Histamine linked to Depression

Researchers have known for years that high levels of inflammation are generally linked to depression and mood disorders. However, there remained a missing connection that explained what about inflammation that caused this.

Histamine might be that missing link. New research shows that high-levels of histamine presence inhibits the release of serotonin in the brain. What exactly is Histamine? It's the chemical compound in our body that is released to fight off foreign pathogens, regulate our sleep cycle, blood pressure, and sexual function. Histamine is a necessary chemical that allows our body to regulate itself, however, like inflammation, an overbalance/overproduction has a negative impact on the release of serotonin.

In the experiment conducted, scientists used anti-histamine drugs on mice and saw serotonin levels gradually return to normal, healthy levels. The problem with translating this to humans is that histamine is extremely important to our entire bodies, not just our brains. To reduce the amount of histamine across our entire body would result in the loss of some body functions. Like inflammation, these bodily responses still help us live day-to-day, it's just a matter of finding balance: like our own lives!

The article has much more interesting facts and information on the study. Please read all about it here: https://newatlas.com/science/histamine-inflammation-depression-serotonin-brain-imperial-college/