CHANGES OF IMMUNOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS AFTER ACUTE EXACERBATION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

We investigated the changes of immunological functions in 14 schizophr enic patients (DSM-Ill-R; six men and eight women) who were hospitaliz ed due to acute exacerbation of schizophrenia. The following immunolog ical functions were studied on admission, 4 and 8 weeks after admissio n: serum immunoglobulins (Ig)G, A, and M; serum complement CH50; lymph ocyte responses to mitogens (phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and p okeweed mitogen); lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3%, 4%, 8%, 16%, 20%, 2 5%, and 56%); and natural killer cell (NK) activity. Psychological sta tus of the patients, which was assessed by using Brief Psychiatric Rat ing Scale, improved gradually after admission. Changes in immune funct ions were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and a randomized block analysis of variance with multiple comparison. NK activity on a dmission was significantly lower than those at 4 and 8 weeks after adm ission (p < .03). Serum IgG levels on admission and at 4 weeks after a dmission were significantly decreased as compared with those at 8 week s after admission (p <.05); they were also lower than those in control s (p < .05). CD56% on admission and CD25% 4 weeks after admission were significantly increased as compared with controls (p <.05). These res ults indicate that several immunological functions might change relate d to time course after acute exacerbation. It is suggested that clinic al conditions be carefully taken into consideration to evaluate immuno logical studies in schizophrenia.