title: CSF prostaglandin-E in agoraphobia with panic attacks.
abstract: Prostaglandins are thought to act as neuromodulators of both central catecholamine and endocrine systems. Abnormalities of these systems have been described in affective disorders, in general, and in agoraphobia with panic attacks, in particular. This study measured basal prostaglandin-E (PGE) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels in 20 patients with agoraphobia with panic attacks and 10 nonpsychiatric controls. In a subgroup of patients and controls, CSF levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) were also measured. There was no significant difference in CSF PGE levels between patients and controls. However, patients with higher depression scores had lower CSF PGE levels. CSF PGE levels tended to correlate with CSF ACTH, but not CSF CRF in the patient group, in general, and in the female patients, in particular. These findings do not support an abnormality in basal CNS PGE production in agoraphobia with panic attacks, but suggest further study of the PGE modulatory effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Anton
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ballenger
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lydiard
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Laraia
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000523:psychology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010200:Panic / Q000502:physiology*; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D011458:Prostaglandins E; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone