Allergy, Asthma & Depression: Inflammation 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.
- 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,...
- 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.
People with asthma and allergies often experience higher rates of depression, a link researchers are actively investigating. this article delves into the common thread: inflammation, the primarykeyword underlying the connection between these conditions.Explore how factors like modern hygiene and reduced exposure to diverse microbial environments may elevate the risk of both allergies and depression, as explored through the secondarykeyword of the “Old Friends” Hypothesis. We examine studies suggesting that controlled exposure to microorganisms could possibly prevent or treat depression. Discover the role of gut microbiome and its impact on inflammation, and also the potential of novel therapies. News Directory 3 provides vital insights into this growing field. Uncover the latest research and explore how understanding the immune-signaling pathways might lead to simultaneous treatments. Discover what’s next in the engaging intersection of mental health and physical well-being.
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.