2016 Scientific Report

In recent years, we have identified some infections and
genetic variants associated with a higher risk for suicidal
behavior and depression. Intriguingly, we found that
infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii is associated
with a sevenfold risk of attempted suicide. Some 10-20%
of all Americans are infected with this parasite, which
was previously considered harmless to everyone except
pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals.
After initial infection by ingesting undercooked meat or
contaminated soil, the parasite enters the brain and resides
in nerve cells. The parasite may be the cause of subtle
behavioral changes in the infected hosts, perhaps due to
low-grade chronic brain inflammation. Toxoplasma infection
may be treatable using current medications, but it still
needs to be proved in clinical trials that such treatment has
a beneficial effect on depressive and suicidal behavior.
Our laboratory is currently conducting two clinical
studies in Grand Rapids. The first is a collaborative
study of perinatal depression (depression during and
after pregnancy) together with Pine Rest Christian Mental
Health, Spectrum Health, and Michigan State University.
This multi-institutional NIH-sponsored effort, led by Dr.
Brundin, investigates the possible role of inflammation of
the placenta in the development of depression in pregnant
women. The goals of the study are to understand the cause
of depression during pregnancy, something that is currently
unknown, and to find biomarkers in the blood to identify
women who are at risk for depression during and after
pregnancy. If we know which women are at risk, they can
be closely monitored during pregnancy for symptoms and
receive prompt support and help. Finally, if we uncover
the trigger of depression in pregnancy, we will be optimally
positioned for developing novel therapies to target the
cause of the disease.
The second clinical study is called the Heart Failure and
Inflammation in Depression (HFIND) study. With Spectrum
Health, we will look at the co-morbidity of cardiovascular
disease and depression. We predict that patients suffering
from heart failure who have a high level of inflammatory
products in their blood will also suffer from depression. Our
hypothesis is that if we treat the inflammation, the patient’s
mood and cardiovascular status will both improve, giving a
doubly beneficial effect.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Ventorp, Filip, Cecillie Bay-Richter, Analise Sauro, Janelidze Shorena, Viktor Sjödahl Matsson, Jack Lipton, Ulrika Nordström, Åsa
Westrin, and Lena Brundin. 2016. The CD44 ligand hyaluronic acid is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of suicide attempters
and is associated with increased blood–brain barrier permeability. Journal of Affective Disorders 193: 349–354.
Bay-Richter, Cecillie, Shorena Janelidze, Analise Sauro, Richard Bucala, Jack Lipton, Tomas Deierborg, and Lena Brundin. 2015.
Behavioural and neurobiological consequences of macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene deletion in mice. Journal of
Neuroinflammation 12: 163.
Bay-Richter, Cecillie, Klas R. Linderholm, Chai K. Lim, Martin Samuelsson, Lil Träskman-Bendz, Gilles J. Guillemin, Sophie
Erhardt, and Lena Brundin. 2015. A role for inflammatory metabolites as modulators of the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate
receptor in depression and suicidality. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 43: 110–117.
CENTER FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE SCIENCE
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