Role of cytokines in atypical depression

Abstract

Background: Atypical depression (AD) is considered a biologically and psychologically distinct subtype of depression. AD, contrary to melancholic depression (MD), may have different alteration in cytokine activity. Aims: We aimed to investigate the differences of cytokine activity between AD patients and MD patients. Among psychiatric patients visited to the Psychiatry Department, Korea University Medical Center, 105 patients with major depression who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) criteria based on clinical interviews using a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV were recruited. Among 105 patients, 35 patients had atypical feature. We measured in vitro cytokines (interleukins) IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Results: Decreased IL-4 and increased IL-2 was observed in AD patients. IL-6 and TNF-alpha level of AD patients showed no difference from the controls. Conclusions: Contrary to MD, AD has reversed vegetative symptoms, i.e. hypersomnia and hyperphagia. It is assumed that the phenotype difference between AD and MD might be related to Th1 cytokines (IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4) and not related to monocytic cytokines (IL-6, and TNF-alpha).