title: Relationship between serum cholesterol levels and meta-chlorophenylpiperazine-induced cortisol responses in healthy men and women.
abstract: We investigated the effect of cholesterol on serotonergic receptor function in 20 healthy male and 10 healthy female subjects using cortisol responses to meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) neuroendocrine challenge tests. M-CPP, a metabolite of the antidepressant trazodone, has been widely used in psychopharmacology research as a probe of serotonin function. In the human brain, m-CPP binds both to various serotonergic receptors, mainly 5-HT(2C), and to alpha(2)-adrenoceptors. After an overnight fast, the subjects received m-CPP (0.5 mg/kg) or identical placebo capsules orally in a randomized, double blind, crossover design. Blood was obtained for measurement of cholesterol and cortisol. In some analyses, especially in males, there were significant positive correlations between serum cholesterol levels and cortisol responses. These findings suggest the possibility that serum cholesterol levels may be positively associated with serotonergic receptor function. The existence of such an association may provide an explanation for reported increases in depression, suicide and violence in individuals with low or lowered cholesterol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Yahatanishi-ku, 807-8555, Kitakyushu, Japan. t-terao@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soeda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinkai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D002784:Cholesterol; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; D006854:Hydrocortisone