A new study led by researchers at Emory University has revealed a promising new approach to treating one of the most challenging symptoms of depression—lack of motivation.
This groundbreaking research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, found that an anti-inflammatory drug called infliximab may help improve motivation in people with depression who also have high levels of inflammation.
Motivation loss is a common and difficult symptom of depression. People with depression often struggle to find the energy or desire to engage in daily activities, pursue goals, or find pleasure in things they once enjoyed. This lack of motivation can severely impact their quality of life, making recovery more challenging and increasing the risk of severe outcomes.
For years, scientists have been exploring the idea that inflammation in the body might be linked to this loss of motivation. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or illness, but when it becomes chronic, it can affect how the brain works. Researchers believe that inflammation may disrupt the brain circuits responsible for motivation and reward.
The study at Emory University is the first to specifically examine how reducing inflammation with infliximab affects both motivation levels and brain activity in people with depression.
Infliximab is already used to treat inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis because it blocks a molecule called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which is involved in the body’s inflammatory response.
The research involved 42 participants who were not only diagnosed with depression but also showed signs of high inflammation. This was measured using a blood test for C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation. Only patients with a CRP level greater than 3 mg/L were included in the study, as this level suggests significant inflammation.
The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of infliximab or a placebo. Over the next two weeks, the researchers measured changes in motivation using several methods.
These included tasks designed to see how much effort participants were willing to put in to earn rewards, self-reported questionnaires, and brain scans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
The results were impressive. People who received infliximab showed a greater willingness to work for rewards compared to those who received the placebo. This increase in motivation was linked to a reduction in inflammatory activity, specifically in pathways involving TNF.
The brain scans also revealed interesting changes. Areas of the brain known to be involved in motivation and reward, such as the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum, and putamen, showed increased activity in those who received infliximab.
There was also stronger connectivity between these regions, indicating that the brain’s reward system was functioning better.
Dr. Michael Treadway, a professor of psychology at Emory University and the lead author of the study, expressed excitement about these findings. He explained that this is the first time scientists have been able to directly observe how reducing inflammation with a drug can improve brain circuits related to motivation.
“It’s encouraging to see that by reducing inflammation, we can make a positive impact on one of the most difficult symptoms of depression to treat,” he said.
The study went even further to show that the improvements in motivation were directly connected to changes in TNF signaling and brain activity.
As inflammation went down, brain regions involved in feeling motivated and seeking rewards became more active. This connection strengthens the theory that inflammation might be a driving factor behind motivational problems in depression.
Dr. Andrew Miller, the senior author of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine, emphasized the broader implications of the research. He noted that these findings support the idea that anti-inflammatory treatments could be a new way to help people with depression who struggle with motivation.
“By targeting the underlying inflammation, we’re not just treating the symptoms—we’re addressing one of the root causes, which could lead to more effective treatment options for patients,” he explained.
The idea of treating depression by reducing inflammation is still new, but this study opens up exciting possibilities for future treatments. If further research confirms these findings, infliximab or similar anti-inflammatory drugs could become a part of the toolkit for managing depression, especially for those who do not respond well to traditional therapies.
For many people living with depression, the lack of motivation is one of the hardest symptoms to overcome. Traditional antidepressants often help with mood but don’t always restore the drive to engage with life. This research suggests that addressing inflammation could be the key to unlocking that lost motivation, offering hope for better recovery and improved quality of life.
The findings from this study are a significant step forward in understanding the connection between the body’s immune response and mental health. While more research is needed to understand the long-term effects and confirm its safety, this discovery marks a promising development in the fight against depression.
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.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
