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Neuroimmunological function in parents of children suffering from cancer

Noa Benaroya-Milshtein1, Alan Apter, Isaac Yaniv

  • 1The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, 49202, Petah Tikva, Israel, nbenaroya@gmail.com.

Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)
|October 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Parents of children with cancer experiencing depression show altered immune function, including higher CD8 cell percentages and lower CD4/CD8 ratios. This highlights the significant psychological and physiological impact of cancer on caregivers.

Area of Science:

  • Psychoneuroimmunology
  • Pediatric Oncology

Background:

  • Parental mental health is crucial during childhood cancer treatment.
  • Stress and depression in parents can impact their well-being and potentially their immune system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between depression and immunological function in parents of children with cancer.
  • To assess how stress, depression, and quality of life relate to immune markers in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty-two parents completed questionnaires assessing stress, depression (Beck Depression Inventory II), and quality of life.
  • Blood samples were analyzed for cortisol levels and lymphocyte subgroups (CD4, CD8).
  • Participants were categorized into depressed (DP) and non-depressed (non-DP) groups based on depression scores.

Main Results:

  • Depressed parents (DP) reported significantly higher stress and dysfunction scores.
  • DP group exhibited higher CD8 percentages and lower CD4 percentages and CD4/CD8 ratios compared to non-DP.
  • Depression scores correlated positively with stress/dysfunction and negatively with quality of life and CD4/CD8 ratio.

Conclusions:

  • Parents of children with cancer exhibit high psychiatric morbidity.
  • Depression in these parents is associated with significant alterations in immune function.
  • These findings suggest that stress and depression can physiologically impact immune responses in caregivers.

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