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Autoimmune Diseases Linked to Almost Double Risk of Affective Disorders

Chronic inflammation from autoimmune conditions may underlie the association, prompting experts to recommend embedding mental health checks into routine care.

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People with an autoimmune disorder had almost twice the risk of developing an affective disorder
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Overview

  • A UK analysis of 1.5 million participants published June 24 in BMJ Mental Health found that autoimmune disease nearly doubles the odds of depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, with risk increases of 87–97%.
  • Lifetime prevalence of any diagnosed affective disorder reached 29% among those with autoimmune conditions versus 18% in the general population, and rates of depression, anxiety and bipolar were all significantly higher.
  • Women with autoimmune diseases reported affective disorders at 32%, compared to 21% of men with similar physical conditions, suggesting roles for hormonal, chromosomal and immune response differences.
  • Researchers used autoimmune diagnoses as proxies for chronic systemic inflammation due to a lack of biomarker data and acknowledged the study’s observational design cannot confirm causality or the sequence of illnesses.
  • The study’s authors advise routine mental health screening for people with autoimmune conditions, especially women, to enable earlier, tailored interventions.