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Abnormalities of Indoleamines in Affective Disorders

Archives of General PsychiatryPublished 1 May 1972
Alec Coppen
Citations304

TL;DR

Examining the concentration of 5HIAA in the lumbar CSF of patients suffering from affec¬ tive disorders found increasing evidence of an abnormality of indoleamines in the affective disorders, though the probenecid test showed evidence of decreased rate of 5-HT synthesis in these conditions.

Abstract

The end product of serotonin metabolism, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), is reduced in the cerebrospinal fluid of both manic and depressed patients. The decrement in this substance, however, does not correlate with severity of illness in either condition. The decrement persists after clinical recovery in depressed patients. These findings must be integrated with current concepts about the role of brain biogenic amines in affective disorders.

Keywords

MedicineNeuroscience