Depression Symptoms in Multiple Sclerosis Patients – the Role of IL1B

Background: Depression is a frequent condition in autoimmune diseases (AID), such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Its prevalence is higher than in the general population. The etiology of depression is still unknown, but biochemical, genetic and social factors are acknowledged to contribute to its development. It has been reported that depressed individuals present higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL1B).