NFKB1 and major depressive disorder: In addition, curcumin demonstrated the ability to reduce depression-like behavior and neuronal apoptosis by downregulating the IL-1β/p38 MAPK pathway in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex of rats.[56] Further studies by Wang et al[57] demonstrated that curcumin has the ability to inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial activation, the NF-κB signaling pathway, and the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines.