Importantly, low-grade inflammation has been shown to influence not only brain development and function but also neurotransmission, with excellent reviews on the inhibitory effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, on the synaptic availability of monoamines and BDNF, while the same cytokines have been shown to increase extracellular glutamate, all important molecular determinants in MDD pathogenesis and response to treatment (15). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is major depressive disorder.