title: Is T-helper type 2 shift schizophrenia-specific? Primary results from a comparison of related psychiatric disorders and healthy controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An imbalance between T-helper type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) cytokines has been implicated in schizophrenia, although empirical evidence is rare. The aim of this study was to examine if a Th1/Th2 imbalance occurs in schizophrenia and schizophrenia-related disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six subjects with schizophrenia, 26 subjects with schizophrenia-related disorders, and 26 healthy controls were recruited. The Human Th1/Th2 Cytokine Cytometric Bead Array Kit-II was utilized to assess serum Th1/Th2 cytokines and ratios simultaneously. MANOVA was used to detect differences among the three diagnostic groups in distinct Th1/Th2 cytokines/ratios. Pearson/Spearman correlations were used to examine the relationships between distinct Th1/Th2 cytokines/ratios and clinical/psychopathological data in schizophrenia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interferon (IFN)-γ/interleukin (IL)-4, IFN-γ/IL-10, IL-2/IL-4, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α/IL-4 ratios were significantly decreased in schizophrenia, but not in schizophrenia-related disorders compared to healthy controls. IFN-γ/IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-10 in schizophrenia subjects positively correlated with age, but not in schizophrenia-related disorder subjects or in healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A clear Th2 shift was observed in schizophrenia, but not in schizophrenia-related disorders. The Th2 shift in schizophrenia appeared to be an aberrant developmental phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taiwan. sonnig.chiang.gluck@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sonnig Sue-Whei
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines