2 research outputs found
Schizophrenia patients with a history of childhood trauma have a pro-inflammatory phenotype
Background. Increasing evidence indicates that childhood trauma is a risk factor for schizophrenia and patients with
this syndrome have a pro-inflammatory phenotype. We tested the hypothesis that the pro-inflammatory phenotype in schizophrenia is associated with childhood trauma and that patients without a history of such trauma have a similar immune profile to healthy controls.
Method. We recruited 40 schizophrenia patients and 40 controls, all of whom completed the Childhood Trauma
Questionnaire (CTQ). Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques, we measured peripheral levels
of interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a. These immune parameters were compared in
schizophrenia with childhood trauma, schizophrenia without childhood trauma and healthy controls.
Results. Patients with childhood trauma had higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-a than patients without trauma and
healthy controls, and TNF-a levels correlated with the extent of the trauma. Patients with no trauma had similar
immune profiles to controls.
Conclusions. Childhood trauma drives changes, possibly epigenetic, that generate a pro-inflammatory phenotype