Evidence of basal pituitary-adrenal overactivity in first episode, drug naïve patients with schizophrenia.

Background: Evidence for basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction in schizophrenia is less consistent than that seen in major depression. Potential reasons include sampling procedures and the use of patients on antipsychotic medications which may suppress the HPA axis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether first episode, drug naïve patients with schizophrenia have evidence of basal HPA axis dysfunction by measuring plasma levels of AVP, ACTH and cortisol from 13:00 to 16:00 h, a time frame which is believed to reflect 24 h concentrations of HPA axis activity.

Platelet surface glycoprotein expression in post-stroke depression: a preliminary study.

Depression is a significant risk factor for and consequence of both cardiovascular disease and stroke. The pathophysiological processes underlying this association are poorly understood. This study utilised a technique for measurement of whole blood platelet surface glycoproteins involved in early adhesion and aggregation in sample populations of patients with depression and stroke, and healthy controls.

A preliminary study of baclofen-induced growth hormone release in generalised social phobia.

Objective: The authors sought to examine central GABA(B) receptor responses in patients with generalised social phobia using the growth hormone (GH) response to baclofen.

Method: Baclofen 20 mg was administered to 15 patients and 15 healthy matched controls and plasma growth hormone was monitored over a 3 h period.

Results: The GH response in patients was significantly reduced in comparison to that of controls when calculated as both area under the curve (AUC) and delta (Delta) response.

Elevated expression of integrin alpha(IIb) beta(IIIa) in drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenic patients.

Background: Patients with schizophrenia have an increased risk over the general public of developing cardiovascular illness. It is unknown if there are functional changes in platelet surface receptors in schizophrenia. We therefore analyzed the surface expression of glycoprotein (GP)Ib, the integrin receptor alpha(IIb)beta(IIIa), CD62 (P-selectin), and CD63, and investigated platelet function in schizophrenic patients compared with healthy volunteers.

A preliminary study of dopamine-mediated prolactin inhibition in generalised social phobia.

The biology of social phobia has been little studied, but a possible role for dopamine has been implicated in this disorder. The aim of this study was to examine central dopaminergic function in patients with generalised social phobia using the prolactin response to quinagolide, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, and to compare responses with those of normal controls. The study included 14 patients with moderate or severe generalised social phobia and 14 healthy age- and gender-matched comparison subjects.

A preliminary study of buspirone stimulated prolactin release in generalised social phobia: evidence for enhanced serotonergic responsivity?

Serotonergic dysfunction has been postulated to play a role in the aetiology of social phobia. Buspirone, which is a partial agonist at 5HT1A receptors, increases prolactin release and may be used as a probe to examine serotonergic responses, dysfunction of which may be relevant to the pathophysiology of social phobia. We compared buspirone stimulated prolactin release in 14 patients with generalised social phobia and 14 healthy controls.

Depression is associated with an increase in the expression of the platelet adhesion receptor glycoprotein Ib.

There is a significant association between cardiovascular disease and depression. Previous studies have documented changes in platelets in depression. It is unknown if depression causes functional changes in platelet surface receptors.