The Significance of Epileptic Seizures in Infancy and Childhood

S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 750 (1974)

A doença de Chagas como um modelo mecanicista para testar uma nova hipótese

The association between depression and cardiovascular disease is well documented. Nevertheless, the process through which they are linked remains unknown, as does the direction of this relationship. Studies have suggested both that depression is a risk factor for heart disease and that heart disease is a risk factor for depression. A number of studies have established that a relationship exists between depression and inflammation, with alterations in the levels of inflammatory markers (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha and others). Depressive symptoms have also been identified in many diseases characterized by inflammatory processes e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, diabetes, tuberculosis and cardiovascular diseases. In this brief viewpoint, we explain and propose how to use Chagas disease, a disorder characterized by inflammatory processes and leading to cardiovascular and autonomic problems, as a model for studying the directionality of the relationship between heart disease and depression.A associação entre depressão e doença cardiovascular está bem documentada. Não obstante, o processo pelo qual está associada permanece desconhecido, assim como o sentido desta associação. Estudos têm sugerido que tanto a depressão é um fator de risco para a doença cardiovascular quanto esta o é para a depressão. Uma série de trabalhos tem estabelecido que uma relação existe entre depressão e inflamação, com alterações evidenciadas por marcadores de inflamação (IL-1, IL-6, TNF alfa e outros). Sintomas de depressão também têm sido identificados em diversas doenças caracterizadas por processos inflamatórios, tais como artrite reumatoide, asma brônquica, diabete, tuberculose e doenças cardiovasculares. Nesta breve opinião é explicitado e proposto como empregar a doença de Chagas, um agravo caracterizado por processos inflamatórios e indutor de problemas cardiovasculares e autonômicos, como um modelo de estudo da direcionalidade da relação entre doença cardíaca e depressão

Nowe spojrzenie na związek między chorobami układu sercowo-naczyniowego a depresją

Wstęp: Mimo że związek między depresją a chorobami układu sercowo-naczyniowego jest dobrze udokumentowany, mechanizmy leżące u podłoża tej zależności nie są dokładnie poznane. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono 3 prawdopodobne modele, które mogą odpowiadaæ za współwystępowanie depresji i chorób układu sercowo-naczyniowego. Metody: W pierwszym modelu depresja stanowi czynnik ryzyka dla rozwoju chorób układu sercowo-naczyniowego, zaś w drugim choroby te są rozpatrywane jako czynnik ryzyka depresji. Trzeci model zakłada istnienie wspólnego szlaku, poprzez który działania wywierane na organizm przez przewlekły stres objawiaja się depresją i chorobami układu sercowo-naczyniowego. Wnioski: Jeśli proponowany przez autorów model okaże się prawdziwy, wczesne działania prewencyjne, podjęte jeszcze przed wystąpieniem jawnych objawów klinicznych depresji i/lub chorób układu sercowo-naczyniowego, mogą opóźnić wystąpienie tych poważnych schorzeń lub zapobiec mu

New insights into the link between cardiovascular disease and depression

Although the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well documented, the underlying mechanisms for this relationship remain unclear. In this paper, we present three possible models which account for the comorbidity between depression and cardiovascular disease. The first model outlines depression as a risk factor for CVD and the second model presents CVD as a risk factor for depression. The third model proposes a common underlying pathway related to the effects of chronic stress on the body in manifesting as depression or cardiovascular disease. If the proposed model holds true, it may be possible that an intervention initiated before overt manifestations of CVD or depression become apparent, may delay or prevent the onset of these serious clinical entities