Cytokine profiles in drug-naive schizophrenic patients

A large body of evidence concerning immunological abnormalities in schizoph renic patients seems to suggest a role of the immune system in the multifac torial pathogenesis of schizophrenia. We investigated the production of various cytokines [interleukin (IL)-2, IL -4, IL-10, interferon (INF)-gamma] in drug-free (n = 26) and drug-naive (n = 7) schizophrenic patients and in healthy controls (n = 33). Production of IL-2 and INF-gamma was significantly higher (respectively P = 0.021 and P = 0.001) in patients than in controls. These findings provide further evidence that immunological abnormalities ar t: present in some schizophrenic patients. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.