Interleukin-1β plasma levels are associated with depression in temporal lobe epilepsy

Inflammatory mediators such as cytokines are likely to contribute to the pathophysiology of epilepsy. Proinflammatory cytokines are also associated with mood disorders, such as major depression. As people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are at an increased risk of mood disorders, we attempted to evaluate peripheral levels of IL-1β in people with TLE with depression and people with TLE without depression and in healthy controls. In a cross-sectional study, we compared three groups: 21 people with TLE without depression (TLE D. -), 18 people with TLE with depression (TLE D. +), and 31 controls without depression. A structured clinical interview (MINI-Plus) was used to diagnose current depression, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to quantify depressive symptoms. Plasma levels of IL-1β were significantly higher in people with TLE with depression than in controls (p = 0.004) or people with TLE without depression (p = 0.006). Interleukin-1beta levels positively correlated with HAM-D scores (Spearman's rho = 0.381, p = 0.017) in people with TLE. Higher levels of IL-1β in TLE seem to be associated with depression.