and low-grade inflammation. Elevations in markers of
inflammation (for example, cytokines, C-reactive protein),
and overwhelm of the normal antioxidant defense system,
are no longer dismissed as mere consequence in emotional
disorders [45]. The burden of oxidative stress and inflammation
is emerging as a viscous cycle that can directly influence
mood, and the combination of the two appears to
be both a cause and a consequence of depression [46,47].
When levels of body-wide inflammatory cytokines are
elevated, they can subsequently signal the production of
inflammatory cytokines within the central nervous system
via microglia activation. Chronic activation of microglia
can compromise neuronal functioning by setting in motion
a cascade of further inflammation and oxidative stress
[48]. The end result may manifest as compromised intra
and extracellular neuronal communication.