卒中后抑郁症（PSD）影响约三分之一的卒中幸存者，严重影响了总体康复和生活质量。尽管已经进行了大量研究，但导致PSD的确切机制仍然未知。然而，新兴证据表明，促炎细胞因子，包括白介素-1β、白介素-6、肿瘤坏死因子-alpha和白介素-18，在PSD的发展中起到了关键作用。这些细胞因子通过多种机制促进了PSD的发展，包括下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴功能紊乱、神经递质改变、神经营养因子变化、肠道菌群失衡和遗传倾向。本综述旨在探讨细胞因子在卒中和PSD中的作用，并确定它们作为管理PSD的特定治疗靶点的潜力。对调节炎性细胞因子表达和抗炎细胞因子如白介素-10在PSD中的机制有更深入的了解，可能有助于开发创新干预措施，改善患有抑郁症的卒中幸存者的结果。© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Post-stroke depression (PSD) affects approximately one-third of stroke survivors, severely impacting general recovery and quality of life. Despite extensive studies, the exact mechanisms underlying PSD remain elusive. However, emerging evidence implicates proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-18, play critical roles in PSD development. These cytokines contribute to PSD through various mechanisms, including hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, neurotransmitter alterations, neurotrophic factor changes, gut microbiota imbalances, and genetic predispositions. This review is aimed at exploring the role of cytokines in stroke and PSD while identifying their potential as specific therapeutic targets for managing PSD. A more profound understanding of the mechanisms regulating inflammatory cytokine expression and anti-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-10 in PSD may facilitate the development of innovative interventions to improve outcomes for stroke survivors experiencing depression.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.