Alexithymia and Tissue Inflammation

• Published in: Psychotherapy and psychosomatics 2011-01, Vol.80 (6), p.359-364
• Main Authors: Honkalampi, Kirsi, Lehto, Soili M., Koivumaa-Honkanen, Heli, Hintikka, Jukka, Niskanen, Leo, Valkonen-Korhonen, Minna, Viinamäki, Heimo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Affective Symptoms - diagnosis; Affective Symptoms - immunology; Affective Symptoms - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cluster Analysis; Depression; Depression - immunology; Depression - pathology; Female; Finland; Health Surveys; Humans; Inflammation - diagnosis; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation - pathology; Interleukin-6 - blood; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Registries; Regular Article
• ISSN: 0033-3190; 1423-0348
• DOI: 10.1159/000327583

Background: Altered immune responses are seen in depression, and recent data suggest that similar changes could also be observable in alexithymia. We examined whether the inflammatory markers high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6 are independently related to alexithymia or its factors in a population-based sample. Methods: This study formed a clinical part of the Kuopio Depression (KUDEP) general population study focusing on the mental health of a general population of adults aged 25–64 years (n = 308). Alexithymia was measured using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21). Results: The levels of IL-6 (in picograms per milliliter) and hs-CRP (in milligrams per liter) were significantly higher in alexithymic than in nonalexithymic subjects (IL-6 effect size, ES: 0.50; hs-CRP ES: 0.27). The BDI scores, hs-CRP and IL-6 explained 33.5% of the variation in TAS scores in the whole study population. According to logistic regression analysis, hs-CRP but not IL-6 increased the likelihood of belonging to the alexithymic group. This observation remained unaltered after additional adjustments for chronic inflammation-related disorders, the use of inflammation-modulating medications and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the association between hs-CRP and alexithymia resembles that observed in depressed patients. It is, however, independent of depressive symptoms. These findings widen our view on the stress-alexithymia concept.