title: Stress-related changes of benzodiazepine binding inhibitory activity (B.B.I.A.) in humans.
abstract: The presence of benzodiazepine binding inhibitory activity (B.B.I.A.) in sera from 44 psychiatric patients and from 14 healthy volunteers, prompted us to investigate whether or not this activity underwent changes in stressful situations. We measured the inhibitory units (IU) of deproteinized sera of 12 subjects, immediately before and 2 weeks after sitting for a difficult university exam. Our results showed significantly higher IU values (i.e., higher B.B.I.A. concentrations) in the samples taken just before the exam. This preliminary finding clearly suggests the involvement of B.B.I.A. in anxiety mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michelini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannaccini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castrogiovanni
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucacchini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001569:Benzodiazepines