In major depression, increased kappa and mu opioid receptor levels are associated with immune activation.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that in MDD, immune activation is associated with a simultaneous activation of dynorphin/KOR and β-endorphin/MOR signaling and that these opioid systems may participate in the pathophysiology of depression by a) exerting immune regulatory activities attenuating the primary immune response; and b) modulating reward responses and mood as well as emotional and behavioral responses to stress. PMID: 31753054 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Acta Neuropsychiatrica - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Acta Neuropsychiatr Source Type: research