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Effects of CCK-4 infusion on the acoustic eye-blink startle and psychophysiological measures in healthy volunteers

Royal Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4; Department of Psychiatry, University of Tartu, Raja Street 31, Tartu 50417, Estonia; jakov{at}cut.ee

Yueping Zhou

Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada

Diana Koszycki

Royal Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4

Franco J. Vaccarino

Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada

Jacques Bradwejn

Royal Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4

The acoustic startle response (ASR) and a range of psychophysiological parameters were evaluated during a continuous intravenous administration of cholecystokinin-tetrapeptide (CCK-4) in healthy volunteers. Subjects (n=28) were randomly assigned to double-blind infusion of either CCK-4 (0.5 mg/60 min) or placebo. The ASR sessions were performed prior to infusion and at 20 min and 50 min after the onset of infusion by recording eye-blink response to a series of acoustic stimuli (110 dB, 40 ms). An effect of CCK-4 on the eye-blink startle was observed in the first half of infusion. CCK-4 produced an increase of eye-blink startle amplitude from baseline values in contrast to the decrease observed at this time point with placebo. A mild increase in anxiety and heart rate followed by fatigue was reported with CCK-4. Administration of CCK-4 produced increases in plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, prolactin and growth hormone. The results of this study show that a prolonged intravenous administration of CCK-4 may be a useful challenge method for further studies on the role of CCK system in the modulation of human anxiety and stress response.

Key Words: acoustic • anxiety • cholecystokinin • CCK-4 • startle reflex • stress hormones

Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 13, No. 4, 385-390 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/026988119901300409


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