Question

The APRN would expect to find elevated blood levels of which of the following markers for patients with a diagnosis of depression?

		Proinflammatory cytokines and pH
		Calcium and Cortisol
		Calcium and pH
		Proinflammatory cytokines and cortisol

Answer 1

Ans) Proinflammatory cytokines and cortisol

Explaination:

- Inflammatory cytokines are elevated in medical illness, and are also produced in the gut, in adipose tissue, and both centrally and systemically following stress. Peripheral cytokines can access the brain and activate local CNS inflammatory networks to produce alterations in neurotransmitter function.

- Sustained or chronic stress, in particular, leads to elevated hormones such as cortisol, the "stress hormone," and reduced serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, which has been linked to depression. Loss of any type is a major risk factor for depression.