IL6 and major depressive disorder: However, patients with low blood IL‐6 and high TNF‐α levels responded well to this antidepressant treatment and showed reduced TNF‐α levels, concomitant with a 50% reduction levels in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and in the Montgomery and Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), two clinical tools for MDD diagnosis (Lanquillon et al., 2000).