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Effects of Acute Metabolic Stress on the Peripheral Vasopressinergic System in Schizophrenia

Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, ielman{at}partners.org

Scott Lukas

Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA

Susan E. Shoaf

Otsuka Maryland Research Institute, Rockville, MD

David Rott

Medstar Cardiovascular Research Institute, Washington, DC

Caleb Adler

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Cincinnati, OH

Alan Breier

Lilly Research Laboratories, and, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

Although both vasopressin and stress have been implicated in the course of schizophrenia, it is unknown whether schizophrenic patients have altered stress-induced function of the vasopressinergic system. We examined the effects of acute metabolic stress induced by pharmacological doses (40 mg/kg) of 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) on plasma concentrations of vasopressin in 13 patients with schizophrenia (with no history of polydipsia and hyponatremia) and 12 healthy control subjects. Baseline vasopressin levels were lower in the schizophrenic patients and progressively increased in both groups throughout the 60 min following 2DG administration to a similar absolute amount, thus remaining lower in the schizophrenic group. Concomitantly, patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher 2DG-induced plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels. Vasopressin responses correlated positively and significantly with the HVA responses in schizophrenics and with the pituitary-adrenal axis responses in controls. These results suggest two different patterns of neuroendocrine alterations in schizophrenia, namely a relatively normal vasopressin response to 2DG despite significantly decreased baseline levels and exaggerated responses of the peripheral dopaminegic and serotonergic systems in the face of normal baseline concentrations.

Key Words: 2-DG • dopamine • glucoprivation • 5-HIAA • HVA • serotonin

Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 17, No. 3, 317-323 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/02698811030173014


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