# I Need Help Debunking An Article Claiming That Depression Is An Allergic Reaction **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212 "2015-06-10T22:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/1 "2015-06-10T22:42:11Z")
> **[Depression Medication: Types, Side Effects, and More](https://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/guide/medications/)** > > Depression medications work in different ways, with most acting on mood-regulating brain chemicals. People may respond better to some than others. > [@](#): > > And there’s another theory has been lurking in the background for quite awhile, but is finally gaining the trust and attention of the public: that depression is an allergic reaction to inflammation. Basically the linked article (which was e-mailed to me by a well-meaning relative) hits all my bullshit buttons. The author’s linked biography gives a bunch of writing credits, not scientific credentials nor a list of diagnoses. The article uses a lot of weasel words- a study “suggests” so and so, something is “associated” with so and so. There’s also the hint that Big Pharma knows the truth, but suppresses it to make money. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/2 "2015-06-10T22:52:43Z")
What is an “allergic reaction to inflammation”? Inflammation isn’t a substance. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/3 "2015-06-10T22:54:54Z")
I think I forgot to ask a factual question. So, here it is- The hypothesis put forward in the linked article is pseudoscientific quackery, right? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/4 "2015-06-10T22:59:50Z")
Depression is a reaction to a reaction? It’s really kind of hard to debunk something like this. I mean, it sounds like total bullshit not even worth debunking but even if true, so what? I would ignore it but then I’m not only depressed, I’m apathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/5 "2015-06-10T23:38:56Z")
See, this is why the burden of proof is on the person making the claim. It’s entirely possible nobody’s ever actually studied this. It’s just one more piece of BS thrown out by people who have no idea how anything works, and therefore have a greater facility of invention than people constrained by facts and logic. The woo-woos can create a thousand claims like these in the time it would take the real world to begin to investigate one of them, so spending time debunking each of them separately isn’t worth it unless a specific, testable piece of idiocy becomes especially prevalent. Anyway, I looked at the article, and [it’s all about the work of Mark Hyman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hyman_(doctor)), who thinks vaccines cause autism. Yep, he’s _that_ crazy. [Salon.com did a take-down of the specific book the website mentioned.](http://www.salon.com/2009/03/12/mark_hyman/) It isn’t a peer-reviewed journal with a list of citations as long as your arm and more post-nomials in the author block than you’ve had hot meals, but Salon articles are faster to write and, as I said, creating a new research paper taking down every single piece of woo is physically impossible due to the fact it’s vastly simpler to make shit than it is to clean it up. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/6 "2015-06-11T00:18:31Z")
The author doesn’t understand the meaning of: inflammation. allergic reactions. depression. logic. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/7 "2015-06-11T01:09:22Z")
Why are you starting with the assumption that the conclusion is false and then working backwards to justify that belief? > **[Severe depression linked with inflammation in the brain](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288715)** > > A new study claims to be the first to find 'definitive evidence' of an association between brain inflammation and major depression. > **[Study links brain inflammation triggered by chronic pain to anxiety and...](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150609213337.htm)** > > Brain inflammation caused by chronic nerve pain alters activity in regions that regulate mood and motivation, suggesting for the first time that a direct biophysical link exists between long-term pain and the depression, anxiety and substance abuse... [http://discovermagazine.com/2014/julyaug/9-depressions-dance-with-inflammation](http://discovermagazine.com/2014/julyaug/9-depressions-dance-with-inflammation) ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/8 "2015-06-11T01:26:17Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Why are you starting with the assumption that the conclusion is false and then working backwards to justify that belief? > > [Depression: Causes, symptoms, treatment, and more](http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288715.php) > > [Study links brain inflammation triggered by chronic pain to anxiety and depression | ScienceDaily](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150609213337.htm) > > [http://discovermagazine.com/2014/julyaug/9-depressions-dance-with-inflammation](http://discovermagazine.com/2014/julyaug/9-depressions-dance-with-inflammation) There’s a huge difference between “depression is caused by an allergic reaction to inflammation” and “there is a correlation between depression and inflammation”. “Allergic reaction” in this context is complete and utter nonsense, not even wrong. And, say it with me, correlation is not causation. It’s possible that depression causes inflammation in the brain, or something else causes both. Furthermore, even if inflammation can cause depression, given the many possible factors linked to depression it’s certainly not the sole cause for all people. Also, if you read the third link, it clearly describes clinical trials where anti-inflammatory drugs were tested to treat depression. For some blocking inflammation seemed to reduce symptoms of depression, but for others it actually prolonged depression. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/9 "2015-06-11T01:34:48Z")
Those articles discuss a connection between depression and inflammation in the brain, for something like 30% of depression sufferers (45% for those who don’t respond to anti-depressants). What I don’t see is anything that makes sense of the assertion that depression is an _allergic_ reaction to that inflammation. That’s the part that doesn’t make sense; it seems, in fact, completely unnecessary. So the part that seems loony is not the connection between depression and inflammation, it is the insertion of the concept of “allergy” as some kind of intermediary mechanism, where it is not needed and makes no sense. eta: I need to type faster. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-debunking-an-article-claiming-that-depression-is-an-allergic-reaction/722212/10 "2015-06-11T02:22:47Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Why are you starting with the assumption that the conclusion is false and then working backwards to justify that belief? I explained in my OP why I felt the article’s conclusion was false. I also know from experience that if I’m wrong, Dopers will correct me. Your first two links just mention a possible link between inflammation and depression. The third link is stronger IMO, but it just says “may” and ‘possible link’. Then there’s the problem of a study finding that the subjects on placebo did better than those on an anti-inflammatory. So, I’m sticking with “The article I linked to is crap.”