Mapping brain connections to inflammatory networks in depression identifies sex-specific neuroimmune networks and neurobiological subtypes

The research focused on understanding the relationship between inflammatory markers and brain connections in patients with depressive disorder. The study included 211 people with depressive disorder and 122 healthy controls from the CANBIND1 dataset. Using gene co-expression network analysis, researchers identified clusters of inflammatory markers and measured brain tissue microstructure using diffusion MRI. They found that networks of peripheral inflammatory markers are related to specific depressive symptoms and are associated with MRI metrics of brain tissue, particularly the correlated diffusion index. These associations were more pronounced in gray matter than white matter and stronger in females than in males. The research suggests that sex-specific networks of inflammatory markers exist and are linked to different biological subtypes of depression.