Research progress in inflammation and reward mechanisms and traditional Chinese medicine regulation of depression

This paper summarizes the pathogenesis of impaired inflammation and reward function in depression with the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Depression has become one of the most common severe psychiatric disorders. The midbrain DA system includes the dopaminergic (DAergic) center of the VTA and several inner brain regions, including NAc, PFC, hippocampus, etc., which are often found to have abnormal functions in depression. Inflammatory mechanisms of depression, including cytokines and other inflammation-related mechanisms. Studies also found that inflammation can promote depression by affecting reward function. Depression belongs to the categories of “stagnation disease” in TCM, with syndromes of TCM, including liver depression and qi stagnation, liver stagnation with spleen deficiency, qi stagnation transforming into fire, intermingled phlegm and qi, deficiency of the heart and spleen, as well as kidney deficiency and liver stagnation. TCM regulates inflammation and reward function that ameliorates depression. This summary provides new perspectives and approaches for the treatment of depression.