Immediate gratification refers to the desire for and pursuit of instant pleasure or satisfaction without considering or prioritizing long-term consequences. It involves seeking immediate rewards or benefits rather than delaying gratification for greater but delayed outcomes.

Immune cells are the active components of the immune system and belong to the white blood cell (WBC) category. They provide immunity to the host by protecting them from bacterial and viral infection and destroying the pathogen that enters the body.

The immune system is the complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against foreign invaders such as pathogens and maintain overall health.

Incentive salience is a motivational property assigned by the brain to a stimulus, making it attract  attention of the individual and and ‘wanted’. According to Incentive Salience Theory of Addiction, this wanting is independent of whether the person likes the stimulus.

Incentive Sensitization is a theory proposing that repeated exposure to a rewarding stimulus—such as drugs or palatable food—leads to enhanced sensitivity of the brain’s dopaminergic systems to associated cues. This heightened sensitivity results in the exaggerated attribution of incentive salience, meaning that these cues become increasingly attention-grabbing and “wanted,” even if the actual hedonic pleasure (“liking”) derived from the reward remains the same or diminishes.

Incretins are gut-derived hormones released in response to food intake and are primarily responsible for metabolic functions such as stimulating insulin secretion and maintaining glucose homeostasis (Saini et al., 2015).

Inflammasomes are large protein complexes that play a central role in the immune system’s response to infections and cellular stress. Inflammasomes are formed in response to specific signals and trigger the activation of inflammatory pathways by releasing proinflammatory molecules, specifically cytokines.

Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritants involving immune cell activation and the release of signaling molecules. Chronic inflammation can lead to tissue damage and is linked to various diseases.

Inflammatory depression refers to a subtype of depression where systemic chronic inflammation contributes to the condition’s onset and persistence. Studies suggest that around one-quarter of individuals with depression may experience this form, with higher baseline inflammation linked to poorer responses to standard antidepressant treatments. This distinction may allow for more targeted treatment approaches.

The involuntary or voluntary ability to withhold behavior. This capacity is generally considered an executive function at the voluntary level.