Association between inflammatory cytokines and psychosomatic syndromes in patients with mood disorders: a cross-sectional study

This study explored the relationship between inflammation and psychosomatic symptoms in major and bipolar depression. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-6 and TNF-α, were significantly associated with psychosomatic syndromes, especially persistent somatization (PS). These associations remained significant even after adjusting for depressive symptoms and other confounding factors. No moderating effect of sex was found. The findings suggest that inflammation contributes more to psychosomatic symptoms than to mood symptoms alone, highlighting its potential as a clinical and therapeutic target in mood disorders.