Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents
Published on: December 2, 2015
Depressive symptoms and C-reactive protein: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study
1, Marko Elovainio, Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen
1Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Background:
We tested the hypothesis that depressive symptoms in healthy young adults would be associated with elevated levels of C-reactive proteins (CRP).
Method:
We studied the association between depressive symptoms and CRP in 1201 young adults, as a part of the on-going population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Depressive symptoms were determined by responses to a revised version of Beck's Depression Inventory in 1992 and 2001. CRP and other known cardiac risk factors were measured in 2001.
Results:
Higher depressive symptomatology in 1992 and in 2001 and their means score were related to higher CRP levels (B's range from 0.24 to 0.21, p < 0.001). These relationships persisted after separate adjustments for various risk factors including sex, age, education, oral contraceptive use, dietary fat, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and history of acute infectious disease. Adjustments for obesity and triglycerides levels, however, somewhat attenuated the relationship between depressive symptoms and CRP.
Conclusions:
We concluded that higher levels of depressive symptoms are associated with higher levels of CRP, but this association may largely be attributable to obesity or triglycerides.
Related Concept Videos
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
G-protein Coupled Receptors
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction