Lower baseline levels of the inflammatory marker interleukin-8 (IL-8) in females, but not males, trended toward predicting a better response to ketamine for depression. In 46 depressed patients receiving a single ketamine infusion, changes in IL-8 over time also differed by sex and treatment response: increasing IL-8 was associated with decreasing depression scores in females, while the opposite pattern appeared in males. Other inflammatory markers showed no significant relationships. These preliminary findings suggest that sex differences in IL-8 may help explain how ketamine works and could guide personalized depression treatment.
A comparison of mindful awareness practices (MAPs) meditation versus Korean-style Tai Chi for home care aides found that both groups improved in depression, insomnia, and negative affect over six weeks. Only the MAPs group showed sustained improvement in negative affect at three-month follow-up. At that point, 75% of MAPs participants continued practicing, compared to 55% of Tai Chi participants. MAPs were deemed more practical and easier to integrate into daily life, leading to their selection for scaling as a benefit for home care aides.