Deficient natural killer cell (NK) activity and macrophage functioning in schizophrenic patients

The cytotoxic potential of mononuclear blood cells from 27 chronic schizophrenic patients was evaluated using quantitative measures of natural killer cell activity and macrophage inhibition of tumor cell growth. 44% of the patients had some evidence of deficient in vitro mononuclear cell function which was not correlated with a qualitative or quantitative alteration in the histologic appearance of these peripheral blood cells.