Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
November 1, 2021
N. Nikkheslat
67 citations
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, produces rapid antidepressant effects at low doses, which may be partly due to its anti-inflammatory actions. This review examines ketamine's antidepressant properties and its influence on peripheral and central inflammation, aiming to clarify mechanisms that could make it a dual-action treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and suicidal ideation. Inflammation is linked to major depressive disorder (MDD) and poor treatment response, so medications that quickly address both inflammation and depressive symptoms could improve personalized care for psychiatric emergencies.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
October 1, 2022
S. Parekh, Lydia Adams, Gillian A. Barkell et al.
7 citations
MDMA administration after severe stress reduces stress-enhanced fear learning in male rats, likely through an immunosuppressive mechanism. The drug lowered stress-induced increases in the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β and reversed stress-induced reductions in the microglial marker IBA-1 in the dorsal hippocampus, while not affecting TNF-α or the astrocyte marker GFAP. These results support the hypothesis that MDMA blocks stress-enhanced fear learning via immune modulation and align with clinical findings on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
July 1, 2025
Ivana Buric
5 citations
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for mental and physical health disorders, and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise in reducing its harmful effects. This review identifies three key gaps in mindfulness research: the lack of a unified theoretical framework (proposing the INSPIRER framework to integrate psychological, neural, and immune mechanisms); individual differences in MBI responses, requiring precision approaches to identify who benefits most; and adaptations to MBIs, such as varying duration or using technology, to improve effectiveness and accessibility. Addressing these gaps could advance personalized, cost-effective interventions to mitigate chronic stress and protect health.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
March 1, 2025
Elizabeth Vandenbogaart, Matthew Figueroa, Diana Winston et al.
1 citation
A six-week virtual mindfulness program for women with Long COVID-related dysautonomia did not improve objective measures of autonomic function or most self-reported symptoms, but it did reduce insomnia severity and decreased pro-inflammatory gene expression. Twenty women aged 21-52 years participated. Insomnia scores dropped significantly after the program but returned toward baseline by four weeks. No improvements were seen in autonomic symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress, depression, well-being, or COVID-related distress. Pro-inflammatory conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) gene expression decreased from before to after the program, especially among those with more prior COVID-19 infections. The findings suggest mindfulness may improve sleep and reduce inflammatory biology, but overall symptom burden remained high.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
March 1, 2026
Qingying Zheng, Guoyuan Huang, Qian Liu et al.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 29 randomized controlled trials involving 2253 adults with neuropsychiatric disorders found that mind-body exercises such as Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction significantly reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), while increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Effects on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) showed a non-significant trend toward benefit. The most effective dosage was between 600 and 1000 MET-minutes per week. Tai Chi and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ranked best for reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, while Qigong showed the greatest benefits for neurotrophic outcomes. Participant characteristics and exercise parameters moderated the effects, suggesting personalized prescriptions may enhance outcomes.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
October 1, 2023
Kenneth G Walton, Supaya Wenuganen, Steven W Cole
Long-term practitioners of Transcendental Meditation (TM) showed reduced expression of genes linked to inflammation and increased activity of antiviral genes, compared to matched controls. The analysis focused on a specific pattern of gene activity called the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA), which is typically elevated during chronic stress. In the TM group, inflammation-related transcription factors (NF-κB, AP-1) were less active, while interferon response factors were more active. These findings suggest a potential biological mechanism through which long-term meditation practice might improve health, though further research is needed to confirm causality.