engleski

Peripheral biological markers in psychotic and nonpsychotic subtypes of mania

The disturbance of serotonergic system could be implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders like mania. Literature data also suggest the link between cholesterol homeostasis and serotonergic function. Blood platelets have an important place in the investigations of the ethiology and treatment of mental disorders as a peripheral model for central serotonergic synaptosomes. The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between peripheral biochemical markers: platelet 5-HT concentration, platelet monoamine oxydase (MAO) activity and plasma lipid (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL) levels and psychotic and nonpsychotic symptoms in patients with mania. Study included 40 male patients (age 42.2  14.1 years) who met the criteria for bipolar affective disorder, current episode mania, according to DSM-IV, and 32 healthy persons (age 36.8  10.3 years). Patients with mania (YMRS scores >18), were subdivided according to the presence of psychotic features into two groups consisted of 23 nonpsychotic and 17 psychotic patients. Platelet 5-HT concentration and platelet MAO activity were determined using spectrofluorimetric methods, while plasma lipid levels were measured by the standard clinical laboratory procedures. There was a significant difference (ANOVA) in platelet 5-HT concentration (F=3.8 ; df=2, 69 ; p=0.027), plasma cholesterol (F=4.5 ; df=2, 69 ; p=0.014) and LDL (F=8, 2 ; df=2, 69 ; p<0.001) values between healthy persons and patients with mania subdivided according to the presence of psychotic and nonpsychotic symptoms. Patients with psychotic features had significantly (p<0.05, Newman Keuls test) higher values of platelet 5-HT, and significantly lower values of cholesterol (p<0.05) and LDL (p<0.05) than nonpsychotic patients and control subjects. There was no difference in platelet MAO activity and plasma values of TG and HDL among groups. We have found an association between platelet 5-HT and serum lipids in subtypes of manic patients. Our results suggest that high levels of platelet 5-HT and low levels of total cholesterol and LDL could be used as peripheral biological markers for mania with psychotic symptoms.

mania; platelet 5-HT; platelet MAO; plasma cholesterol; triglycerides; HDL; LDL

nije evidentirano