1. by José E. Ramos
BIOL 3009L
RISE Program: Summer Bridge 2014

2.  What research project will I work?
 Why is it important to know about this problem?
 How will I do this research?

3.  Rheumatoid Arthritis It’s a systemic auto-immune
disease that affects between 0.5% and 1% of the adult
population worldwide.

5.  The immune system is very complex and plays a direct
role in autoimmune diseases (such as autoimmune
hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis).
Structure of the immune
system.

6. Depression
 Depression acts as an inflammatory disorder because
the plasma levels of two cytokines are increased:
 i.e. interleukin-(IL)-6
 tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)
 (Maes, M. 2010, )

7. Lifetime Prevalence
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1MD
D_ADULT.shtml

8. 12-month Prevalence of Depression
Among All U.S. Adults by Sex
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1MDD_ADULT.shtml

9. Hypothesis
 If depression acts as a initial factor in the patient’s
rheumatoid arthritis, then it can be presumed that it
awakens this auto-immunologic disease.

10. Group A(Experimental) Group B (Control)
Female patients that have suffered from
depression .
Female patients that haven’t suffered
from depression.
Are in early stages of arthritis (40 to 45
years of age ).
Are in early stages of arthritis (40 to 45
years of age).
Methodology

11.  Questions in different levels of depression from
different topics (1-3).
 For example:
 Monetary problems
 Self esteem issues
 Relationship woes ( great sorrow and distress)

12.  NIH References about reviewed concepts:
 http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Rheumatic_Disease/
 http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/immunesystem/Pages/default.
aspx
 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.sht
ml
 Spencerc, D., Covica,, T., & Tysonb, G. (2005, September 20).
Depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients: demographic,
clinical, and psychological predictors. . Retrieved June 21, 2014,
from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0022399905004290/1-s2.0-
S0022399905004290-main.pdf?_tid=1dff0c6a-f98d-11e3-8fc1-
00000aab0f26&acdnat=1403387204_ebf20f2709a526af7a014d8b9
945890c

13.  Maes, M. (2010, June 14). Depression is an
inflammatory disease, but cell-mediated immune
activation is the key component of depression. .
Retrieved June 21, 2014, from http://ac.els-
cdn.com/S0278584610002319/1-s2.0-
S0278584610002319-main.pdf?_tid=a8343b8a-
f965-11e3-a12f-
00000aacb361&acdnat=1403370256_60836a6574d2
bb5a14101bea086042a1