Scott Alexander examines the theory linking inflammation to depression, finding it promising but cautioning against overconfidence, and discusses the potential and limitations of anti-inflammatory drugs as depression treatments.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the theory that depression may be caused by inflammation, reviewing evidence for and against it. He explains how inflammatory cytokines are linked to sickness behavior and depression-like symptoms, and how this theory connects to other known facts about depression. While finding the theory promising, he cautions against overconfidence given past experiences with other depression theories. The post also explores the potential of anti-inflammatory drugs as depression treatments, concluding that while celecoxib shows promise, its cardiovascular side effects make it unsuitable as a first-line treatment for most patients.
Shorter summary