Carbamazepine increases cerebrospinal fluid thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels in affectively ill patients.
BACKGROUND
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone is an endogenous tripeptide with endocrine-independent neurophysiologic properties that may be relevant to affective or seizure disorders. We studied the effect of carbamazepine, which has both mood-stabilizing and anticonvulsant properties, on cerebrospinal fluid thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels in affectively ill patients.


METHODS
Paired cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected from nine inpatients with mood disorders, both while medication free and while taking carbamazepine for an average of longer than 1 month at 950 mg/d, achieving blood levels of 8.8 mg/L.


RESULTS
Carbamazepine treatment was consistently and significantly associated with increased cerebrospinal fluid thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels (P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
As carbamazepine-induced increases in thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels could be relevant to either its psychotropic or anticonvulsant properties, further clinical and preclinical investigation of this finding appears indicated.
Marangell
L B
LB
Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md.
George
M S
MS
Bissette
G
G
Pazzaglia
P
P
Huggins
T
T
Post
R M
RM
D000328:Adult; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D010919:Placebos; D002220:Carbamazepine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone