Kronfol Z, Remick D G
Departments of Psychiatry and Pathology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0722, USA.
Am J Psychiatry. 2000 May;157(5):683-94. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.5.683.
This article reviews recent developments in cytokine biology that are relevant to clinical psychiatry.
The authors reviewed English-language literature of the last 15 years that pertains to the biology of cytokines with emphasis on central nervous system effects in general and psychiatric disorders in particular.
Growing evidence suggests that, in addition to providing communication between immune cells, specific cytokines play a role in signaling the brain to produce neurochemical, neuroendocrine, neuroimmune, and behavioral changes. This signaling may be part of a generalized, comprehensive mechanism to mobilize resources in the face of physical and/or psychological stress and to maintain homeostasis. The clinical implications of these findings are far-reaching and include a possible role for cytokines in the pathophysiology of specific psychiatric disorders such as major depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. The effects of cytokines in the central nervous system may provide a possible mechanism for the "sickness behavior" of patients with severe infection or cancer, as well as for the neuropsychiatric adverse effects of treatment with interferons and interleukins.
A better understanding of the role of cytokines in various brain activities will enhance knowledge of specific psychobiological mechanisms in health and disease and provide opportunities for novel treatment interventions.
本文综述了与临床精神病学相关的细胞因子生物学的最新进展。
作者回顾了过去15年中有关细胞因子生物学的英文文献，重点关注其对中枢神经系统的影响，尤其是对精神疾病的影响。
越来越多的证据表明，特定细胞因子除了在免疫细胞之间提供通讯外，还在向大脑发出信号以产生神经化学、神经内分泌、神经免疫和行为变化方面发挥作用。这种信号传导可能是面对身体和/或心理压力时调动资源并维持体内平衡的广义综合机制的一部分。这些发现的临床意义深远，包括细胞因子在特定精神疾病如重度抑郁症、精神分裂症和阿尔茨海默病的病理生理学中可能发挥的作用。细胞因子在中枢神经系统中的作用可能为重症感染或癌症患者的“疾病行为”以及干扰素和白细胞介素治疗的神经精神不良反应提供一种可能的机制。
更好地理解细胞因子在各种脑活动中的作用将增进对健康和疾病中特定心理生物学机制的认识，并为新型治疗干预提供机会。
