J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1991; 3:299-306
Copyright © 1991 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
Immune variables, depression, and plasma cortisol over time in suddenly bereaved parents
ML Spratt and DR Denney
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence.
Bereavement has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The
authors monitored a previously unstudied population, parents who had
experienced sudden death of a formerly healthy child, for immunological
changes, plasma cortisol level, and depression. Nine bereaved parents were
matched case-for-case with nonbereaved controls and concurrently monitored
2, 4, 6, and 8 months post-bereavement. The bereaved parents showed
significantly decreased T-suppressor cells, significantly increased
T-helper cells, and depression compared with controls, but no difference in
cortisol levels. The bereaved also showed nonsignificant but elevated
blastogenesis in mitogen-stimulated cells. These changes persisted
throughout the first 8 months of bereavement.
