CSF thyrotropin-releasing hormone concentrations differ in patients with schizoaffective disorder from patients with schizophrenia or mood disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if there were differences in CSF-TRH concentrations among several acute major psychiatric disorders and to investigate the effects of antipsychotic treatment on CSF-TRH levels.


METHODS
CSF-TRH concentrations were measured in 62 psychiatric inpatients during an acute phase of illness after a drug-free period. CSF-TRH measurements were repeated in 14 of these patients after 4 weeks of antipsychotic treatment.


RESULTS
Post-hoc tests (Tukey HSD) revealed significant differences among patients with schizoaffective disorder and both schizophrenia (P<0.03) and major depression (P<0.01). There were no significant differences between pre and posttreatment levels of CSF-TRH in the 14 patients treated with conventional agents for 4 weeks (1.54 pg/ml vs. 1.47 pg/ml). However, patients with a reduction in CSF-TRH concentration had a significantly better symptom response measured by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) positive factor (61% in six subjects) vs. those who had an increase in posttreatment CSF-TRH (29% in eight subjects; t=2.2; d.f.=12; P<0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide further evidence for a neuromodulatory role for TRH and suggest a re-examination of its behavioral effects and interactions with brain neurotransmitter systems relevant to major psychotic and mood disorders.
Sharma
R P
RP
Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, The Psychiatric Institute, 1601 W Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA. rsharma@psych.uic.edu
Martis
B
B
Rosen
C
C
Jonalagadda
J
J
Nemeroff
C B
CB
Bissette
G
G
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone