Abstract

Background: Common childhood neuropsychiatric disorders are treated with multiple categories of psycho-active agents. Adverse side effects of psychotropic pharmacotherapeutics range from expected neuro-psychiatric changes to allergic reactions and immunologic abnormalities.

Objective: This review focuses on the immune system effects of common categories of medications used to treat neuro-psychiatric and behavioral disorders.

Method: Narrative review of literature using PubMed database up to May 10, 2017.

Results: Multiple neuro- and psycho-tropic medication classes are found to influence the function of the immune system in various ways, both in the direction of immune suppression and immune stimulation.

Conclusion: Immunologic activity of these medications in the frame-work of now wellestablished role of inflammation in neuro-psychiatric diseases should continue to be defined. At the same time, clinicians are advised to pay attention to potentially detrimental immune suppression that may be associated with some of these medications, and consider iatrogenic etiology in patients presenting with undue susceptibility to infection.

Keywords: Inflammation, immune, psychotropic, psychopharmacology, psychiatric, immunodeficiency.

Graphical Abstract