Noradrenergic receptor sensitivity in obsessive-compulsive disorders: I. Growth hormone response to clonidine stimulation.
In 15 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and in 15 healthy controls postsynaptic alpha-2-adrenoceptor sensitivity was examined by measuring the growth hormone (GH) response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and to clonidine stimulation. Basal values of GH and somatomedin-C (SMD-C) and mean GH responses to GHRH were the same in patients and controls, thus suggesting that a peripheral pathology of the somatotropic axis should not be present. GH responses to clonidine stimulation were blunted in patients suggesting that post-synaptic alpha-2-adrenoceptors are subsensitive, possibly due to higher than normal noradrenergic secretion.
Brambilla
F
F
Dipartimento di Scienze Neuropsichiche Universitá, Istituto Scientifico H.S. Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
Perna
G
G
Bellodi
L
L
Arancio
C
C
Bertani
A
A
Perini
G
G
Carraro
C
C
Gava
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D003000:Clonidine