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Significant alterations in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with somatoform disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Francisco Pedrosa Gil ,
Markus J Schwarz ,
Norbert Müller ,
Marius Nickel ,
Nathan Ridout  and
Ralf Schmidmaier
Francisco Pedrosa Gil*
Affiliation:
Psychosomatic Out-Patient Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine Innenstadt, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Markus J Schwarz
Affiliation:
Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Norbert Müller
Affiliation:
Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Marius Nickel
Affiliation:
University Clinic for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical University Graz, Bad Aussee, Austria
Nathan Ridout
Affiliation:
Clinical and Cognitive Neurosciences Institute, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
Ralf Schmidmaier
Affiliation:
Department of Haematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine Innenstadt, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
*
Francisco Pedrosa Gil, MD, Psychosomatic Out-patient-Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine Innenstadt; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Pettenkoferstrasse 10, D-80336 Munich, Germany. Tel: +49 89 5160 3572; Fax: +49 89 5160 4751; E-mail: francisco.pedrosa.gil@med.uni-muenchen.de
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Abstract

Objective:

Previous studies have suggested that somatoform disorders (SFD) might be associated with changes in the function of the central and autonomic nervous systems. The aim of this study was to examine the possible immunological differences between SFD and healthy controls.

Methods:

Twenty-four patients with SFD and 13 healthy individuals completed the psychological questionnaires to assess symptom reporting [Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R)] and to diagnose for SFD [Screening for Somatoform Symptoms scale (SOMS-scale)]. Participants also provided a blood sample taken in the morning, which was analysed with an automated cell counter to determine the number of leucocytes per μl and with flow cytometry to determine lymphocyte subsets.

Results:

With the exception of a higher T4/T8 ratio in the patient group, which was mainly because of lower CD8 counts, there were no significant differences in the absolute number of lymphocytes (subsets) between patients with SFD and healthy subjects. A positive correlation between B-lymphocyte subsets (CD19+CD22+, CD19+CD5+, CD19+CD3−) to all scales of the SCL-90-R, except somatisation, were found in SFD. Additionally, a positive correlation was found in SFD between CD14+CD16+ monocytes and somatisation (0.573) on the SCL-90-R scale.

Conclusion:

These data indicate that patients with SFD have an enhanced humoral immunity as shown by increased B-cell numbers and furthermore an elevated T4/T8 ratio because of lower CD8 suppressor cells. Further studies will be required to determine whether these alterations in lymphocyte subsets are directly involved in the pathophysiology of SFD.

Keywords

comorbiditydepressionpsychoneuroimmunologypsychiatric disorders
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 19 , Issue 6 , December 2007 , pp. 368 - 375
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard

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