TY - JOUR
T1 - What is the role of dietary inflammation in severe mental illness? A review of observational and experimental findings
AU - Firth, Joseph
AU - Veronese, Nicola
AU - Cotter, Jack
AU - Shivappa, Nitin
AU - Hebert, James R.
AU - Ee, Carolyn
AU - Smith, Lee
AU - Stubbs, Brendon
AU - Jackson, Sarah E.
AU - Sarris, Jerome
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Severe mental illnesses (SMI), including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, are associated with increased inflammation. Given diet's role in modulating inflammatory processes, excessive calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient processed food intake may contribute toward the heightened inflammation observed in SMI. This review assesses the evidence from observational and experimental studies to investigate how diet may affect physical and mental health outcomes in SMI through inflammation-related pathways. Cross-sectional studies indicate that individuals with SMI, particularly schizophrenia, consume more pro-inflammatory foods and fewer anti-inflammatory nutrients than the general population. Cohort studies indicate that high levels of dietary inflammation are associated with increased risk of developing depression, but there is currently a lack of evidence for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Randomized controlled trials show that dietary interventions improve symptoms of depression, but none have tested the extent to which these benefits are due to changes in inflammation. This review summarizes evidence on dietary inflammation in SMI, explores the directionality of these links, and discusses the potential use of targeted nutritional interventions for improving psychological well-being and physical health outcomes in SMI. Establishing the extent to which diet explains elevated levels of inflammatory markers observed in SMI is a priority for future research.
AB - Severe mental illnesses (SMI), including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, are associated with increased inflammation. Given diet's role in modulating inflammatory processes, excessive calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient processed food intake may contribute toward the heightened inflammation observed in SMI. This review assesses the evidence from observational and experimental studies to investigate how diet may affect physical and mental health outcomes in SMI through inflammation-related pathways. Cross-sectional studies indicate that individuals with SMI, particularly schizophrenia, consume more pro-inflammatory foods and fewer anti-inflammatory nutrients than the general population. Cohort studies indicate that high levels of dietary inflammation are associated with increased risk of developing depression, but there is currently a lack of evidence for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Randomized controlled trials show that dietary interventions improve symptoms of depression, but none have tested the extent to which these benefits are due to changes in inflammation. This review summarizes evidence on dietary inflammation in SMI, explores the directionality of these links, and discusses the potential use of targeted nutritional interventions for improving psychological well-being and physical health outcomes in SMI. Establishing the extent to which diet explains elevated levels of inflammatory markers observed in SMI is a priority for future research.
KW - Bipolar disorder
KW - Nutrients
KW - Nutrition
KW - Schizophrenia
KW - Vitamin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068227860&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85068227860&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00350
DO - 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00350
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85068227860
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Psychiatry
JF - Frontiers in Psychiatry
SN - 1664-0640
IS - MAY
M1 - 305
ER -