kingdom is investigating whether targeting the immune system could treat mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. <br /> <br />The researchers, a working group named Neuroimmunology of Mood Disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease, have discovered possible links between inflammation and mood disorders, suggesting that they could be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. <br /> <br />Inflammation is the body’s biological response to injury or infection. If not properly controlled, it can lead to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. <br /> <br />The researchers have discovered a large number of people with rheumatoid arthritis also suffer from depression. It is possible that inflammatory chemicals interrupt the brain’s production of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter linked to mood. <br /> <br />Scientists are investigating whether targeting the immune system could treat mood disorders, such as depression and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. <br /> <br />The precise type of inflammation that may cause mood disorders and the anti-inflammatory drugs best suited to treating it still under research.
