79. Mood and cognitive disturbances in seasonal allergic rhinitis: Association with parameters of disease and inflammation

Abstract

Patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) frequently complain about declines in mood and cognitive performance during phases of acute allergic inflammation. The underlying mechanisms leading to those impairments, however, are still a matter of debate. The present study was designed to investigate the association between altered mood and cognition in SAR patients and allergic inflammatory parameters. In SAR patients ( n = 41) and non-allergic healthy controls ( n = 42) memory and attention performances as well as self-reported depression and anxiety were evaluated during and out of a symptomatic allergy phase (e.g. pollen season). To determine the impact of disease parameters on mood and cognition, symptom severity, total-IgE levels and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) were assessed. Results showed that SAR patients experience a significant increase in depression and anxiety symptomatology during pollen season. Additionally, aspects of memory and attention performance were impaired. Depressive mood and state anxiety during allergy season were significantly associated with total-IgE levels, while no association with symptom severity could be observed. Analyses of cytokine data are currently under way and will be presented at the meeting. The present findings suggest impaired mood and cognition in patients suffering from acute SAR which may be linked rather to immunological (inflammatory) processes than to SAR symptomatology.