Efficacy of a Functional Therapy Program for Depression and C-Reactive Protein: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: Affecting more than 264 million people, depression is a systemic and multifactorial disorder that represents one of the leading causes of illness and disability worldwide. Several studies showed an inflammatory response in depressed patients, including the involvement of both chronic low-grade inflammatory response and activation of cell-mediated immunity. The present study aimed to verify the efficacy of a structured functional therapy program for patients with depressed mood, and to determine whether this program can significantly reduce levels of C-reactive protein. METHOD: 28 outpatients with depressed mood received 20 individual sessions of Functional therapy. Data about socio-demographic variables, depression, self-esteem, and quality of life were collected; moreover, blood specimens were collected before and after treatment, and CRP measurement was performed by immunoenzymatic method. All measures were administered at baseline, at the end of treatment (i.e., 3 months after baseline), and at follow‐up (i.e., 6 months after baseline). RESULTS: A repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant difference after treatment on depression levels, levels of self‐esteem, and all dimensions of quality of life, such as physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference on levels of CRP was found. Moreover, at follow‐up, improvements were maintained. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed initial evidence of the efficacy of a functional therapy program on treating depression and its psychological and inflammation-related markers.