Beta 2-receptor density on mononuclear blood cells in patients suffering from neuroleptic-induced akathisia (NIA).
The effectiveness of beta-blockers in the treatment of neuroleptic-induced akathisia (NIA) suggests that beta-adrenergic overactivity is involved in the manifestation of NIA. As an approach to understanding this postulated overactivity, we investigated the beta 2-receptor density on mononuclear blood cells in 21 patients suffering from NIA as well as in 12 patients without NIA. The beta 2-receptor density in NIA-positive patients was significantly higher than that in NIA-negative patients (t = 2.84; p = .008). The NIA-positive patients were treated with 20 mg propranolol t.i.d. for 5 days. The beta 2-receptor density in treatment responders did not differ significantly from that in non-responders. Our results indicate that beta 2-receptors on mononuclear cells in patients with NIA may be of a certain degree of importance. With the prerequisites of replicability as well as correlation of this parameter with therapeutic success of beta-blockers, it may be considered as a predictor for treatment response.
Botschev
C
C
Psychiatric Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany.
Bondy
B
B
Hofmann
M
M
Kircher
T
T
Müller-Spahn
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017109:Akathisia, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011433:Propranolol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood*; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000187:drug effects*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D011433:Propranolol