Two elderly patients suffering from manic-depressive psychosis/depressive reaction had concurrently hypercalcaemia from vitamin D intoxication. They developed hypernatraemia with severe potassium and water depletion. Hypercalcaemia was pronounced, but both patients recovered quickly and their depressive symptoms resolved following water and potassium repletion and corticosteroid therapy.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Trace elements in manic depressive psychosis.

The concentrations of 16 elements (Al, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Cu, I, Pb, Mg, Mn, Mo, Rb, Se, Na, S and Ti) were estimated by neutron activation analysis in samples of hair, whole blood, serum and urine from normal controls, from patients suffering from mania and depression and from patients who had recovered from mania and from depression. Significant differences between groups were shown but apart from molybdenum, no element showed a significant change in more than one tissue. The differences in molybdenum concentrations appear to be of potential interest but the results must be interpreted with caution.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reversal of vanadate-induced inhibition of Na-K ATPase. A possible explanation of the therapeutic effect of carbamazepine in affective illness.

There is evidence that carbamazepine is of therapeutic benefit in manic depressive illness. There is also evidence that raised vanadium levels may be of aetiological importance in manic depressive illness. The present study examined the effect, in vitro, of therapeutic concentrations of carbamazepine on the inhibition by ammonium metavanadate of the Na-K ATPase of erythrocytes from normal and from manic depressive subjects. The inhibition by vanadate was largely reversed by carbamazepine. This effect may be related to the therapeutic action of carbamazepine in manic depressive illness.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Unpleasant taste--a neglected symptom in depression.

Of 47 depressed patients, 19 reported the symptom of unpleasant taste. This symptom appeared unrelated to previous drug treatment. Also, in this study, there was no significant association with prognosis, severity or type of depression, or with various historical factors. Despite this, it would seem to be an underreported symptom, worthy of further investigation.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Caesium levels in manic depressive psychosis.

Concentrations of caesium were estimated in hair, whole blood, serum and urine by neutron activation analysis, in samples from manic patients, depressed patients, recovered manic patients, recovered depressed patients and normal controls. There was no difference in the concentration of caesium measured between the various diagnostic categories. These results contradict the findings of previous reports.

Bipolar Disorder↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cation transport in lymphoblastoid cell lines established from bipolar manic-depressive patients.

Lymphoblastoid cell lines established from patients suffering from bipolar manic depression have been used to study the possible involvement of cation transport in the aetiology of this illness. No significant difference was found in the K+ fluxes mediated by the ouabain-sensitive sodium pump, the diuretic-sensitive cotransport system and the passive leak pathway of cell lines established from either control or bipolar subjects. The mean value for the specific binding of 3H-ouabain (sodium pump site number) was significantly higher in the bipolar group (approximately 30%) than in the control group.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reduced ouabain binding to erythrocytes in epilepsy--evidence for a membrane abnormality.

The number of sodium pump sites on erythrocytes was measured using tritiated ouabain in 20 untreated fasted patients with recent-onset untreated primary generalised or partial seizures and in 22 age- and sex-matched controls. The ouabain binding was significantly lower at 1393 +/- 392 molecules ouabain/pl cells compared to 1677 +/- 366 molecules ouabain/pl cells in the group with epilepsy (P less than 0.02). The differences between ouabain binding in patient and control groups were greater for males than for females. There were no significant differences between patients with generalised and those with partial seizures. These results are consistent with a generalised membrane abnormality in epilepsy which, if present in the brain, might predispose to seizures.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The antidepressant properties of mianserin and its effect on sleep.

Patients diagnosed as suffering from manic-depressive psychosis-depressed (ICD 296.2) were retained and randomly assigned to two groups, one receiving mianserin, the other placebo. For the pre-trial period and throughout the trial, patients' sleep was estimated by themselves and by nurses. Patients rated themselves on the Beck Self-Rating Inventory (BSRI) before the trial and at weekly intervals thereafter. Nurses rated the patients twice daily on a seven-point global rating scale of depression. A blood sample for estimation of mianserin levels was taken on day 14. Eighteen patients received placebo and 21 mianserin. On the BSRI, the mianserin group improved significantly, whereas the placebo group showed no change. The mean daily nurse ratings showed some improvement in the placebo group, but a greater improvement in the mianserin group, particularly towards the end of the 14 days. Sleep (nurses' observations) improved significantly in the mianserin group from the first night of the trial and over the following 2 weeks. Sleep as assessed by the patients also improved significantly on mianserin. Blood levels of mianserin did not correlate significantly with changes in mood or sleep. This study confirms that mianserin is an antidepressant. The mianserin group showed an improvement in sleep which, since it started from the first night of the trial, was probably due to the hypnotic sedative properties of the drug.

Bipolar Disorder↗