title: Elevated serum nitric oxide and superoxide dismutase in euthymic bipolar patients: impact of past episodes.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated to play a role in the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders. NO level was found high in acute manic inpatients. In this study, we aimed to assess NO level and activity of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), in euthymic bipolar patients. Twenty-seven patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in euthymic phase, and 20 healthy volunteers were included in this study. A semi-structured form was used to note social, demographic and clinical parameters of the patients. NO level and SOD activity were studied in the serum samples obtained from the patients and controls. The mean serum NO level in BD was significantly higher than in controls. Mean serum SOD activity was found to be elevated in patients with BD compared to controls. Total number of the manic episodes correlated with NO levels, but not with SOD activity. In conclusion, the number of manic episodes is positively associated with NO levels. NO and SOD appear to have a pathophysiological role in BD, especially in Type I euthymic phase, and may be considered an available trait marker for BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Gaziantep University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haluk Asuman
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Savas
authors.forename: Hasan Serdar
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Gergerlioglu
authors.forename: Ferah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Armutcu
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herken
authors.forename: H Ramazan
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kocoglu
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Selek
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tutkun
authors.forename: Suleyman Salih
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zoroglu
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akyol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000502:physiology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003710:Demography; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase