New Study Reveals Link Between Stress, Immune Cells, and Depression
14 August 2025
News Bite: How Stress Affects Our Brain & Mood
Scientists found that when someone has long-term stress, special immune cells called neutrophils (they usually fight germs) leave the bones in the skull and go into the brain’s protective covering.
These immune cells hanging out in the brain seem to cause symptoms of depression (sadness, lack of energy, feeling down).
In experiments with mice, turning off a particular “alarm” signal (called type I interferon) reduced those neutrophils in the brain and made the mice act less depressed.
Why This Matters
Many people don’t respond well to regular antidepressants — about 1 in 3.
This new research suggests that for some, inflammation (immune response) is playing a big role. If we can target that, we might help people who haven’t gotten better with usual treatments.
The NuroSpark Way Forward
We’ll keep updating our courses and workshops to include info about how the immune system and inflammation relate to mental health — so our students know all sides of depression.
We aim to offer training in early signs of immune-related stress, stress management tools that reduce inflammation (like better sleep, movement, calming practices).
And, we’re exploring partnerships (with researchers and clinics) so we can bring newer therapies — those that go beyond just “chemical fixes” — to people who need more help.
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M.Phil in Clinical Psychology – NIMHANS, 2015 MA in Psychology – Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), 2012 Certified REBT Practitioner, 2019 RCI Registered
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