Gender-based assessment of tumour necrosis factor – alpha and interleukin – 6 of patients with Schizophrenia in Nigeria
Immune mechanisms play a role in the pathophysiology of this schizophrenia and variations in cytokineconcentrations have been linked to psychopathology and treatment of schizophrenia which is likely to be associatedwith immunological abnormalities; however, antipsychotics may induce immune-modulatory effects. The aim of thestudy is to investigate the changes in serum concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6in schizophrenic patients based ongender. Total study sample of 100 subjects 50 males and 50 females) with schizophrenia were recruited in this studyby stratified random sampling technique. Blood was collected from each subject and levels of cytokines TNF-α andIL-6were measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Comparison of serum level of IL-6 between male andfemale subjects in drug naïve schizophrenic subjects showed no significant difference (P=0.51). Similarly, whenmean serum level of TNF-α was compared between male and female subjects, there was no significant difference(P=0.48). Comparison of serum level of IL-6 between male and female schizophrenic subjects after 6 weekstreatment showed no significant difference (P=0.27). Similarly, when mean serum level of TNF-α was comparedbetween male and female subjects, there was no significant difference (P=0.18).