title: A preliminary report on anti-depressant therapy and its effects on hope and immunity.
abstract: Psychological states such as bereavement and depression have been associated with suppression of the immune response. The authors present a pilot study utilizing the anti-depressant, maprotiline hydrochloride (Ludiomil) to determine its effects on the mental depression and immune reactions of T&B lymphocytes in patients with neurotic depression (dysthymic disorder by DSM III). Hope scores, derived from the content analysis of verbal samples, and Beck depression scores were examined as they covaried with various indices of immune response before and 3 months after the patients were administered either maprotiline or no anti-depressant medication. Although the study did not provide definitive findings regarding improved response following treatment of depressed patients with maprotiline hydrochloride, it did suggest further avenues of research for investigation.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008376:Maprotiline