Cytokine production in unmedicated and treated schizophrenic patients

Recent findings have strengthened the hypothesis that immunological dysfunc tions may contribute towards the multifactorial pathogenesis of schizophren ia. The validity of these findings is questioned by the fact that most stud ied subjects have received potentially immunomodulatory medication upon inv estigation. In order to rule out such confounding effects, 24 initially unm edicated acutely ill schizophrenic patients were studied immunologically an d psychiatrically (PANSS) before and during 4 weeks of neuroleptic treatmen t. The production of IFN-gamma was decreased upon admission and after 2 wee ks of treatment compared to matched healthy controls. No differences in IL- 2 and IFN-gamma production between unmedicated and medicated states were ob served. These results do not support the notion that neuroleptic medication in vivo might influence THI cytokine production in schizophrenia. NeuroRep ort 11:3385-3388 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.