Inflammation and depression

[maria40]

Did anyone hear Dr Edward Bullimore on Radio 4's Start the Week discussing his new book on the link between inflammatory illness and depression with Andrew Marr this morning? Very interesting and certainly relevant to us.

[Mic67]

Ooh thanks for the tip, will have a listen to this.

I actually took part in the research for this, because I had inflammation but before I got all my serious aches and pains.

I had to go up to Cambridge and have lots of scanning. They put me up in a nice hotel and really looked after me and I got to talk to all the researchers and even the BBC. It was very interesting and all fun and games until they called me after and told me they had incidentally discovered a load of brain aneurysms. Hahaha!

What is interesting is that we have only had one type of antidepressant in Europe for decades (SSRIs) and they now realise that some people respond to anti-inflammatory drugs instead or better. What a breakthrough!

I also think the idea that depression can be caused by physical disease will go a long way towards combatting mental health stigma!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mic67]

One is left to ask whether THAT is why so many people feel much better on steroids...

[bunnymom in reply to PMRpro]

Good point.

[Dream21]

Someone else mentioned this, but not the name. Thank you I will look that up.

Famous people can bring light to certain diseases and their affects. Selena Gomez who suffers with Lupus has been honest about her depression and that can be debilitating due to her disease. We need more honest role models.

[Marijo1951]

Yes I heard it too and was very impressed. It sounded relevant to many on this forum. Apparently there's no been new treatment for depression since Prozac in the 1990s, and not much research except for drug companies trying to come up with alternatives to Prozac. By the way the title of his book is 'The Inflamed Mind: A radical new approach to depression'.

[GerriMc]

Yes! Very interesting!!

[Blearyeyed]

Thanks for letting us know , interesting discussion .

We all know inflammation causes depression or mood issues because we are living through it.

As I keep saying we are not ill because we are anxious or depressed , we are anxious or depressed because we are ill and doctors have not yet controlled the cause .

Inflammation has a big effect on our coordination , thinking , memory and many other abilities too when we have issues like PMR / GCA .

I have found myself having to rewrite words on my posts and replies today because I keep spelling the totally the wrong way around , I haven't done that since I was a child ( with other neuro issues).

Sleep deprivation that comes with inflammation also plays a major part in making people stressed , tired and eventually depressed.

Perhaps they should have asked some of us the people actually going through it day to day on to a panel to discuss it further.

Take care and try not to get hot headed 😎Bee x

[Valnvaughan]

I listened to prog twice. Very thought provoking. Have ordered book to read. Valerie