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Biomedical subjects

B Shopsin

Publications and source records attributed to B Shopsin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Parachlorophenylalanine reversal of tranylcypromine effects in depressed patients.

Hospitalized bipolar and unipolar endogenously depressed patients who showed an antidepressant response to the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, tranylcypromine sulfate, relapsed (ie, depression returned) when relatively small doses of parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA) were added for brief periods. Considered together with our findings that PCPA similarly reversed the antidepressant effects of the tricyclic drug, imipramine hydrochloride, implications are (1) serotonergic mechanisms are likely involved in the antidepressant effects of both the tricyclic drugs and MAO inhibitors in man and (2) this indolamine may also play a role in the endogenous clinical state of depression.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Genetics of affective disorders. I. Familial incidence study of bipolar, unipolar and schizo-affective illnesses.

47 affectively ill psychiatric patients and their first-, second- and third-degree relatives were investigated by means of an interview and pedigree analysis to determine the incidence of psychiatric illness in their families. The percentage of psychiatric illness appeared greatest in families of bipolar and schizo-affective probands and least in families of unipolar depressives. In addition, we observed that often within a particular family constellation, more than one type of psychiatric illness (i.e., bipolar manic-depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, etc.) was present. Morbidity risks varied from one affected family to another, indicating that the genetic risk components for some families are greater than for others. These findings are suggestive of multifactorial genetic disease but other genetic models are considered.

Affective Symptoms↗

Genetics of affective disorders. II. Morbidity risk and genetic transmission.

Morbidity risk and genetic transmission data on a small population of bipolar, unipolar and schizo-affective outpatients suggest a possible genetic overlap between bipolar and schizo-affective patients. There is a conspicuous absence of a homologous illness in the relatives of schizo-affective probands, although the incidence of schizophrenia was higher in these relatives as compared to the relatives of either bipolar or unipolar probands. The data, although tentative because of the relatively small numbers involved, suggest a multifactorial mode of transmission in some affective illnesses. These disease entities appear familial rather than 'genetically transmitted'. There are select families who show the heritable genetic penetrance previously recorded for these mental disorders.

Adult↗

Exploration of affective illness.

This report deals with a series of experimental approaches carried out in clinical studies to attempt to examine the role of amines in relationship to affective state and the mode of action of thymoleptic agents. Attempts have been made to examine enzymes, amines and other metabolites in biological fluids to assess the role of catecholamines and indoleamines in these disorders. Synthesis inhibitors were employed in studies where antidepressant drug-induced remission was initiated and the effect of two inhibitors was assessed on the clinical state. The results are presented and discussed in regard to the significance of the role of serotonin in depressive states and the action of thymoleptic agents.

Adult↗

Effects of tranylcypromine on 5-HT uptake and its interaction with PCPA on rat brain 5-HT.

The effect of p-chlorophenylalanine-treatment in rats receiving chronic treatment with tranylcypromine on brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels was examined. This treatment schedule was similar to that followed in depressed patients undergoing treatment with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor. PCPA completely obviated the elevation in serotonin and further reduced 5-HIAA levels of animals treated chronically with tranylcypromine. These effects correlated with PCPA-induced reversal in the clinical improvement achieved by tranylcypromine. In in vitro studies, tranylcypromine was found to inhibit 5-HT uptake into synaptosomes with a minimal action on the spontaneous release of the amine.

Animals↗

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: potential for drug abuse.

Both the amphetamines and MAO inhibitors share common clinical and pharmacological properties, namely, (i) to clinically induce euphoriant-stimulating type and psychotomimetic effects in certain individuals, and (ii) to increase, albeit by different mechanisms, the amount of functionally available neurotransmitter (catecholamines and indoleamines) at the receptor site. The present data now indicate that, like the amphetamines, the use of MAO inhibitors can be clinically associated with dependence-tolerance. Perhaps these clinical findings will converge with other clinical-biochemical data in helping to define the specific amine(s) responsible for not only the clinical effects of these drugs but also the etiopathogenesis of major psychiatric illnesses such as the affective disorders and schizophrenia.

Amphetamines↗

Clinical studies with dopamine-receptor stimulants.

Oral administration of ET-495 was found to cause worsening of psychiatric status in 4 out of 7 schizophrenic patients, and to induce a paranoid state and a syndrome of auditory hallucinosis in 2 non-schizophrenics. These observations were compatible with the hypothesized role of dopamine in schizophrenia. However, these psychotogenic effects were far less dramatic than those noted in other studies with amphetamine, methylphenidate or L-Dopa. Possible explanations for this differing psychotogenic potency of receptor stimulators versus presynaptic agonists are presented. Intravenous ET-495 and apomorphine did not show psychotogenic effects.

Adult↗

Psychoactive drugs in mania. A controlled comparison of lithium carbonate, chlorpromazine, and haloperidol.

Lithium carbonate, haloperidol, and chlorpromazine hydrochloride were compared in a double-blind controlled study with severely ill hospitalized manics. Lithium carbonate and haloperidol produced a highly significant improvement of manic symptoms without sedation. Although producing considerable sedation, chlorpromazine did little to alter the underlying mania qualitatively. Qualitative differences between lithium carbonate and haloperidol indicate that, while haloperidol has a more dramatically rapid impact on behavior-motor activity, lithium carbonate acted more evenly on the entire manic picture, with total normalization realized during active treatment. The majority of lithium carbonate-treated patients met discharge criteria at study termination, but not the patients receiving either neuroleptic drug. The rating scales are not sensitive enough to monitor manic psychopathology; this accounts for the lack of statistically significant differences among drug groups at treatment termination, despite the widely disparate discharge rates.

Adult↗

Rebound phenomena in manic patients following physostigmine. Preliminary observations.

The authors have administered physostigmine intravenously to three hospitalized manic patients on a double-blind basis. All three individuals showed clinical change both during and after the physostigmine period, which can be clearly delineated into three distinct phases. The behavioral modifications occurring during the physostigmine run did not qualitatively alter the underlying mania. The authors focus on 'rebound' phenomena, or post-physostigmine changes, as a possible clinical index with which chemically to characterize the initial state of amine imbalance responsible for a given affective illness. The data are considered consistent with an adrenergic-dopaminergic-cholinergic balance hypothesis of affective disorders, and may provide a relevant link in understanding the interface or crossover between manic and schizo-affective illness.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Cogwheel rigidity related to lithium maintenance.

Neurological examinations of 27 outpatients receiving lithium carbonate maintenance therapy for recurrent affective illness revealed that most of the patients receiving lithium for more than 8 months had cogwheel rigidity. The data suggest a positive correlation between the duration of lithium maintenance and the severity of cogwheeling. Intravenous administration of benztropine, an antiparkinsonian drug, did not abolish or significantly ameliorate this symptom.

Adult↗

The influence of dietary iodine on lithium blood level, serum T4 and thyroid gland weight.

Lithium is both antithyroid and goitrogenic. The relationship between lithium and iodine has been assessed in rats fed diets containing different iodine content. Chronic lithium treatment caused increase in thyroid gland weight in animals on low and high iodine diets. A reciprocal relationship surfaced between serum lithium levels and dietary iodine content. Animals on low-iodine diet had lower serum lithium levels. The data support other evidence that lithium likely inhibits organification of iodine by a Wolff-Chaikoff-like effect.

Animals↗

Use of synthesis inhibitors in defining a role for biogenic amines during imipramine treatment in depressed patients.

Endogenously depressed patients who showed an antidepressant response to the tricyclic drug imipramine continued to show sustained well being after alpha-MPT was added whereas depression returned when small doses of PCPA were added for brief periods. In one patient the antidepressant response to imipramine occurred after pre- and continued treatment with alpha-MPT. Urinary excretion levels of MHPG in one of the patients studied longitudinally did not correspond to the direction of clinical affective state but did reflect anticipated changes during alpha-MPT treatment. Implications are that serotonergic mechanisms are likely involved in the anti-depressant effects of imipramine in man.

3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethanol↗