ABSTRACT
Background: there are conflicting findings about relationship between depression and anger with immunological parameters
Objective: to investigate the relationship between anger patterns and immune system in depressed patients
Methods: thirty-five patients with major depressive disorder were selected according to DSM-IV criteria. The Hamilton Depression Scale and Spielberger Anger questionnaires were used to determine severity of depression and "anger expression pattern", respectively. The control group without a previous history of mental illness was also selected. In the group of patients with moderate depression, serum IgA levels and NK cell percentage were measured
Results: mean differences of all types of "anger expression pattern", including; "state-trait anger", "anger expression out", "anger expression in", "anger control out" and "anger control in", between study and control groups, were statistically significant [p<0.05]. Difference in mean serum levels of IgA in either group was not significant [p=0.9], but the mean difference was significant in terms of NK-cell percentage in both groups [p=0.04]. There was no significant relationship between IgA levels and percentage of NK-cell with all types of "anger expression pattern" in both groups. Only in the control group, IgA had significant correlation with Anger control out [p=0.04]
Conclusion: moderately depressed patients versus control group had higher Spielberger scores in all types of anger expression pattern except anger controlout and anger control-in. We found no evidence supporting the relationship between" anger expression pattern" and IgA levels and NK cell percentage; however, it seems that depression itself causes reduced number of NK cells and increased IgA levels
ABSTRACT
Background: major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood that is accompanied by low self-esteem and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Depression is associated with multiple immunological disorders. Aim of the present study was to determine correlation between percentage of circulating NK cells and major depressive disorder
Materials and Methods: patients older than 18 years with the desire to participate were enrolled in this study. For depression evaluation, we used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and for determination of percentage of NK cells in peripheral blood, flow cytometry method was used
Results: our results showed that in patients with major depressive disorder, numbers of circulating NK cells have significantly reduced
Conclusion: according to our findings, depression is associated with "immune suppression". NK cells are important in early phase of immunological surveillance versus viral infections and tumors. Indeed, depressive patients are susceptible to cancers and infections