Positive and negative acute phase proteins in affective subtypes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Immunology

Background:

• Patients with affective disorders exhibit altered levels of acute phase proteins, including elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and decreased transferrin (TFN).
• Previous studies suggest CRP reductions correlate with lithium augmentation response in depression.
• The relationship between systemic immune markers and affective disorder subtypes, mood, and medication remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between affective disorder subtypes and levels of CRP and TFN.
• To explore the influence of psychotropic medications, particularly lithium, on these immune markers.
• To examine how mood state, age, and gender impact systemic immune markers in affective disorders.

Main Methods:

• Assessed CRP and TFN levels in outpatients with bipolar I (n=79), bipolar II (n=24), and unipolar depression (n=46).
• Included a comparison group of 22 healthy controls.
• Analyzed data considering diagnosis, medication, mood state, age, and gender.

Main Results:

• Lithium monotherapy was associated with significantly lower CRP levels.
• A similar trend of reduced CRP was observed in patients taking lithium with antidepressants.
• CRP levels did not significantly differ across psychotropic medications, affective subgroups, or mood states.
• TFN levels were not influenced by diagnosis, mood state, or psychotropic medications.

Conclusions:

• Lithium may play a role in normalizing immune activation in depression.
• The findings suggest lithium's potential impact on systemic inflammation in affective disorders.
• Further research is warranted to determine if these immune changes are specific to lithium-responsive subgroups.