Serum ghrelin concentrations in patients receiving olanzapine or risperidone.
BACKGROUND
Although enhanced appetite and weight gain are potential side effects of treatment with antipsychotic agents, particularly olanzapine and clozapine, the mechanism is poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that ghrelin, a gastrointestinal hormone that enhances appetite, is involved in increased food intake and weight gain during treatment with antipsychotics.


METHODS
Serum ghrelin concentrations were investigated in schizophrenic patients receiving olanzapine or risperidone, and in healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
Serum ghrelin concentrations did not increase, but rather decreased, in patients treated with olanzapine or risperidone in comparison with healthy volunteers. No significant difference was found in serum ghrelin concentration between patients treated with olanzapine and risperidone.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that ghrelin is not a direct cause of increased food intake and weight gain during treatment with olanzapine or risperidone, whereas ghrelin is associated with metabolic change in patients receiving these agents.
Togo
Takashi
T
Department of Psychiatry, Yokohama Maioka Hospital, Maioka-cho 3482, Totsuka-ku, 244-0813 Yokohama, Japan. togo-t@rd6.so-net.ne.jp
Hasegawa
Koichi
K
Miura
Satoshi
S
Hosojima
Hideki
H
Kojima
Katsuo
K
Shoji
Mika
M
Kase
Akihiko
A
Uchikado
Hirotake
H
Iseki
Eizo
E
Kosaka
Kenji
K
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine