Spilliaert Quentin and Reynaertt Christine
Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium
Dinant Godinne University Hospital, Belgium
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Psychol Psychother
Research on MDD involving inflammation and immunity is currently in full stride. Stakes are multiple: Better understanding of MDD physiopathology, discovery of MDD biological markers, and finding new therapeutic avenues. It has been demonstrated that specific 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 inflammation 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 flow cytometry in order to analyze lymphocytes balance. As a result, we are able to show several significant 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.
Spilliaert Quentin has completed his Medicine studies from Catholic University of Louvain and has just started Doctoral studies on the Gut-Brain Axis in Major Depressive Disorder. Besides, he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Philosophical Sciences.
Email: spilliaertq@gmail.com
