MULTIPLE BIOCHEMICAL CORRELATES OF MANIC-DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS
Abstract
Several biochemical parameters were investigated in an attempt to elucidate changing patterns of physiologic activity with changes in mood in manic-depressive illness. Two hospitalized rapidly cycling manic-depressive patients underwent daily clinical ratings of mood, daily measurements of blood pressure and weight, and daily 24-hour urine collections for creatinine, 17- hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), kynurenine, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Mean daily excretion was calculated for each variable measured for each clinical phase. The following results were obtained and discussed: (1) Urine volume and creatinine excretion were lower during depression, most likely on the basis of reduced fluid intake. (2) VMA excretion was higher during mania and correlated with level of physical activity. (3) Kynurenine excretion was lower during depression, possibly on the basis of heightened metabolism of kynurenine during depression. (4) IAA excretion was increased during depression, although variations in daily levels during all phases were considerable. The multiple biochemical variables reported suggest both inter-subject and intra-subject differences in patterns of physiologic activity in patients with rapidly cycling mood disorders. The results highlight the difficulty inherent in inferring central mechanisms from the measurement of peripheral variables.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0681625
Entities
People
- Robert T. Rubin