Inflammation Models of Depression in Rodents: Relevance to Psychotropic Drug Discovery.

ABSTRACT: Inflammation and depression are closely inter-related; inflammation induces symptoms of depression and, conversely, depressed mood and stress favor an inflammatory phenotype. The mechanisms that mediate the ability of inflammation to induce symptoms of depression are intensively studied at the preclinical level. This review discusses how it has been possible to build animal models of inflammation-induced depression based on clinical data and to explore critical mechanisms downstream of inflammation. Namely, we focus on the ability of inflammation to increase the activity of the tryptophan-degrading enzyme, indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase, which leads to the production of kynurenine and downstream neuroactive metabolites. By acting on glutamatergic neurotransmission, these neuroactive metabolit

SUBMITTER: Remus JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5043641 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature