Spilliaert Quentin
Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium
Title: Psychosomatic regard on major depressive disorder (MDD): Family dynamics infl uences immunity in depressed patients
Biography
Biography: Spilliaert Quentin
Abstract
Research on MDD involving infl ammation and immunity is currently in full stride. Stakes are multiple: Better understanding of
MDD physiopathology, discovery of MDD biological markers, and fi nding new therapeutic avenues. It has been demonstrated
that specifi c cytokine plasmatic patterns are correlated with depressive symptoms. Lymphocyte populations have also been discovered
to be unbalanced in MDD patients and well-known chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in MDD has been
proved to have an impact on infl ammation and on the immune system. Hormones, cytokines, and lymphocytes balance appear to be
interacting and to work together in order to be underlying components of a sustained MDD. At the same time, it is widely accepted
that family dynamics constitute an important factor in the advent of MDD. Our aim in this study is to assess the possibility of a
statistical link between family dynamics and immunity in MDD patients. For this purpose, we prepared questionnaires assessing
depressive symptomatology and family dynamics in a MDD population. We also performed a fl ow cytometry in order to analyze
lymphocytes balance. As a result, we are able to show several signifi cant correlations between family dynamics, MDD symptomatology,
and immunity. We believe that it opens new perspectives in the understanding of the impact of family determinants on the immune
system and improve the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune theory of depression.