FLUOXETINE TREATMENT ALTERS LEUKOCYTE TRAFFICKING IN THE INTRATHECAL COMPARTMENT OF THE YOUNG PRIMATE

To evaluate possible long-term effects of exposure to monoarainergic d rugs, blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from adolescent monkeys that had been treated with desipramine and fluoxeti ne in infancy. This evaluation focused on the number and type of leuko cytes in CSF as a reflection of cell trafficking in the intrathecal co mpartment. Monkeys administered fluoxetine 2 years prior to the sample collection evinced significantly higher numbers of leukocytes in CSF than did either control or desipramine-treated subjects. The elevated cell count was accounted for primarily by increased numbers of CD4+ an d CD8+ lymphocytes. The finding of higher cell numbers in CSF was repl icated in a second sample from the fluoxetine-treated monkey obtained 1.5 years later. Because the cell profile in blood was unaffected by t he prior drug treatments, these observations indicate a need for furth er study of serotonergic influences on regulation of the intrathecal c ompartment in the developing individual.