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From health locus of control to immune control: internal locus of control has a buffering effect on natural killer cell activity decrease in major depression
Author(s) -
Reynaert C.,
Janne P.,
Bosly A.,
Staquet P.,
Zdanowiez N.,
Vause M.,
Chatelain B.,
Lejeune D.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1995.tb09585.x
Subject(s) - locus of control , immune system , lymphocyte , immunity , depression (economics) , psychology , psychoneuroimmunology , cellular immunity , coping (psychology) , neuroimmunology , natural killer cell , immunology , physiology , clinical psychology , medicine , developmental psychology , biology , genetics , cytotoxic t cell , in vitro , economics , macroeconomics
Decreased immunity in depressive as compared with control subjects has been well documented, although some depressed patients have severe alterations whereas others have milder ones or not at all. Since for equal severities of depression, there may be individual differences in the degree of perceived control over one's condition, we investigated the interaction of perceived control with immunological variations. Immune function (T and B lymphocytes, lymphocyte proliferation and natural killer cell activity (NKCA)) were evaluated in 34 adult major depressives and in 18 healthy controls. Lymphocyte proliferation did not differ between the two groups, but NKCA was significantly lower in the depressed patient group. Among the depressed subjects, those who experienced less subjective control also showed significantly lower NKCA. An internal locus of control appears to act as a buffer against the decrease in cellular immunity observed in major depression. Further studies should focus on methods of coping and on degree of perceived control rather than on diagnostic and nosographic variables alone.