Determining the association between C-reactive protein and specific depressive symptoms, particularly suicidality, in depressed men and women.

Depressed individuals with inflammation differentially experience specific depressive symptoms (e.g., anhedonia). This hypothesis is untested in large samples of clinically depressed individuals. This project will leverage the large number of depressed individuals in Lifelines to determine whether higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) – an index of systemic inflammation – is associated with higher levels of specific depressive symptoms, particularly suicidality. Further, women exhibit higher levels of inflammatory and report higher levels of somatic symptoms in depression that may be associated with inflammation. We will also therefore investigate whether any association between CRP and depressive symptoms is sex-specific.