Altered White Cell Count, Protein Concentration and Oligoclonal IgG Bands in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Many Patients with Acute Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

In a prospective study, an abnormal white cell count and/or elevated protein concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was observed in 14/54 patients (26%) with acute psychiatric disorders, but in none of the 46 control subjects (p < 0.001). In addition, electrophoretic analysis of immunoglobulin G (IgG) showed an oligoclonal pattern in the CSF of 22 psychiatric patients (41 %). No such pattern could be detected in the control group (p < 0.001). These findings reinforce the value of lumbar puncture and CSF analysis in acute psychiatric disorders.

Immunoglobulin and C3 abnormalities in acute psychiatric disorders

“…Two of these patients showed simultaneous oligoclonal CSF IgC bands. Oligoclonal IgG bands analyzed by micro-SDS-PAGE were found in 29 CSF specimens obtained from 22 different patients (41°/"), as previously reported (19).…”

Failure to detect dopamine receptor IgG autoantibodies in sera of schizophrenic patients

“…Abramsky and Litvin (1978) and again Knight (1982) postulated that antidopamine receptor antibodies might be the cause of schizophrenia. Several other studies reported changes in blood and CSF immunoglobulin levels of schizophrenic patients (Solomon et al, 1969;Strahilevitz et al, 1970Strahilevitz et al, , 1976Pulkkinen, 1977;de Lisi et al, 1981;Ahokas et al, 1985;Legros et al, 1985).…”

Current Perspectives on Immunology and Psychiatry

“…In comparison to a control group in which none of these proteins was isolated, Ahokas et a1 [29] reported the presence of oligoclonal bands in 36% of a sample of patients with schizophrenia and 50% of patients with "reactive" psychosis. In contrast, Roos et a1 [30], measuring the same immunological components in the CSF, found no differences amongst patients with schizophrenia or depression and a control group.…”