Neuroinflammatory Biomarkers in Cerebrospinal Fluid From 106 Patients With Recent-Onset Depression Compared With 106 Individually Matched Healthy Control Subjects
Nina Vindegaard Sørensen, Sonja Orlovska‐Waast, Rose Jeppesen, Amalie Wandel Klein‐Petersen, Rune Haubo Bojesen Christensen, Michael E. Benros
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation has been linked to depression; however, neuroinflammatory biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have not previously been thoroughly investigated in a large group of patients with recent-onset depression compared with healthy control subjects. METHODS: We conducted an individually matched case-control study comparing patients with recent-onset depression (ICD-10: F32) to control subjects. Primary outcomes were CSF white cell count (WCC), CSF-to-serum albumin ratio, CSF total protein, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) index. Secondary outcomes were CSF WCC differential count and CSF neutrophil-to-lymphocyte, CSF-to-serum IgG, and CSF-to-plasma glucose ratios. Linear models adjusting for sex and age were applied. RESULTS: /L). No significant differences between groups were observed regarding CSF-to-serum albumin ratio (MD: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.97-1.18; p = .191), CSF total protein (MD: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.94-1.09; p = .775), or IgG index (MD: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.97-1.15; p = .235). Regarding secondary outcomes, the proportion of CSF neutrophils was lower among patients (MD: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.08-0.59; p = .003) relative to control subjects, whereas the remaining outcomes were not significantly different (all p > .06). CONCLUSIONS: Patients had higher CSF WCC relative to control subjects, indicating increased neuroimmunologic activation, particularly for severe depression.