In a new study from Rice University, researchers found that bodily inflammation after the death of a spouse can predict future depression.
Prior research has already linked bodily inflammation to a host of health issues, including cancer, memory issues, heart problems and depression.
In this study, the team focused on how systemic inflammation affects the mental health of spouses after losing a loved one.
The team evaluated 99 people who lost their spouses within 2-3 months of the study on a number of factors, including physical and mental health, across a three-month period.
They found that widowed spouses who had higher levels of bodily inflammation right after the loss of their partners showed more severe symptoms of depression three months later than those with lower inflammation, especially if they didn’t experience significant depression initially.
The team says depression following the death of a spouse is normal, and research shows that undergoing psychotherapy right away can actually interfere with people’s natural ability to cope.
However, when depression is persistent or occurs six or more months after a spouse’s death, it may be a sign that clinical intervention is needed.
Until this study, it was difficult to know who was at risk for these persistently high levels of depression and grief until the six-month mark.
This study identifies a potential biomarker that could help us predict who is at the greatest risk for long-term repercussions of loss.
The team says this information makes early intervention possible. Doctors can identify at-risk bereaved persons and introduce them to interventions early on to improve their mental health.
If you care about depression, please read studies about people with depression need to increase this substance in their blood and findings of common daily nutrient could protect you from depression.
For more information about depression treatment and prevention, please see recent studies about magnesium supplement: A safe, effective way to treat depression and results showing that this new drug may treat depression effectively.
The study is published in Psychoneuroendocrinology. One author of the study is Lydia Wu.
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