Depression in medical illness
This is a very interesting article outlining the interactions between the immune system and our mental health. Chronic infections and chronic immune stimulation can actually produce depression in patients. This depression can then, in turn, lead to additional physical complaints. This may be why certain antidepressants actually lower complaints in certain patients with syndromes such as fibromyalgia. The drugs do not actually get to the cause of the original complaint (the immune activation) but do help with the secondary effects of the depression. Unfortunately, without controlling the underlying immune activation, any therapy will not be very effective.
wjm — Yirmiya 173 (5): 333
