Contemporary adolescent depression: Multidimensional analysis from neurobiological, psychological, and social integrative perspectives

Figure 3 Inflammatory factor mechanisms in depression: A vicious cycle model. This diagram illustrates the relationship between inflammatory factors and depression severity, showing that pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6) are positively correlated with depression symptoms while anti-inflammatory factor (interleukin-10) is significantly decreased. These inflammatory imbalances create a vicious cycle through various biological mechanisms including neurotransmitter dysregulation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction, ultimately maintaining and worsening depressive symptoms. IL: Interleukin; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; HPA: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal.