Lymphocyte and Granulocyte Reactions during Sleep... : Psychosomatic Medicine (original) (raw)

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Palmblad, Jan MD; Petrini, Björn MD; Wasserman, Jerzy MD; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn PhD

From The Laboratory for Clinical Stress Research, Karolinska Institute, the Department of Medicine IV, Karolinska Institute at Sbdersjukhuset, and the Central Microbiological Laboratory of Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.

Address reprint requests to: Dr. Jan Palmblad, Laboratory of Clinical Stress Research, Fack, S-10401, Stockholm 60, Sweden.

Received for publication November 6, 1978; revision received January 29, 1979.

Abstract

The possible influence of 48 hr of sleep deprivation on in vitro DNA synthesis of blood lymphocytes and on the adhesiveness and intracellular, stainable activity of alkaline phosphatase in blood granulocytes was studied in twelve young male volunteers. Following the sleep deprivation, all 12 subjects showed marked reductions of DNA synthesis after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. Pre-exposure levels were regained 5 days after terminating the vigil. No changes were noted in granulocyte adherence or alkaline phosphatase activity. The results suggest that sleep deprivation may decrease cell-mediated immune reactions and thereby impair some aspects of host defense.