Review Article

Comorbidity Factors and Brain Mechanisms Linking Chronic Stress and Systemic Illness

Figure 1

Bidirectional relationship between systemic illness and psychiatric disorders. Physical and/or psychological stress associated with systemic illness can lead to activation of immune response system resulting in increased local and systemic release of proinflammatory cytokines. Increased levels of inflammatory mediators in the CNS are potentially key contributors to the damaging cellular and morphological adaptations that underlie development of comorbid mental illness.