title: Immune variables, depression, and plasma cortisol over time in suddenly bereaved parents.
abstract: Bereavement has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The authors monitored a previously unstudied population, parents who had experienced sudden death of a formerly healthy child, for immunological changes, plasma cortisol level, and depression. Nine bereaved parents were matched case-for-case with nonbereaved controls and concurrently monitored 2, 4, 6, and 8 months post-bereavement. The bereaved parents showed significantly decreased T-suppressor cells, significantly increased T-helper cells, and depression compared with controls, but no difference in cortisol levels. The bereaved also showed nonsignificant but elevated blastogenesis in mitogen-stimulated cells. These changes persisted throughout the first 8 months of bereavement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Spratt
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Denney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D003645:Death, Sudden; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone