Several recent findings indicate that various interactions between nervous and immune system are important in the pathophysiology of alexithymia. These findings show that a significant role in developing alexithymia may play proinflammatory cytokines. Recent data also indicate that negative emotions related to depressive symptoms and anxiety are related to disturbed levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8). These findings suggest that IL-8 could present also useful immunological marker related to emotional dysregulation in alexithymia. In the present study we have performed psychometric measurement of alexithymia (TAS-20), depression (BDI-II) and anxiety (SAS), and immunochemical measure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum levels of IL-8 in 33 inpatients with non-inflammatory neurological disorders (NIND) (mean age 38.8±12.5). The results show that IL-8 in CSF is significantly correlated with TAS-20 (Spearman R=0.46, p=0.007) and SAS (Spearman R=0.44, p=0.009) but not to BDI-II. The findings of the present study indicate that increased level of IL-8 (in CSF) may be related to symptoms of alexithymia and anxiety in patients with NIND.

Center for Neuropsychiatric Research of Traumatic Stress Department of Psychiatry 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Czech Republic

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'Pseudoneurological' symptoms, dissociation and stress-related psychopathology in healthy young adults