Effect of Acute Metabolic Stress on Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activation in Patients With Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Although several lines of evidence suggest that stress plays a role in the course of schizophrenia, studies that have assessed stress-relevant neurobiological measures have not produced consistent results. The authors examined the effects of acute metabolic stress induced by 2-deoxy-D-glu...

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Published in:The American journal of psychiatry 1998-07, Vol.155 (7), p.979-981
Main Authors: Elman, Igor, Adler, Caleb M., Malhotra, Anil K., Bir, Christopher, Pickar, David, Breier, Alan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Biological and medical sciences
Deoxyglucose - pharmacology
Female
Humans
Hydrocortisone - blood
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - drug effects
Male
Medical sciences
Metabolism
Pituitary-Adrenal System - drug effects
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - blood
Schizophrenia - diagnosis
Stress
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Summary:OBJECTIVE: Although several lines of evidence suggest that stress plays a role in the course of schizophrenia, studies that have assessed stress-relevant neurobiological measures have not produced consistent results. The authors examined the effects of acute metabolic stress induced by 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) on pituitary-adrenal axis activation. METHOD: Thirteen patients with schizophrenia and 11 healthy comparison subjects were administered pharmacological doses of 2-DG (40 mg/kg). The subjects' arterial plasma was then assayed for levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. RESULTS: 2-DG induced significant increases in the measured hormones in both groups, and ACTH elevations were significantly greater in patients with schizophrenia than in comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia have an exaggerated ACTH response to acute metabolic stress exposure. (Am J Psychiatry 1998; 155:979-981)
ISSN:0002-953X
1535-7228
DOI:10.1176/ajp.155.7.979