What is it about?
Some people with depression suffer from impaired immune function. This can make depressed people more likely to get a viral infection and can reduce the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines. Researchers at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) compared the immune systems of people with major depressive disorder (MDD) to those with no history of depression. They found that people with depression are about half as likely to show signs of immunity to measles that should have been gained with vaccination during childhood. This was also true for those who had a history of depression, but were no longer depressed. One likely explanation is that immune dysfunction during depressive states is diminishing the body’s ability to maintain long term immunity to measles.
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Why is it important?
Worldwide, measles remains a leading cause of death for young children despite ongoing immunization campaigns. Even in countries such as the USA, where vaccination has been tremendously successful in reducing the incidence of measles, outbreaks still occur. Childhood vaccination is critical for the prevention of infectious disease into adulthood. However, major depression is a common disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 11-15%, which may significantly impair immunity and therefore affect public health. This study identifies a previously unrecognized segment of society who may be at risk if such a measles (or potentially other infectious disease) outbreak were to occur. Healthcare professionals should consider targeting people with a history of depression for re-vaccination in order to increase vaccine coverage.
Perspectives
It is now accepted in the scientific community that depression is a disease with biological causes and biological consequences. Although most people understand that sufferers of depression are typically in poor health physically as well as mentally, many lay people have not been introduced to the idea that depression can have major effects on the immune system. Depression activates brain-to-body stress communication that is closely linked with the immune system. Persistent activation of these pathways can cause some parts of the immune system to shut down. The results of this study suggest that one part of the immune system that is shutting down in some people with depression is the ability to maintain long term immunity to childhood vaccinations. This could have significant consequences for public health in the event of a disease breakout.
Bart Ford
Laureate Institute for Brain Research
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Reduced immunity to measles in adults with major depressive disorder, Psychological Medicine, March 2018, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s0033291718000661.
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