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pjeby comments on The Dirt on Depression - Less Wrong
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I hadn't seen that about depression before, but that many chronic diseases are caused by yet undiscovered infectious agents has been around for a while. There is a good, very readable survey of the idea "Plague Time" by Paul Ewald written in 2000 and 2002 (http://www.amazon.com/Plague-Time-Germ-Theory-Disease/dp/0385721846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247684918&sr=8-1). The idea has been around for decades, but received a new boost when peptic ulcers were shown to be bacterial.
You've completely reversed the idea of the article: this is an infectious agent that cures a chronic disease (depression), rather than causing one. And it's an interesting explanation for why "getting out in nature" might help people be less depressed, besides a change of pace and some sunshine.
Maybe, but "may be in part an inflammatory disorder" suggests that it may be caused by bacterial agents. Ewald made the same point about arterial plaques may be caused by bacteria and that aspirin's effect at reducing heart attacks may be from its anti-inflammatory effects.