A new study from Emory University has found that a drug commonly used to treat physical illnesses might also help people with depression, especially those who struggle with low motivation. The drug, called infliximab, is typically used to reduce inflammation in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. But this research suggests it may also help improve how motivated a person feels when they are depressed.
Depression is a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people around the world. One of its most difficult symptoms is a lack of motivation. This means people often find it hard to start or complete tasks, even things they used to enjoy or find rewarding.
Low motivation can make it harder for someone to recover from depression because it stops them from doing things that might help them feel better, like exercising, going to therapy, or spending time with loved ones.
Over the past few years, scientists have discovered that inflammation in the body could be connected to depression. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection, but if it lasts too long or happens without a clear reason, it can cause problems.
Some researchers now believe that this ongoing inflammation can affect the brain and lead to symptoms like low energy, sadness, and lack of motivation.
To explore this idea, the Emory team focused on people who had both depression and signs of high inflammation in their bodies. They used a blood test to measure something called C-reactive protein, or CRP. If someone has more than 3 milligrams per liter of CRP in their blood, it usually means there is more inflammation than normal.
The study included 42 patients who had CRP levels above this number. Importantly, these people were not taking any other medications for depression during the study, so the results wouldn’t be affected by other treatments.
The researchers divided the patients into two groups. One group was given a single dose of infliximab through an IV. The other group was given a placebo, which is a harmless substance that looks the same but has no real effect. After the treatment, the scientists followed both groups for two weeks to see how they felt and behaved.
To understand the drug’s impact, the team used several different tools. They gave the patients tasks that measured how hard they were willing to work to get a reward, such as money or points. They also asked them to fill out surveys about how they were feeling and used brain scans to look at activity in certain areas of the brain.
The results were encouraging. People who received infliximab were more motivated and more willing to put in effort for rewards than those who got the placebo.
Their brain scans also showed changes in areas that help control motivation, including the prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum. These changes suggest that the drug might be helping the brain work more normally in people with inflammation-related depression.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Michael Treadway, said this was the first time scientists have shown how an anti-inflammatory drug can change the brain’s motivation system in people with depression. He believes this could be a big step forward in finding better treatments, especially for people whose depression doesn’t improve with standard medications.
Another researcher on the team, Dr. Andrew Miller, said the study supports the idea that treating inflammation in the body could also help treat the emotional and mental symptoms of depression.
Although the study was small and only lasted two weeks, it opens the door for new ways to help people who suffer from this complex and often disabling condition. By treating both the brain and the body, doctors might be able to offer new hope to those who haven’t found relief from other types of treatment.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain strongly linked to depression.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
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