Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/enzymology , Blood Platelets/enzymology , Monoamine Oxidase/blood , Adult , Depression/enzymology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Deferoxamine , Iron Chelating Agents , Iron/metabolism , Salmonella Infections, Animal/metabolism , Animals , Deferoxamine/adverse effects , Hydroxybenzoates , Iron Chelating Agents/adverse effects , Male , Mice , Mutation , Salmonella Infections, Animal/mortality , Salmonella typhimurium/growth & development , Salmonella typhimurium/metabolismABSTRACT
Previous studies have suggested that the activity of erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) may be reduced in women with bipolar and particularly unipolar affective illness. More recently, increased COMT activity in both men and women with affective disorder was reported. The activity of COMT in erythrocytes was determined in 184 outpatients with primary affective disorder at the Lithium Clinic of the New York State Psychiatric Institute. COMT activity was determined by a modification of the Axelrod and Cohn method with dopamine as substrate. This change resulted in an apparent threefold increase in the values for COMT activity; however, when both methods were compared, the results correlated (r = 0.97, p less than 0.001, N = 37). We found that the values for women were not significantly lower than those for men. In addition, there was no difference between patients with affective disorder and controls. Further, no difference was demonstrated between patients diagnosed as bipolar or uni-polar. Parameters such as mood, medication, and inpatient or outpatient status had no effect on COMT activity. The results of previous studies are discussed in an attempt to reconcile the different results.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/enzymology , Catechol O-Methyltransferase/metabolism , Depression/enzymology , Erythrocytes/enzymology , Adult , Ambulatory Care , Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic/therapeutic use , Depression/blood , Depression/drug therapy , Dopamine , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Lithium/therapeutic use , Male , Middle Aged , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
The authors investigated lithium prophylaxis of depression in bipolar I (N=35), bipolar II (N=18), and unipolar I (N=28) outpatients. Depression indices included frequency of depressive episodes, three measures of severity, dropouts due to depression, and time in study. There were significantly fewer episodes and dropouts due to depression in the lithium-treated than in the placebo-treated bipolar I patients. Lithium was superior to placebo on all indices in the bipolar II group (although the sample size did not permit statistical analysis) and on 3 indices in the unipolar group. The authors believe that lithium prophylaxis of depression has been demonstrated in these three subtypes but note the need for further research particularly in the use of tricyclic antidepressants.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/prevention & control , Depression/prevention & control , Lithium/therapeutic use , Bipolar Disorder/drug therapy , Clinical Trials as Topic , Humans , RecurrenceABSTRACT
Multiple indices of depression were used to evaluate the prophylactic efficacy of lithium carbonate versus placebo in a 4-year, double-blind study of unipolar, bipolar I, and bipolar II patients diagnosed according to strict criteria. Our data indicate lithium prophylaxis of depression on several indices in all three subtypes of affective illness. Additional studies are needed, comparing tricyclic antidepressants alone, monoamine oxidase inhibitors alone, or either drug combination with lithium carbonate for prophylaxis in clearly defined depressive subtypes.
