Platelet serotonin binding and plasma cortisol in panic disorder before and after alprazolam plus behavioral guidance treatment

1991 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37
Author(s):  
A Tobeña ◽  
X Sanchez ◽  
J Masana ◽  
MJ Martinez de Osaba

SummaryIn 32 patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, Bmax measures of 5-HT binding in platelets did not differ from normal controls at baseline. Plasmatic cortisol levels were significantly higher than controls in the morning and in the evening measures as well as in post-dexamethasone assays. Following an 8-week treatment period with alprazolam plus behavioral guidance encouraging exposure, Bmax values did not alter but cortisol measures diminished significantly. Measures of phobic avoidance were negatively correlated with 5-HT Bmax values. Plasmatic cortisol correlated positively with the number of situational panic attacks in the month before treatment. There were no correlations between cortisol and 5-HT Bmax measures. A possible link between serotonin function and phobic avoidance is discussed. Cortisol changes were interpreted as being related to the global severity of the anxious state.

1987 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 467-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikram K. Yeragani ◽  
John M. Rainey ◽  
Robert Pohl ◽  
Aurelio Ortiz ◽  
Paula Weinberg ◽  
...  

A history of thyroid dysfunction has been reported in patients with phobic disorders. There is also evidence of a blunted TSH response to TRH stimulation in patients with panic disorder. In this study, values of T3, T4 and T7 were compared between 26 patients with panic attacks and 20 normal controls. Patients were diagnosed according to DSM-III criteria and those with a clinical history of thyroid dysfunction were excluded. Patients were not on any medication when the blood samples were drawn. The mean values of T3, T4 and T7 did not significantly differ between the two groups, suggesting no evidence of hypo or hyperthyroidism; however, the variance of distribution of T3, T4 and T7 values was significantly different between the two groups (Fmax values for T3: 2.55, p value < 0.05; T4: 3.15, p value < 0.01; T7: 2.55, p value < 0.05).


1992 ◽  
Vol 161 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilla F. Geraci ◽  
Thomas W. Uhde

Diurnal changes in the frequency of panic attacks and symptoms of generalised anxiety, phobic anxiety and phobic avoidance in 34 panic-disorder patients and 40 normal controls were evaluated. The panic-disorder patients had significant diurnal changes in generalised and phobic anxiety, but not phobic avoidance. Increased severity of symptoms and prominent diurnal changes were most evident in the panic-disorder patients with a history of depression. Although panic attacks were distributed throughout the 24–hour period, patients with a current episode or history of depression tended to have more frequent panic attacks in the morning or early afternoon. These observations challenge the traditional belief that ‘anxious neurotic’ patients are relatively asymptomatic upon awakening in the morning and then develop more severe symptoms of anxiety later in the day.


1995 ◽  
Vol 144 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Wik

Abstract Plasma cortisol and serum 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyl glycol (MHPG) were determined before and after 5–6 weeks of neuroleptic treatment in patients with schizophrenia. Following drug treatment both plasma cortisol and serum MHPG levels in patients decreased and plasma cortisol levels were also lower than in unmedicated healthy controls. Indications of a relationship between the reduction of cortisol and MHPG levels were found. The data show that neuroleptic drug treatment inhibits cortisol secretion. It is speculated that this inhibition could be related to reduced noradrenergic activity. Journal of Endocrinology (1995) 144, 425–429


1969 ◽  
Vol 115 (522) ◽  
pp. 575-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Elithorn ◽  
P. K. Bridges ◽  
J. R. Hodges ◽  
M. T. Jones

In a previous paper (Hodges, Jones, Elithorn and Bridges, 1964) we reported on adrenocortical activity in depressed and schizophrenic patients as revealed by plasma cortisol levels before and after electro-convulsive therapy (E.C.T.). Close similarity was found between the two groups except for three depressed patients who appeared to show considerably higher cortisol levels after the treatment than did the remaining subjects. The patients were examined at random different treatments during the whole treatment course and it appeared possible, both that the observed cortisol response to E.C.T. might depend partly on which treatment of the series in a whole course was under examination, and also that the response of the illness to therapy might be a significant factor. It was therefore decided to observe in a number of subjects the response to successive treatments throughout courses of E.C.T.


1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 369-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Cappai ◽  
S. R. Sanna ◽  
A. Branca ◽  
A. Fraghì ◽  
G. Bomboi

AbstractLaparoscopic insemination with frozen-thawed semen is currently used for planned matings in the Sarda breeding programme. In order to find a fast and less intrusive artificial insemination (AI) method that could replace laparoscopic insemination, a field comparison of laparoscopic and transcervical techniques was carried out on 200 mature Sarda ewes. After AI, ewes were assigned to teaser and fertile rams for 2 months. Return rates and cumulative (AI + natural mating) lambing rates were recorded over three subsequent 23-day periods. Lambing rates to AI were significantly different (P < 0·01), and were 62% and 7% respectively for laparoscopic and transcervical AI. Cumulative lambing rates after two further 23-day periods of natural mating were no longer significantly different (P > 0·05) and reached 82% and 74% respectively. Ewes with body condition scores at AI higher than 2·75 showed better overall reproductive performance, but not higher pregnancy rate to AI. Plasma cortisol concentrations, sampled twice, before and after AI, were higher (P < 0·01) in the last sample, suggesting a stress response to insemination. Cortisol levels after AI were lower (P < 0·01) for ewes submitted to transcervical rather than laparoscopic insemination (P < 0·01). However, cortisol levels after AI were no greater than those recorded when ewes were restrained in a milking yoke different from that usually employed. Laparoscopic AI was confirmed as the most suitable technique for insemination offrozen semen in the Sarda breeding scheme.


1999 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 932-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTONIO EGIDIO NARD ◽  
ALEXANDRE M. VALENÇA ◽  
ISABELLA NASCIMENTO ◽  
MARCO A. MEZZASALMA ◽  
WALTER ZIN

Respiratory abnormalities are associated with anxiety, particularly with panic attacks. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, "empty-head" feeling, dizziness, paresthesias and tachypnea have been described in the psychiatric and respiratory physiology related to panic disorder. Panic disorder patients exhibit both behaviorally and physiologically abnormal responses to respiratory challenges tests. Objective: We aim to observe the induction of panic attacks by hyperventilation in a group of panic disorder patients (DSM-IV). Method: 13 panic disorder patients and 11 normal volunteers were randomly selected. They were drug free for a week. They were induced to hyperventilate (30 breaths/min) for 3 minutes. Anxiety scales were taken before and after the test. Results: 9 (69.2%) panic disorder patients and one (9.1%) of control subjects had a panic attack after hyperventilating (p< 0.05). Conclusion: The panic disorder group was more sensitive to hyperventilation than normal volunteers. The induction of panic attacks by vonluntary hyperventilation may be a useful and simple test for validating the diagnosis in some specific panic disorder patients.


1993 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigar G. Khawaja ◽  
Tian P. S. Oei ◽  
Larry Evans

Research using ambulatory monitoring and cognitive sampling procedures has revealed the importance of negatively biased cognitions in panic attacks and panic disorder. However, the normal population has never been investigated on the basis of these procedures and it is still unclear how patients deviate from them on the basis of negative cognitions and their interaction with affect and physiology. The present study investigated these issues by comparing 15 panic disorder patients with an equal number of normal controls. The results revealed that, although the pattern of reporting cognitions was similar, the two groups differed on type and content of the cognitions. In general, there were significant differences between the two groups for neutral and negative cognitions. Patients experienced high anxiety levels that were associated with cognitions of negative affect. There was a low frequency of reported panic attacks in the patients group. Possible reasons for the limited number of panic attacks are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza M. Robati ◽  
Parviz Toossi ◽  
Mohammad Rahmati-Roodsari ◽  
Sara Khalilazar ◽  
Ehsan Abolhasani ◽  
...  

Background. Prolactin (PRL) level is proposed to be associated with the severity of psoriasis although the previous studies reported different results.Objective. To find the association between PRL levels and severity of psoriasis before and after treatment. In addition, we aimed to find a difference in prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormones (T3and T4), and cortisol levels between patients with psoriasis and normal controls.Methods. First, the levels of hormones were measured in 30 patients with psoriasis and 30 matched controls. The severity was assessed by psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Then, patients were treated, and PASI was assessed every week until achieving PASI-75 response. At this time, the hormones were measured again and compared to the baseline.Results. No statistical significant difference was observed in the mean PRL, T3, T4, TSH, and cortisol levels between cases and controls. Comparing to the baseline, a significant decrease in PRL levels and a significant increase in T3and serum cortisol levels were observed after treatment (P<0.05), while the changes in other hormones were not significant.Conclusion. After treatment, PRL significantly decreased, and T3and cortisol levels significantly increased. No correlation between hormone levels and improvement of PASI score existed.


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