Lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood from schizophrenic patients

Patients with acute and chronic schizophrenia were examined for T and Fc receptor-bearing lymphocytes in blood by means of rosette techniques. The patients had normal numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The percentage of T lymphocytes in patients with acute schizophrenia was reduced (60 +/-2%) compared with controls (66 +/- 1%) and patients with chronic schizophrenia (67 +/- 3%). The total number of T lymphocytes was significantly decreased in patients with acute schizophrenia had slightly elevated numbers (1,778 +/- 200 cells/mm3, P less than 0.002). The percentage and total numbers of Fc receptor-bearing lymphocytes were normal in both patient groups. Both immune mechanisms and the neuroleptic drug treatment may be of importance for the observed decrease in T lymphocyte numbers in blood from patients with acute schizophrenia.