The aging of immunity.The aging of immunity Communication between the brain and the immune systemappears to be more complex than many scientists have assumed. For example, in initial studies Steven J. Schleifer of Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is a medical school found in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. and his colleagues found that some immune responses of bereaved men and severely depressed patients are weaker than those of healthy controls (SN: 2/16/85, p. 100). But the same researchers now report that immune measures are far more likely to decline in depressed individuals who are middle-aged or older. Schleifer and his co-workers used two substances to stimulatelymphocyte reproduction among 88 severely depressed patients and 88 healthy controls. Subjects ranged in age from 18 to 80. Depressed patients in their mid-40s and older had a smaller proliferation of lymphocytes than age-matched controls, while younger patients had the same or, in a few cases, greater lymphocyte responses than controls. In addition, the numbers of T-helper cells T-helper cells A cellular component of the immune system that plays a major role in ridding the body of bacteria and viruses, characterized by the presence of the CD4 protein on its surface; the type of cell that divides uncontrollable with CTCL. and natural killer cells natural killer cells, n.pl lymphocytes that are part of innate immunity that kill foreign substances and abnormal tissues. Decreased number or activi-ty has been linked to a number of diseases, including AIDS, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, , two components of the immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. , were markedly lower only among older depressed patients. The most severe cases of depression were associated with lower immune measures at all ages. "We don't know what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. in the immune systems ofdepressed people in relation to age,' says Schleifer. For instance, he explains, depression that begins during adolescence may alter immune function differently than depression that begins during middle age. "There's no simple relationship between immunity and depression,' adds Schleifer. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion