Cytokines in Depression and Anxiety Disorder

우울증, 불안장애에서의 사이토카인의 역할

  • Song, Yoon-Jae (Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kang, Eun-Ho (Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Yu, Bum-Hee (Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine)
  • 송윤재 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 정신과학교실) ;
  • 강은호 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 정신과학교실) ;
  • 유범희 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 정신과학교실)
  • Received : 2008.08.20
  • Accepted : 2008.10.02
  • Published : 2008.10.30

Abstract

Depression and anxiety disorders are common psychiatric illnesses whose etiology remains partially understood. The etiology of depression and anxiety disorders is multi-factorial, and abnormalities in neurotransmitter, neuroendocrine system, and brain activation have been implicated in those conditions. However, the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety disorder is certainly not well understood, and some patients with depression or anxiety disorders do not respond to antidepressant therapy. Recently, immunological factors such as cytokines are known to be closely related to central nervous system as well as depression and anxiety disorders. This review highlights recent progress in understanding the function of cytokines in depression and anxiety disorders.

Keywords