title: Role of cytokines in atypical depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atypical depression (AD) is considered a biologically and psychologically distinct subtype of depression. AD, contrary to melancholic depression (MD), may have different alteration in cytokine activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the differences of cytokine activity between AD patients and MD patients. Among psychiatric patients visited to the Psychiatry Department, Korea University Medical Center, 105 patients with major depression who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) criteria based on clinical interviews using a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV were recruited. Among 105 patients, 35 patients had atypical feature. We measured in vitro cytokines (interleukins) IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreased IL-4 and increased IL-2 was observed in AD patients. IL-6 and TNF-α level of AD patients showed no difference from the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to MD, AD has reversed vegetative symptoms, i.e. hypersomnia and hyperphagia. It is assumed that the phenotype difference between AD and MD might be related to Th1 cytokines (IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4) and not related to monocytic cytokines (IL-6, and TNF-α).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ho-Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Yong-Ku
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Heon-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Do-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D018417:Th1 Cells; D018418:Th2 Cells; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4