A Virus May Be a Trigger for Depression, Research Suggests
A recent study by a Japanese research team suggests that infection with a specific virus during infancy may be a trigger for depression later in life. This finding could have significant implications for understanding and potentially preventing depression.
The research team, from the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, focused on the human herpes virus type 6 (HHV6), which causes a common childhood illness known as exanthema subitum. While most people are infected with HHV6 during infancy and carry the virus throughout their lives, the researchers discovered that the virus can become reactivated and spread to the brain, producing a protein called SITH1.
one that easily produces SITH1 and another that does so with difficulty.
Interestingly, the researchers found that 68% of patients with depression were infected with the type of virus that easily produces SITH1, compared to 29% of healthy individuals. Additionally, among patients with the easily-producing virus, 47% had family members with depression, suggesting a potential link between the virus and inherited susceptibility.
While genetic factors have long been considered a major contributor to depression, this research suggests that the virus itself may play a significant role. This finding could lead to new strategies for preventing and treating depression, potentially by targeting the virus or the SITH1 protein.
Professor Kazuhiro Kondo, a member of the research team, emphasizes the importance of further research to uncover the mechanisms involved in this link between the virus and depression. He believes that understanding these mechanisms could pave the way for new solutions to address this debilitating condition.