The effect of proinflammatory cytokines in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

- Depression is associated with deregulation of immune system.
- CBT was more effective than NCT regarding the severity of depressive symptoms.
- CBT decreased serum levels of IL-6 to post-intervention.
- CBT decreased serum levels of TNF-α to post-intervention.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating disorder and its pathophysiology is associated with deregulation of the immune system. We investigated the changes in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines (specifically IL-6 and TNF-α) measured by the ELISA kit in two psychotherapeutic interventions for MDD: Narrative Cognitive Therapy (NCT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This is a randomized clinical trial including 97 individuals (18 to 29 years-old) with MDD. In CBT there was a significant difference in serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, therefore indicating that CBT was more effective than NCT on serum levels proinflammatory cytokines.