In response to a peripheral infection, innate immune cells produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that act on the brain to cause sickness behaviour. When activation of the peripheral immune system continues unabated, such as during systemic infections, cancer or autoimmune diseases, the ensuing immune signalling to the brain can lead to an exacerbation of sickness and the development of symptoms of depression in vulnerable individuals. These phenomena might account for the increased prevalence of clinical depression in physically ill people. Inflammation is therefore an important biological event that might increase the risk of major depressive episodes, much like the more traditional psychosocial factors.

/pdf/from-inflammation-to-sickness-and-depression-when-the-immune-maw2hn72o8.pdf

From inflammation to sickness and depression: when the immune system subjugates the brain

Inflammation and Its Discontents: The Role of Cytokines in the Pathophysiology of Major Depression

https://aasldpubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/hep.22759

Diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatitis C: An update

With the continued interest in the role of the gut microbiota in health, attention has now turned to how to harness the microbiota for the benefit of the host. This Consensus Statement outlines the definition and scope of the term 'prebiotic' as determined by an expert panel convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics in December 2016. In December 2016, a panel of experts in microbiology, nutrition and clinical research was convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to review the definition and scope of prebiotics. Consistent with the original embodiment of prebiotics, but aware of the latest scientific and clinical developments, the panel updated the definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. This definition expands the concept of prebiotics to possibly include non-carbohydrate substances, applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract, and diverse categories other than food. The requirement for selective microbiota-mediated mechanisms was retained. Beneficial health effects must be documented for a substance to be considered a prebiotic. The consensus definition applies also to prebiotics for use by animals, in which microbiota-focused strategies to maintain health and prevent disease is as relevant as for humans. Ultimately, the goal of this Consensus Statement is to engender appropriate use of the term 'prebiotic' by relevant stakeholders so that consistency and clarity can be achieved in research reports, product marketing and regulatory oversight of the category. To this end, we have reviewed several aspects of prebiotic science including its development, health benefits and legislation.

/pdf/expert-consensus-document-the-international-scientific-304wp8k7i9.pdf

Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics

A Branched-Chain Amino Acid-Related Metabolic Signature that Differentiates Obese and Lean Humans and Contributes to Insulin Resistance

https://stevebmd.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/cytokines-sing-the-blues2006.pdf

Cytokines sing the blues: inflammation and the pathogenesis of depression

Neurobehavioral Effects of Interferon-α in Cancer Patients: Phenomenology and Paroxetine Responsiveness of Symptom Dimensions

Patients with cancer experience a host of behavioral alterations that include depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction. These behavioral comorbidities are apparent throughout the process of diagnosis and treatment for cancer and can persist well into the survivorship period. There is a rich literature describing potential consequences of behavioral comorbidities in patients with cancer including impaired quality of life, reduced treatment adherence, and increased disease-related morbidity and mortality. Medical complications of cancer and its treatment such as anemia, thyroid dysfunction, and the neurotoxicity of cancer chemotherapeutic agents account in part for these behavioral changes. Nevertheless, recent advances in the neurosciences and immunology/oncology have revealed novel insights into additional pathophysiologic mechanisms that may significantly contribute to the development of cancer-related behavioral changes. Special attention has been focused on immunologic processes, specifically activation of innate immune inflammatory responses and their regulation by neuroendocrine pathways, which, in turn, influence CNS functions including neurotransmitter metabolism, neuropeptide function, sleep-wake cycles, regional brain activity, and, ultimately, behavior. Further understanding of these immunologic influences on the brain provides a novel conceptual framework for integrating the wide spectrum of behavioral alterations that occur in cancer patients and may reveal a more focused array of translational targets for therapeutic interventions and future research. Such developments warrant complementary advances in identification of cancer patients at risk as well as those currently suffering, including an increased emphasis on the status of behavior as a "sixth vital sign" to be assessed in all cancer patients throughout their disease encounter.

/pdf/neuroendocrine-immune-mechanisms-of-behavioral-comorbidities-36gn3g5s6o.pdf

Lucile Capuron

Papers

Cytokines sing the blues: inflammation and the pathogenesis of depression

Neurobehavioral Effects of Interferon-α in Cancer Patients: Phenomenology and Paroxetine Responsiveness of Symptom Dimensions

Neuroendocrine-Immune Mechanisms of Behavioral Comorbidities in Patients With Cancer

Cytokines and psychopathology: Lessons from interferon-α

Interferon-alpha–induced changes in tryptophan metabolism: relationship to depression and paroxetine treatment