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Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with significant impairment, in part because of comorbidities such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cigarette smoking, and alcohol abuse. Researchers have long debated whether depression and BMD are physiologically linked through endocrine and immune states such as hypercortisolemia and increased production of pro-inflammatory markers (e.g., interleukin-6), which are known to promote bone loss.
To clarify MDD’s effect on BMD, investigators conducted a prospective study of 89 women with a current or recent episode of MDD and 44 healthy controls. All participants (age range, 21–45) were premenopausal; a subgroup of 44 women with MDD was matched with controls based on age and BMI. Plasma cy…