The Depression, Allergies, ⁤and Asthma Link

People with asthma experience‍ higher rates of depression, and a‍ review of studies indicates a ⁢similar connection between allergic rhinitis and‍ increased odds of depression or anxiety. Researchers are investigating eco-biological⁢ factors, notably inflammation, as a ⁣common element in allergies, asthma, and⁣ depression.

Charles Raison, professor of psychiatry ⁣and human ecology at the University ⁤of‍ Wisconsin – Madison,⁣ suggests modern hygiene practices limit exposure to microorganisms that train the​ immune system,‍ contributing to an evolutionary mismatch. Raison and Christopher ​lowry, professor of ⁤integrative physiology at the University of‍ Colorado Boulder, propose that⁤ controlled⁤ exposure to microorganisms could prevent or treat depression.

Lowry highlights the “Old Friends” or Biodiversity Hypothesis, linking reduced ‍exposure to diverse microbial ⁢environments in⁤ urban lifestyles to increased⁤ risks of allergies, anxiety, and‍ depression. Commensal microorganisms in the gut induce anti-inflammatory responses, and a lack of diverse microbial exposures may ⁢elevate the risk of inflammatory diseases.

Lowry’s research indicates ⁤that individuals ⁣raised in urban⁤ settings without daily pet exposure show‌ a greater ⁢immune response compared ⁢to those raised on farms with animal exposure. Environmental saprophytes and‍ certain ‍”Old infections” also play a role.

Asthma rates in the U.S. have doubled in the past 40 years, and ‌a third of​ Americans have allergies, according to ‌federal data.A‌ recent‍ Gallup survey revealed that 29% of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with⁢ depression.

A population ⁤health initiative⁢ in Finland, aimed at increasing exposure​ to diverse microbial environments, led to a 50%​ reduction in hospitalizations for asthma and food allergies between 2008 ​and 2018.

Lowry is studying​ Mycobacterium cows ATCC 15483 for ​its anti-inflammatory and stress-resilience properties.Studies indicate it reduces neuroinflammation and ⁢anxiety-like behavior in animals. Clinical trials are planned to ​assess its potential⁣ in humans.

Melissa Rosenkranz, ​associate​ professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, suggests​ that understanding the ⁢biological basis of ‍depression in patients with asthma and allergies could​ lead to simultaneous⁤ treatment ​of both ‍conditions ⁣by targeting⁣ immune-signaling pathways.

Rosenkranz’s research indicates that the brain’s salience network ‌responds differently to ‌emotional information when the immune system is activated. A⁢ common immune pathway, the T helper cell 17 (TH17) response, is amplified in‌ the lung during⁢ stress and is elevated in people with depression.

Rosenkranz is studying how asthma exacerbation can ‌cause brain inflammation and possibly‍ lead to dementia.She advises physicians to assess the emotional well-being of their patients and collaborate ⁣with ⁢mental health professionals.

Raison serves as a consultant‍ for⁤ Usona Institute and ⁤Otsuka and is on the Board⁢ of Directors for the Fireside Project. He received ‌grant funding from the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation. Lowry is a cofounder and‍ member of the Scientific Advisory Board⁢ of Mycobacteria Therapeutics Corporation (kioga) and is a member of​ the faculty of Clinical care Options, LLC (CCO), Reston, Virginia; the Integrative Psychiatry ⁣Institute, Boulder, Colorado; the Institute ⁤for ‌Brain Potential, Los Banos, California; and Bright Health‍ Ltd, Reading, England. In the previous three years, he has served on the ⁤Scientific Advisory Board of Immodulon Therapeutics Ltd., London, England. Rosenkranz had no disclosures to report.