[aungawa]

For almost three years, a 50-year-old woman has been caring for her mother who is chronically ill with Alzheimer's disease. A recent immunologic assessment of the caregiver daughter found that her

A. Cellular immune system control of latent viruses was poor
B. Percentage of T lymphocytes was high
C. Helper/suppressor ratio was higher than normal
D. Circulating neutrophils were decreased in number
E. Natural killer

 

[drmodi44]

B ??

hmm...nice Q...
suppose caregiver is also suffering from AD...ya but in early stages....
there must be mutation in apoE gene...for early onset of AD....before 65 yrs of age...
normally apo lipoprotein E is involved with many immunological processes, including suppressing T cell proliferation, macrophage functioning regulation, lipid antigen presentation facilitation (by CD1) to natural killer T cell as well as modulation of inflammation and oxidation...
based on this information...i'd go for B. Percentage of T lymphocytes was high

 

[Seetal]

hmm...nice Q...
suppose caregiver is also suffering from AD...ya but in early stages....
there must be mutation in apoE gene...for early onset of AD....before 65 yrs of age...
normally apo lipoprotein E is involved with many immunological processes, including suppressing T cell proliferation, macrophage functioning regulation, lipid antigen presentation facilitation (by CD1) to natural killer T cell as well as modulation of inflammation and oxidation...
based on this information...i'd go for B. Percentage of T lymphocytes was high

hang on.. u said AD suppresses T cell proliferation then u asnwer B? y? how come with decreased T cell growth u can have high T cell %?

 

[drmodi44]

hang on.. u said AD suppresses T cell proliferation then u asnwer B? y? how come with decreased T cell growth u can have high T cell %?

normal apoE suppress t cell proliferation....when it is mutated it is gonna do just opposite... btw m not sure its just my guess...

 

[inder]

I'm a go with A...
I am guessing it is quite a stressful time in her life... exactly what the nasty HHV-3 loves.

Chronic stress --> high cortisol --> weak immune system --> herpes zoster or HSV-1/2 etc

 

[drmodi44]

...

I'm a go with A...
I am guessing it is quite a stressful time in her life... exactly what the nasty HHV-3 loves.

Chronic stress --> high cortisol --> weak immune system --> herpes zoster or HSV-1/2 etc

ya i can be one of possibilities....it seems one of the simplest way to answer... options r too much confusing....i selected B by assuming if caregiver is also suffering from AD...the least likely possibility....)....:redcheeks;....i know B is wrong...let aungawa answer the Q....

 

[just_md]

choice A.

A battery of immunologic assessments found that the caregivers had suppressed immune systems; cellular immune system control of latent
viruses was poorer than that of a matched control group, the percentage of
T lymphocytes was lower, and the helper/suppressor ratio was smaller.

 

[drmodi44]

A is correct...

A is correct...here is one article...
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/49/5/523