IMMUNITY IN YOUNG-ADULTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Objective: The authors previously found evidence for an age-related as sociation between major depression and altered immunity. The present s tudy was designed to assess a range of immune measures in young adults with major depression. Method: A homogeneous group of 21 unmedicated, ambulatory young adults with unipolar major depressive episode, as de termined with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, were as sessed in comparison with 21 matched nondepressed subjects. An extende d battery of quantitative and functional immune measures was obtained on the same day from depressed-and nondepressed subjects. Results: You ng adult subjects with major depression had more circulating leukocyte s and granulocytes, fewer CD56+ (natural killer [NK]) cells, and, when the number of circulating NK cells was controlled, less NK cell activ ity. Mitogen responses, consistent with the authors previous report, s howed little difference between the young adults with and without majo r depression except for a possibly greater response at the highest dos e of phytohemagglutinin. Conclusions: Major depression in young adults is associated with alterations in aspects of the immune system primar ily involving NK cells. Some but not all of these immune changes diffe r from those found in older depressed adults.