Neuroimmunological function in parents of children suffering from cancer

Noa Benaroya-Milshtein*, Alan Apter, Isaac Yaniv, Oded Yuval, Boaz Stern, Yael Bengal, Yona Kodman, Eliya Shemer, Chaim Gideon Pick, Ilana Buchval, Avi Valevski

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between depression and immunological function in parents of children with cancer. Thirty-two parents participated in the study. The parents completed the following assessments: a list of major stressful events in a Hemato-Oncology ward, beck depression inventory II (BDI-II), posttraumatic diagnostic scale (PDS) and quality of life (QOL) questionnaire. A single blood sample was drawn from parents for evaluation of cortisol levels and lymphocyte cell subgroups. The parents were divided into two groups: Those who suffered from depression as defined by BDI-II cutoff score of 14 (depressed parents (DP), n = 7), and non-depressed parents (non-DP, n = 25). In parents of children with cancer the DP group had statistically significantly higher stressful event scores, dysfunction scores (from the PDS) and CD8 percentage compared to the non-DP group. QOL, CD4 percentage and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly lower in the DP group. The BDI scores significantly positively correlated with events and dysfunctional scores, and significantly negatively correlated with QOL scores and CD4/CD8 ratio. High psychiatric morbidity was found in parents of children with cancer. The findings of altered immunity in DP provide further evidence that the physiological response to stress and depression may alter immune functions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)299-306
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Neural Transmission
Volume121
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2014

Funding

FundersFunder number
Israel Cancer Association and Oncology Memorial Fund

    Keywords

    • CD4/CD8
    • Cortisol
    • Depression
    • Neuroimmunological function
    • Parents
    • Pediatric cancer

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