Abstract
Evidence from recent animal studies suggest that minocycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic capable of regulating immune processes, may possess antidepressant properties. These studies, however, have yet to be comprehensively reviewed. Accordingly, this systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the extant literature examining the effect of minocycline on depressive-like behavior in rodent models. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for articles that met prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria, and standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated for each continuous measure of depressive-like behavior. The overall effect of minocycline on depressive-like behavior was estimated using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Separate subgroup analyses were conducted on diseased vs healthy animal models, different rodent species, and immobility-based vs anhedonia-based measures of depressive-like behavior. A total of 22 preclinical studies (816 animals) were included. Overall, minocycline reduced depressive-like behavior in rodents (SMD = −1.07, 95% CI −1.41–−0.74, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed that minocycline reduced depressive-like behavior in diseased, but not healthy, animal models. Finally, minocycline was found to reduce both immobility-based and anhedonia-based outcomes. These findings suggest that minocycline may be an effective treatment of core depressive symptoms, and that further investigation of minocycline treatment for clinically relevant depression in humans is warranted.
Highlights
Major depressive disorder is a debilitating form of mental illness that affects approximately 1 in 20 people worldwide1,2
Combining standardized mean differences (SMDs) for the 39 included experimental groups revealed a pooled SMD of −1.07
This systematic review and meta-analysis included 22 preclinical studies, which encompassed a total of 39 independent experimental groups and 816 rodents
Summary
Major depressive disorder is a debilitating form of mental illness that affects approximately 1 in 20 people worldwide. Depression accounts for 7.5% of all years lived with disability worldwide— the greatest disability burden of any single disease2 It is a significant source of mortality via depression-linked suicide, as well as through its association with ischemic heart disease. Many depressed patients do not respond adequately to conventional antidepressant therapy, and even those who do will typically face a high risk of relapse following acute treatment. Many depressed patients do not respond adequately to conventional antidepressant therapy, and even those who do will typically face a high risk of relapse following acute treatment6,9,10 Such findings highlight the continued need for development of novel efficacious depression interventions. Preliminary evidence suggests that some anti-inflammatory drugs may have antidepressant effects comparable to those of conventional pharmacological treatments. A recent meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials found support for an antidepressant effect of minocycline, it is premature to draw any substantive conclusions in light of the limited evidence available
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
