title: Beta 2-receptor density on mononuclear blood cells in patients suffering from neuroleptic-induced akathisia (NIA).
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botschev
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bondy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kircher
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Müller-Spahn
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D011433:Propranolol