Relationship between neural activity and immunity in patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder.
It has been suggested that somatoform disorders are related to both the brain and the immune system, and that immune functions may be influenced by cerebral asymmetry. However, few studies have examined the relationship between brain activity and immune function in somatoform disorders. Thirty-two patients with non-medicated undifferentiated somatoform disorder were enrolled in this study. Blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) were used to measure immunity. Regional cerebral perfusion was measured by 99m-Tc-ethyl cysteinate dimer single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Significant hypoperfusion was found at the left inferior parietal lobule and the left supramarginal gyrus in the more immune-suppressed (MIS) subgroup compared with the less immune-suppressed (LIS) subgroup. However, no regions of significant hyperperfusion were found in the MIS subgroup compared with the LIS subgroup. Decreased cerebral blood flow in the left inferior parietal lobule and the left supramarginal gyrus in the patient group was also significantly associated with reduced blastogenic responses to PHA regardless of sex and age. These results suggest that the left inferior parietal lobule and the left supramarginal gyrus might play an immunomodulating role in patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder. In addition, these results suggest the role of cerebral asymmetry in altered immunity in the patients.
Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea. kbkoh@yuhs.ac
Kyung Bong
KB
Koh
Seok-Han
SH
Sohn
Jee In
JI
Kang
Young-Joon
YJ
Lee
Jong Doo
JD
Lee
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011594:Psychometrics; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D055815:Young Adult
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C059659:technetium Tc 99m bicisate; D003545:Cysteine