Exploring Links between Melatonin, Inflammation and Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the leading global causes of disease burden. Worse yet, about one third of the patients with MDD do not experience a remission with current treatments. The symptoms of MDD likely represent a variety of underlying pathologic processes and more knowledge about these processes is needed to optimize treatment for MDD. The focus of this thesis was to study the relationship between inflammation, melatonin and symptoms of depression.  In papers I-III a population of young adults seeking psychiatric care was examined for depressive symptoms, melatonin levels in saliva, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and inflammatory markers in blood. In paper IV a cohort of patients with hepatitis C receiving treatment with new direct-acting agents (DAAs) were prospectively followed during treatment for depressive symptoms and sleep. All patients were diagnosed by means of structured or semi-structured interviews and depressive symptoms were assessed with the self-rating version of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and GI symptoms were assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale-IBS. Melatonin in saliva was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and inflammatory markers in blood were analysed by proximity extension assay. In young adults seeking psychiatric care melatonin levels at bedtime were inversely correlated with depressive symptoms. In those patients with a current depressive episode low melatonin values at bedtime were a negative prognostic factor for response after 6 months (paper I). Postprandial melatonin levels were positively associated with GI symptoms of bloating and pain (paper II). Postprandial melatonin levels were also associated with the inflammatory markers vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and monocyte inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α). Evening levels of melatonin did not correlate with the inflammatory markers. VEGF-A and MCP-1 as well as postprandial levels of melatonin correlated with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, whereas MIP-1α correlated with MDD (paper III). Patients with hepatitis C underwent treatment with DAAs without experiencing pronounced psychiatric side effects in terms of depressive symptoms or sleep disturbances (paper IV). In summary, the findings confirm a relationship between bedtime melatonin levels and depressive symptoms. The findings also show a connection between daytime melatonin and GI-symptoms. In addition, the findings indicate an association between inflammation and daytime melatonin. Together these results demonstrate links between melatonin, inflammation and depression. Lastly, interferon-free treatment against hepatitis C did not induce depressive symptoms

Exploring Links between Melatonin, Inflammation and Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the leading global causes of disease burden. Worse yet, about one third of the patients with MDD do not experience a remission with current treatments. The symptoms of MDD likely represent a variety of underlying pathologic processes and more knowledge about these processes is needed to optimize treatment for MDD. The focus of this thesis was to study the relationship between inflammation, melatonin and symptoms of depression.  In papers I-III a population of young adults seeking psychiatric care was examined for depressive symptoms, melatonin levels in saliva, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and inflammatory markers in blood. In paper IV a cohort of patients with hepatitis C receiving treatment with new direct-acting agents (DAAs) were prospectively followed during treatment for depressive symptoms and sleep. All patients were diagnosed by means of structured or semi-structured interviews and depressive symptoms were assessed with the self-rating version of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and GI symptoms were assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale-IBS. Melatonin in saliva was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and inflammatory markers in blood were analysed by proximity extension assay. In young adults seeking psychiatric care melatonin levels at bedtime were inversely correlated with depressive symptoms. In those patients with a current depressive episode low melatonin values at bedtime were a negative prognostic factor for response after 6 months (paper I). Postprandial melatonin levels were positively associated with GI symptoms of bloating and pain (paper II). Postprandial melatonin levels were also associated with the inflammatory markers vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and monocyte inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α). Evening levels of melatonin did not correlate with the inflammatory markers. VEGF-A and MCP-1 as well as postprandial levels of melatonin correlated with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, whereas MIP-1α correlated with MDD (paper III). Patients with hepatitis C underwent treatment with DAAs without experiencing pronounced psychiatric side effects in terms of depressive symptoms or sleep disturbances (paper IV). In summary, the findings confirm a relationship between bedtime melatonin levels and depressive symptoms. The findings also show a connection between daytime melatonin and GI-symptoms. In addition, the findings indicate an association between inflammation and daytime melatonin. Together these results demonstrate links between melatonin, inflammation and depression. Lastly, interferon-free treatment against hepatitis C did not induce depressive symptoms

Exploring Links between Melatonin, Inflammation and Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the leading global causes of disease burden. Worse yet, about one third of the patients with MDD do not experience a remission with current treatments. The symptoms of MDD likely represent a variety of underlying pathologic processes and more knowledge about these processes is needed to optimize treatment for MDD. The focus of this thesis was to study the relationship between inflammation, melatonin and symptoms of depression.  In papers I-III a population of young adults seeking psychiatric care was examined for depressive symptoms, melatonin levels in saliva, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and inflammatory markers in blood. In paper IV a cohort of patients with hepatitis C receiving treatment with new direct-acting agents (DAAs) were prospectively followed during treatment for depressive symptoms and sleep. All patients were diagnosed by means of structured or semi-structured interviews and depressive symptoms were assessed with the self-rating version of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and GI symptoms were assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale-IBS. Melatonin in saliva was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and inflammatory markers in blood were analysed by proximity extension assay. In young adults seeking psychiatric care melatonin levels at bedtime were inversely correlated with depressive symptoms. In those patients with a current depressive episode low melatonin values at bedtime were a negative prognostic factor for response after 6 months (paper I). Postprandial melatonin levels were positively associated with GI symptoms of bloating and pain (paper II). Postprandial melatonin levels were also associated with the inflammatory markers vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and monocyte inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α). Evening levels of melatonin did not correlate with the inflammatory markers. VEGF-A and MCP-1 as well as postprandial levels of melatonin correlated with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, whereas MIP-1α correlated with MDD (paper III). Patients with hepatitis C underwent treatment with DAAs without experiencing pronounced psychiatric side effects in terms of depressive symptoms or sleep disturbances (paper IV). In summary, the findings confirm a relationship between bedtime melatonin levels and depressive symptoms. The findings also show a connection between daytime melatonin and GI-symptoms. In addition, the findings indicate an association between inflammation and daytime melatonin. Together these results demonstrate links between melatonin, inflammation and depression. Lastly, interferon-free treatment against hepatitis C did not induce depressive symptoms

Direct-acting antiviral treatment in real world patients with hepatitis C not associated with psychiatric side effects: a prospective observational study

Abstract Background Treatment of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has evolved from interferon (IFN)-based treatments to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Patients with HCV have an elevated psychiatric morbidity (including substance abuse) and patients with such comorbidity have often been excluded from treatment with IFN. To date, little is known about psychiatric adverse effects of DAA-based regimens. We therefore aimed to study the psychiatric side effects of new IFN-free treatment for HCV (including depressive symptoms and sleep) in real world patients also including those with a history of psychiatric diagnosis, substance abuse or drug dependence. Methods Consecutive patients were monitored during treatment with three of the latest DAA agents (sofosbuvir, simeprevir and daclatasvir). Repeated expert psychiatric assessments from baseline to 12 weeks post-treatment were performed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) clinical version and the self-report versions of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Friedman’s test was performed to calculate differences in the MADRS-S and PSQI over time. In a post-hoc analysis Wilcoxon’s test was used to compare baseline depressive symptoms with those at post-treatment. Spearman’s rank correlation test was conducted in another post-hoc analysis to evaluate the correlation between symptoms of depression and HCV viral load at baseline. Results At baseline, 15/17 patients (88%) had a history of any psychiatric diagnosis; 11 (65%) had a history of substance abuse or dependence; and 11 (65%) had previously been treated with IFN and six of those had experienced psychiatric side effects. There was no correlation between depressive symptoms and HCV viral load at baseline. Symptoms of depression did not increase during DAA treatment and were lower 12 weeks post-treatment compared with baseline: MADRS-S 10.7 vs. 8.3 (p = 0.01). This observation held when excluding patients taking antidepressant medication. Sleep quality did not significantly change during treatment. Adherence to treatment was estimated to 95% and sustained virological response was 88%. Conclusions Despite high psychiatric morbidity, including previous substance abuse, patients successfully completed DAA treatment without increasing depressive symptoms or sleep disturbance. Symptoms of depression were significantly reduced 12 weeks after DAA treatment

Daytime melatonin levels in saliva are associated with inflammatory markers and anxiety disorders

BACKGROUND: The bidirectional interaction between melatonin and the immune system has largely gone unexplored in a clinical context and especially in a psychiatric population. This study explored the association between melatonin during the day and inflammatory cytokines in young adult patients seeking psychiatric care. METHODS: Samples and data were collected from 108 young adults (mean age 21, SD = 2) at an outpatient clinic for affective disorders. Daytime saliva melatonin levels were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in relation to normalized serum expression levels of 72 inflammatory markers in a proximity extension assay (PEA). In a post hoc analysis the markers associated with melatonin were tested in a generalized linear model to see whether there is a relationship to anxiety disorder or depression. RESULTS: After Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, melatonin levels at 11:00 were positively correlated with CD5 (p = 4.2e-4). Melatonin levels after lunch were correlated with CCL2/MCP-1 (p = 4.2e-4), CCL3/MPI-1α (p = 6.5e-4) and VEGF-A (p = 5.3e-6). In the generalized linear model, positive associations were found for the presence of any anxiety disorder with melatonin after lunch (p = 0.046), VEGF-A (p = 0.001) and CCL3/MPI-1α (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Daytime saliva levels of melatonin were related to several inflammatory markers in young adults with psychiatric disorders. This observation likely reflects the bidirectional relationship between melatonin production and the immune system. These findings may have relevance for the understanding of psychiatric disorders and other conditions associated with low-grade inflammation.Authors and Title in Thesis List of papers:I. Sundberg, A. Jacobson, M. Ramklint, L. Ekselius, and J. Cunningham “Daytime Melatonin Levels in Saliva are Associated with Inflammatory Markers and Anxiety Disorders in Young Adults with Psychiatric Disease”</p

Salivary Melatonin in Relation to Depressive Symptom Severity in Young Adults.

Reduced levels of melatonin have been associated with severe depression. The aim was to investigate the correlation between salivary melatonin and dimensional measures of depressive symptom severity in young adult psychiatric patients. Levels of melatonin were analyzed in six saliva samples during waking hours from 119 young adult patients under outpatient psychiatric care. Melatonin levels were tested for association with the severity of depressive symptoms using the self-rating version of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S). Where possible, depressive symptoms were assessed again after 6±2 months of treatment. Response was defined as decrease in MADRS-S by ≥50% between baseline and follow-up. Patients with levels of melatonin in the lowest quartile at bedtime had an increased probability of a high MADRS-S score compared to those with the highest levels of melatonin (odds ratio 1.39, 95% CI 1.15-1.69, p&lt;0.01). A post hoc regression analysis found that bedtime melatonin levels predicted response (odds ratio 4.4, 95% CI 1.06-18.43, p&lt;0.05). A negative relationship between salivary melatonin and dimensional measures of depressive symptom severity was found in young patients under outpatient psychiatric care. Bedtime salivary melatonin levels may have prognostic implications.Uppsala Psykiatriska Provsamlin

Participant characteristics.

<p>Participant characteristics.</p

Median and interquartile range of melatonin levels in saliva for the different collection time points in patients (n = 119).

<p>Median and interquartile range of melatonin levels in saliva for the different collection time points in patients (n = 119).</p