depression as a factor in rheumatoid arthritis disease

by José E. Ramos

BIOL 3009L

RISE Program: Summer Bridge 2014

What research project will I work?

Why is it important to know about this problem?

How will I do this research?

Rheumatoid Arthritis It’s a systemic auto-immune disease that affects between 0.5% and 1% of the adult population worldwide.

The immune system is very complex and plays a direct role in autoimmune diseases (such as autoimmune hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis).

Structure of the immune

system.

Depression Depression acts as an inflammatory disorder because

the plasma levels of two cytokines are increased:

i.e. interleukin-(IL)-6

tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)

(Maes, M. 2010, )

Lifetime Prevalence

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1MD

D_ADULT.shtml

12-month Prevalence of Depression

Among All U.S. Adults by Sex

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1MDD_ADULT.shtml

Hypothesis If depression acts as a initial factor in the patient’s

rheumatoid arthritis, then it can be presumed that it awakens this auto-immunologic disease.

Group A(Experimental) Group B (Control)

Female patients that have suffered from depression .

Female patients that haven’t suffered from depression.

Are in early stages of arthritis (40 to 45 years of age ).

Are in early stages of arthritis (40 to 45 years of age).

Methodology

Questions in different levels of depression from different topics (1-3).

For example:

Monetary problems

Self esteem issues

Relationship woes ( great sorrow and distress)

NIH References about reviewed concepts:

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Rheumatic_Disease/

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/immunesystem/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

Spencerc, D., Covica,, T., & Tysonb, G. (2005, September 20). Depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients: demographic, clinical, and psychological predictors. . Retrieved June 21, 2014, from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0022399905004290/1-s2.0-S0022399905004290-main.pdf?_tid=1dff0c6a-f98d-11e3-8fc1-00000aab0f26&acdnat=1403387204_ebf20f2709a526af7a014d8b9945890c

Maes, M. (2010, June 14). Depression is an inflammatory disease, but cell-mediated immune activation is the key component of depression. . Retrieved June 21, 2014, from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0278584610002319/1-s2.0-S0278584610002319-main.pdf?_tid=a8343b8a-f965-11e3-a12f-00000aacb361&acdnat=1403370256_60836a6574d2bb5a14101bea086042a1