Inhibition of in vitro production of aldosterone by manic-depressive sera.
Serum samples from psychiatric patients were added to incubations of rat adrenal cortical cells synthesizing aldosterone. A high proportion of sera from patients with bipolar manic-depressive psychosis inhibited aldosterone production, but chronic in-patients without affective disorders gave few inhibitory sera. Inhibition was greatest in depression, lowest during normal affect. In one patient studied through 11 affective cycles the inhibitor score increased during transitions from mania to depression, showing a significant regression on time. The possible relationship of this in vitro phenomenon to the defect of aldosterone regulation in manic-depressive psychosis is discussed.
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D000450:Aldosterone