SynthesisInternational journal of molecular sciences2025
Altered Cytokine Levels in the First Episode of Major Depression and in Antidepressant-Naïve Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Altered function of peripheral organ systems in first-episode drug naïve mental illnesses: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Antidepressant Effects of 20-Glucoginsenoside Rf in an L-AAA-Induced Mouse Model with Glial-Associated Molecular Alterations.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Article
- Dietary Tryptophan Allocation in Depression: Serotonin-Kynurenine Balance, Microbial Indole Pathways, and Inflammatory Phenotypes.Nutrients · 2026Review
- Higher Lipopolysaccharide Levels Are Linked to Less Anhedonia and Lower Severity of Major Depressive Disorder.Brain sciences · 2026Article
- Biomarkers for mood disorders: A scoping review of research from India.Indian journal of psychiatry · 2026Review
- Exploring the Relationship Between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Negative Symptoms Subtypes in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis.Early intervention in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Short-chain fatty acid-producing psychobiotics in mood disorders: mechanistic insights into the microbiota-gut-brain axis.Clinical nutrition research · 2026Article
- Genetic liability to childhood Kawasaki disease and adult cardiovascular outcomes.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental disorder associated with significant functional impairment and decreased quality of life. Growing evidence suggests that immune-inflammatory mechanisms, particularly cytokine dysregulation, take part in its development and course. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether cytokine alterations are present in early stages of MDD, specifically in first-episode (FE) and drug-naïve (DN) patients. Following PRISMA guidelines a comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted in March 2025. Studies were eligible if they compared levels of inflammatory cytokines between adult FE or DN MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Meta-analyses using random-effects models were performed, including subanalyses depending on the source of the sample and the quality of the studies. In total, 17 eligible studies involving 1371 MDD patients were included. The meta-analysis showed significantly elevated levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNF-α) in FE patients compared to HCs. DN patients' quantitative analysis showed increased levels of IL-6, IL-2, interleukin 4 (IL-4), interleukin 10 (IL-10), TNF-α, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) compared to healthy individuals. Moreover, in the case of TNF-α, IL-2, interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and IL-4, there was a difference in results depending on the sample source (plasma/serum). Cytokine dysregulation is present in first-episode and drug-naïve MDD individuals. These findings highlight that the immune-inflammatory response exists in the early stages of this disorder. Moreover, since more cytokines were elevated in DN patients, pharmacological antidepressant treatment might be a significant factor involved in inflammatory regulation in MDD. Nonetheless, future prospective studies with standardized protocols and division by clinical subtypes are needed to better understand the dynamics and clinical relevance of cytokine alterations in depression.
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