Page 77 - Javanan Magazine Issue # 1882

PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE No. 1882
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ISSUE No. 1856
PERSPECTIVES JAVANAN
PERSPECTIVES
JAVANAN
Dr. Alan A.
Modarressi LOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Clinical and A SOCIOCULTURAL AND MIND AND BODY OUTLOOK
Neuro-Psychologyst
In this column, we examine the mental health issues in the context
of social, culture, and physiological concerns of the Iranian community
DEPRESSION AND YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

How they Affect Each Other

esearch has shown the re- people who had depression and are so complex that being able to contributing to depression.
lationship between men- people who did not, but were at bring massive amounts of data Their findings also suggest that
Rtal health and our vari- a high genetic risk for developing together to untangle complicated the association between depres-
ous physical functioning. But a depression. biological problems is essential. sion polygenic scores and in-
new large-scale study published The team found a strong connec- The researchers’ results show creased white blood cell count are
in Journal of American Medical tion between depression polygenic a feedback loop in which people bidirectional. In other words, they
Association (JAMA) links de- scores and white blood cell count. who are at a higher genetic risk both affect one another. It is hoped
pression to white blood count. In They also found that even hav- for depression also have a higher that the results motivate future de-
otherwards, increased depression ing a high genetic risk for depres- baseline level of inflammation. If velopment of clinical biomarkers
polygenic (Related to more than sion was enough to contribute to a person develops depression, that and targeted treatment options for
one gene) scores are associated an elevated level of white blood further increases the biomarkers depression.
with increased white blood cell cells. Primary analyses for the related to inflammation. Prior studies linked depression
count, highlighting the importance study were conducted in VUMC’s Their findings reveals that re- to inflammation and this research
of the immune system in the etiol- biobank, with replication analyses lationship between depression contributes to mounting evidence
ogy of depression. conducted across the three other polygenic scores and white blood of a pro-inflammatory state in de-
The study asserts that despite a health care systems. Results from cell count was statistically strong pression and creates an opportu-
wide understanding of depression 382,452 patients’ electronic health and people with higher polygenic nity to think about a new class of
as a psychiatric disorder, depres- record data were meta-analyzed scores for depression had a high- anti-depressive therapies focused
sion’s underlying biological ef- across all four systems. er white blood cell count, but the on lowering pro-inflammatory
fects are still poorly understood. The study team noted that cross- number was still considered in markers.
We know that there’s a strong re- institutional collaboration is a ne- the ‘normal’ range. This This research is another
We know that there’s a strong re-
This research is another
institutional collaboration is a ne-
the ‘normal’ range. This
cessity when it comes to under-
reminder for the scientific
lationship between depression and
lationship between depression and cessity when it comes to under- suggests that sustained, reminder for the scientific
suggests that sustained,
standing things like depression.
community that our men-
several chronic health conditions,
several chronic health conditions, standing things like depression. but not abnormal, acti- community that our men-
but not abnormal, acti-
tal and physical health is
The stated, “It’s been so powerful
and we also know there’s a rela-
and we also know there’s a rela- The stated, “It’s been so powerful vation of the immune tal and physical health is
vation of the immune
not separated. Rather,
to have a whole network of institu-
tionship between depression and
tionship between depression and to have a whole network of institu- system may be not separated. Rather,
system may be
tions with biobanks
we function as a whole
inflammation. However, we do
inflammation. However, we do tions with biobanks we function as a whole
all working to-
person that includes not
not know how they’re connected, all working to- person that includes not
not know how they’re connected,
gether. The prob-
which condition causes the other
which condition causes the other gether. The prob- only our physical body
only our physical body
lems that we’re
but also our emotions,
or if there’s something underlying
or if there’s something underlying lems that we’re but also our emotions,
trying to
cognitive and mental
that causes both. trying to cognitive and mental
that causes both.
functioning, and
tack-
To answer that question, the re-
To answer that question, the re- tack- functioning, and
l
spiritual and
search team, which consisted of
search team, which consisted of l e e spiritual and
personali-
researchers from Vanderbilt Uni-
researchers from Vanderbilt Uni- personali-
ty under-
versity Medical Center (VUMC), ty under-
versity Medical Center (VUMC),
pi n-
the Icahn School of Medicine
the Icahn School of Medicine pi n-
nings.
at Mount Sinai, Mass General
at Mount Sinai, Mass General nings.
Brigham (a hospital and physi-
Brigham (a hospital and physi-
cians network that includes
cians network that includes
Brigham and Women’s Hos-
Brigham and Women’s Hos-
pital and Massachusetts
pital and Massachusetts
General Hospital)
General Hospital)
and the Mil-
and the Mil-
lion Veteran
Program,
stud-
ied two
groups—
DANESH FOROUGHI, PH.D. Alan Modarressi, PhD, QME
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY13680 Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Psychotherapist, MFC23455 Qualified Medical Evaluator
Certified National Board of Addiction Examiners #4974 Certified Psychophsychologist
Tel: (310) 940-3642 Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management
15720 Ventura Blvd., Second Fl. #224 Encino CA 91436 (818) 501-6080 (562) 861-7226
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