Panic disorder and immunity: Few effects on circulating lymphocytes, mitogen response, and NK cell activity

Altered immune measures are commonly found in major depression (MD), however, less is known about the immune system in anxiety disorders. We examined quantitative and functional in vitro immune measures in patients with panic disorder (PD), which is often comorbid with MD. Fourteen otherwise healthy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain, behavior, and immunity behavior, and immunity, 2002-12, Vol.16 (6), p.698-705
Main Authors: Schleifer, Steven J., Keller, Steven E., Bartlett, Jacqueline A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Agoraphobia
Anxiety disorders
B cells
Cell Division - drug effects
Cell Division - immunology
Concanavalin A - pharmacology
Female
Humans
Immunity
Killer Cells, Natural - cytology
Killer Cells, Natural - immunology
Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects
Lymphocyte Activation - immunology
Lymphocyte Subsets - cytology
Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology
Lymphocytes
Male
Middle Aged
Mitogens
Mitogens - pharmacology
NK cells
Panic disorder
Panic Disorder - immunology
Phytohemagglutinin
Phytohemagglutinins - pharmacology
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Summary:Altered immune measures are commonly found in major depression (MD), however, less is known about the immune system in anxiety disorders. We examined quantitative and functional in vitro immune measures in patients with panic disorder (PD), which is often comorbid with MD. Fourteen otherwise healthy medication-free adults (ages 23–49; 11 female) meeting SCID-UP DSM-IIIR criteria for PD with agoraphobia and without current MD, were compared with 14 subjects free of PD, MD, or other major psychiatric disorders, matched by gender, age, and racial background. PD was associated with decreased percentage (p < :03) and total (p < :03) circulating CD19+ B lymphocytes, but no differences in other enumerative lymphocyte measures. Mitogen responses (Con A, PHA, PWM) did not differ except for possibly decreased PHA in PD (p < :06). NK cell activity did not differ between PD and control subjects. The few immune measure changes in PD contrast with those found in MD, providing further evidence for the specificity of immune changes in psychiatric disorders.
ISSN:0889-1591
1090-2139
DOI:10.1016/S0889-1591(02)00022-3