Behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine responses to arecoline in normal twins and “well state” bipolar patients

Cholinergic supersensitivity has been postulated to be an etiologic factor in affective disorder. After several pilot dose-response studies, we administered 8 mg of the cholinergic agonist arecoline subcutaneously to eight pairs of normal volunteer identical twins and eight bipolar patients currentl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychiatry research 1983-07, Vol.9 (3), p.191-200
Main Authors: Nurnberger, John I., Jimerson, David C., Simmons-Alling, Susan, Tamminga, Carol, Nadi, N.Suzan, Lawrence, Dawn, Sitaram, Natraj, Gillin, J.Christian, Gershon, Elliot S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arecoline
Arecoline - pharmacology
behavioral effects
Biological and medical sciences
Bipolar Disorder - genetics
Bipolar Disorder - physiopathology
bipolar illness
Cholinergic system
Emotions - drug effects
Female
genetic marker
Glycopyrrolate - pharmacology
Growth Hormone - blood
Humans
Hydrocortisone - blood
Medical sciences
neuroendocrine effects
Neuropharmacology
Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmission. Receptors
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Pregnancy
Prolactin - blood
Pulse
Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - blood
Twins
Twins, Monozygotic
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Summary:Cholinergic supersensitivity has been postulated to be an etiologic factor in affective disorder. After several pilot dose-response studies, we administered 8 mg of the cholinergic agonist arecoline subcutaneously to eight pairs of normal volunteer identical twins and eight bipolar patients currently euthymic and unmedicated. During the hour following arecoline administration, the Profile of Mood States (POMS) showed an increase in total mood disturbance in both patient and control groups. Mean systolic blood pressure, pulse, plasma cortisol, prolactin, and growth hormone also increased. Anger and elation scores on the POMS showed significant concordance in identical twins, as did change in prolactin, implying that these are the components of drug response possibly influenced by genetic factors. None of these responses differentiated well state patients from controls. Thus, mood, behavioral, and neurochemical responses to arecoline, which appears to have nonspecific neurochemical effects at the dose employed, are not markers of vulnerability to affective illness.
ISSN:0165-1781
1872-7123
DOI:10.1016/0165-1781(83)90043-4