Changes of the Lymphocyte Subset in Major Depressive Disorders and Schizophrenia

Park, Doo Byung

Abstract

An association between immunity and psychiatric diseases such as depression and schizophrenia has been suggested but has not been consistently demonstrated. In the present study immune status of major depressive disorder and schizophrenia has compared with normal controls by investigating the changes in lymphocyte subpopulation. The number of lymphocyte subpopulation was determined by monoclonal antibody staining in conjunction with flow cytometry, and following surface antigens were determined: CD3+(pan T), CD7+(pan B), CD4+(T helper/inducer) and CD8+(T suppressor/cytotoxic). Fifteen untreated depressive patients and schizophrenic patients were examined along with the control who consisted of sixteen healthy volunteers matched by sex and age. The result showed that in the depression patients, number and percent of CD8+ cells were reduced(p<.05) as compared to control, while in the schizophrenic patients, number of CD8+ cells were increased(p<.05) as compared to control. The result also showed variation between sex where in male depressives, the number of CD8+ cells was reduced % compared with male control, while female patients did not show such correlation. In addition, male depressives showed decrease in the number of B cell, compared with female depressives. In the patient group with positive symptoms as measured by PANSS, number and percentage of T cells decreased(p<.05 respectively) while percentage of B cells increased(p<.05) both as compared to control. Furthermore, in contrast with positive correlation found in depression between percentage of lymphocytes and age, a negative correlation was noted in schizophrenias between BPRS and the percentage of lymphocytes, number of CD8+ cell, and the total number of lymphocytes.