Treatment with risperidone for 4 weeks increased plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxypnenylglycol (MHPG) levels, but did not alter plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in schizophrenic patients.
In the present study, we investigated the effects of risperidone treatment for 4 weeks on plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in 89 schizophrenic patients. We also compared the plasma levels of BDNF and MHPG between the schizophrenic group and 103 sex-and age-matched normal controls. In addition, we investigated the effects of two SNPs of the noradrenaline transporter (NAT) gene on plasma levels of MHPG, BDNF, and clinical improvement. The mean dose of risperidone was 3.8+/-1.4 mg/day. We demonstrated that treatment with risperidone increased plasma MHPG levels, and this increase was associated with an improvement of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In contrast, plasma BDNF did not change after 4 weeks of risperidone treatment, and the two SNPs in NAT did not influence the response to risperidone treatment or plasma MHPG and BDNF levels. These results suggest that the enhancement of noradrenergic neurons by risperidone, which occurs independently of the two SNPs of NAT, plays a role in the clinical efficacy of the drug.
Yoshimura
Reiji
R
Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health 1-1Iseigaoka, Yahatanishiku, Kitakyushu, Japan. yoshi621@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Hori
Hikaru
H
Sugita
Atsuko
A
Ueda
Nobuhisa
N
Kakihara
Shingo
S
Umene
Wakako
W
Nakano
Yuichiro
Y
Shinkai
Koji
K
Mitoma
Masae
M
Ohta
Makiko
M
Shinkai
Takahiro
T
Nakamura
Jun
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000097:blood; D000068882:Paliperidone Palmitate; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000097:blood; D018967:Risperidone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002395:Catecholamines; D007555:Isoxazoles; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D011743:Pyrimidines; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D018967:Risperidone; D000068882:Paliperidone Palmitate