Examination of the relationship between depression and comorbid illnesses suggests a role for the NLRP3 inflammasome that is a sensor of a broad range of danger substances (Schroder and Tschopp, 2010). For example, elevated glucose levels can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, and increase IL-1β, thereby contributing to insulin resistance and the pathology of diabetes (Schroder and Tschopp, 2010; Zhou et al., 2010). The NLRP3 inflammasome is also involved in the innate response to amyloid β, suggesting a role in Alzheimer’s disease (Halle et al., 2008).
