increased dopamine

4
7/25/2019 Increased Dopamine http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/increased-dopamine 1/4 however, made any negative comments on this issue; on the contrary, several women commented that they thought this kind of study important. Our investiga- tion was considered and approved by all the concerned research ethics committees. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that most of the participants in this trial had been informed, but in many cases the information did not follow the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. One third of the participants had not been aware that they had the option of withdrawing their participation at any time. There were systematic differences between the various parti- cipating clinics in that certain clinics were better at informing their patients than others. Our findings indicate that it is important that theresearchers wh o are responsible for carrying out the project in practice also participate in the design stage of the project. Despite the narrow limits of our investigation certain deficiencies in the informing procedures were indi- cated, and, despite the ethical dilemmas, it points out the need for furtherfollow up investigations.  Faden RR, BeauchampTL. A historv and theory of tnfortned consent. Ne w York: Oxford University Press, 1986. 2 World Medical Association. Helsinki Declaration, 1975. In: Beauchamp TL , Walters LW , eds. Contemporary issues in bioethics. 2nd ed. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1982. 3 Appelbaum PS, Roth LH . Competency to consent to research. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982;39:951-8. 4 Stanley B, Guido J, Stanley M, Shortell D. Th e elderly patient and informed consent. Empirical findings. JAMA 1984;252:1302-6. 5 Silva M C, Sorell JM. Enhancing comprehension of information for informed consent: a review of emnpirical research. IRB. Vol 10. New York: Hastings Center Report, 1988:1-5. 6 Simes RJ, Tattersall NHN, Coates AS, Raghavan D, Solomon HJ, Smartt H. Randomised comparison of procedures for obtaining informed consent in clinical trials of treatment for cancer. BM 3 1986;293:1065-8. 7 Cassileth BR, Zupkis RB, Sutton-Smith K, March V. Informed consent-why are its goals imperfectly realized? N Englj M ed 1980;302:896-900. 8 Taub HA . Informed consent, memory, and age.Gerontologist 1980;20:686-90. 9 Gray BH . Human subjects in medical experimentation: a sociological study of the conduct and regulation of clinical research. New York: Wiley-Interscience, 1975. 10 Lvnoe N, J ac ob s so n L. Kvalitet eller integritet-En pilotstudie av en forskningsetisk kommitte. (Quality of research or autonomy of the participants-a pilot study of a research ethics committee.) Lakartidningen 1987;84:3246-8. 11 Westrom L. Behandling av akut aggledarinflammation me d enbart antibiotika, eller me d antibiotika kombination me d anti-inflammatorisk drog. (Treatment of salpingitis acuta with antibiotics solely or in combination with an antiphlogistic drug.) Protocol for the research ethics committees, Diavienomber 201-86,University of Lund, 1986. (Accepted 33June 199 1) Increased sensitivity of dopamine receptors and recurrence of affective psychosis after childbirth A Wieck, R Kumar, A D Hirst, M N Marks, I C Campbell, S A Checkley Abstract Objective-To test the hypothesis that affective psychosis after childbirth is associated with an altered sensitivity to dopaminergic stimulation. Design-Prospective study of pregnant women at high risk of developing an affective psychosis after childbirth. Clinical assessments in pregnancy and after delivery were made by using a semistructured interview (schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia) and psychiatric illnesses were cate- gorised according to operational criteria (research diagnostic criteria). Setting-Obstetric and psychiatric departments in andaround Greater London. Subjects-29 pregnant women with a history of bipolar or schizoaffective psychosis and 47 control pregnant women. Of these, 16 from each group participated in a growth hormone challenge test and the results for 15 women in each group were analysed. Interventions-On the fourth day postpartum women participating in the hormone challenge test were given a subcutaneous injection of a small dose (0005 mg/kg) of the dopamine agonist apomorphine. Main outcome measures-Growth hormone secre- tion in response to apomorphine as an index of the functional state of hypothalamic dopamine receptors. Results-Eight of the15 women at risk of psychosis subsequently had a recurrence of illness (five bipolar, one schizomanic, and twomajor depressive illnesses); these women had significantly greater growth hormone responses to apomorphine than the seven at risk women who remained well and the 15 controls, and there were no significant differences between groups in average baseline growth hormone concentrations. The mean (SD) concentrations for women with recurrence, women at risk who remained well, and control women respectively were: average baseline concentrations 1-06 (1.14), 1-44 (1-39), and 0 90 (1-34) mU/l; peak increase in concentrations 13-68 (12.95), 3-46 (4.68), and 3 40 (3.83) mU/l (between group difference p<005); average increase in concentrations 6-74 (7.01), 1X78 (3.39), and 1-40 (2.05) mU/l (p<0 05). Conclusions-The onset of affective psychosis after childbirth was associatedwith increased sensi- tivity of dopamine receptors in the hypothalamus and possibly elsewhere in the brain. Such changes may be triggered by the sharp fall in circulating oestrogen concentrations after delivery. Introduction Childbirth is a potent precipitator of severe mental illness: a woman is about 20 times more likely to require admission to hospital for a psychotic illness in the month after delivery than in any month in the previous two years.' Women with a history of affective psychosis, related or unrelated to childbirth, are particularly vulnerable, and relapse rates of 50 have been reported. Prospective investigations of such women through pregnancy and the postpartum period therefore permit rigorous evaluation of putative aetio- logical mechanisms.3 Of all the endocrine changes taking place after parturition, the sharp fall in circulating sex steroid hormone concentrations is perhaps most likely to contribute to the precipitation of psychosis in pre- disposed women. Unlike most other hormones steroids have easy access to the brain and concentrations of oestradiol and progesterone in plasma and cerebro- spinal fluid are highly correlated.4 Recent research has shown that oestrogens modulate the function of monoaminergic and, in particular, dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems in the central nervous system.56 Abnormalities of dopaminergic neurotrans- mission have been implicated in both schizophrenic and manic depressive illness, and Cookson has pro- posed that puerperal psychosis is triggered by the Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, LondonSE5 8AF A Wieck, MRCPSYCH, lecturer R Kumar, FRCPSYCH, reader M N Marks, DPHIL, lecturer S A Checkley, FRCPSYCH, dean Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5 8A F A  Hirst, BSC, research worker I C Campbell, DSC, reader Correspondence to: Dr Kumar. BMJ 1991;303:613-6 BMJ VOLUME 30 3 14 SEPTEMBER 1991 613

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Page 1: Increased Dopamine

7/25/2019 Increased Dopamine

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/increased-dopamine 1/4

h o w e v e r , m a d e a n y

n e g a t i v e

c o m m e n t s

o n

t h i s i s s u e ;

o n t h e c o n t r a r y ,

s e v e r a l

women

c o m m e n t e d t h a t

t h e y

t h o u g h t

t h i s

k i n d o f

s t u d y i m p o r t a n t .

O u r

i n v e s t i g a -

t i o n

w a s

c o n s i d e r e d

a n d a p p r o v e d b y

a l l

t h e

c o n c e r n e d

r e s e a r c h e t h i c s c o m m i t t e e s .

CONCLUSIONS

We

c o n c l u d e

t h a t

m o s t

o f t h e

p a r t i c i p a n t s

i n

t h i s

t r i a l

h a d b e e n i n f o r m e d , b u t

i n

many c a s e s

t h e

i n f o r m a t i o n d i d n o t

f o l l o w t h e g u i d e l i n e s

o f

t h e

D e c l a r a t i o n

o f

H e l s i n k i .

O n e t h i r d o f t h e

p a r t i c i p a n t s

h a d

n o t

b e e n a w a r e

t h a t t h e y

h a d

t h e o p t i o n

o f

w i t h d r a w i n g

t h e i r

p a r t i c i p a t i o n

a t

a n y

t i m e .

T h e r e

w e r e s y s t e m a t i c

d i f f e r e n c e s

b e t w e e n

t h e

v a r i o u s

p a r t i -

c i p a t i n g

c l i n i c s

i n

t h a t

c e r t a i n

c l i n i c s w e r e b e t t e r

a t

i n f o r m i n g t h e i r

p a t i e n t s

t h a n

o t h e r s . O u r f i n d i n g s

i n d i c a t e

t h a t i t i s

i m p o r t a n t

t h a t t h e r e s e a r c h e r s wh o

a r e r e s p o n s i b l e

f o r

c a r r y i n g

o u t t h e

p r o j e c t

i n

p r a c t i c e

a l s o

p a r t i c i p a t e

i n

t h e

d e s i g n s t a g e o f

t h e

p r o j e c t .

D e s p i t e

t h e n a r r o w l i m i t s o f o u r i n v e s t i g a t i o n

c e r t a i n

d e f i c i e n c i e s

i n

t h e i n f o r m i n g p r o c e d u r e s w e r e

i n d i -

c a t e d , a n d , d e s p i t e

t h e e t h i c a l

d i l e m m a s , i t p o i n t s o u t

t h e n e e d

f o r

f u r t h e r f o l l o w u p i n v e s t i g a t i o n s .

 

F a d e n R R ,

B e a u ch a m p T L . A

h i s t o r v

a n d

t h e o r y

o f t n f o r t n e d c o n s e n t . Ne w Y o r k :

O x f o r d

U n i v e r s i t y

P r e s s ,

1 9 8 6 .

2 W o r l d

M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n .

H e l s i n k i

D e c l a r a t i o n ,

1 9 7 5 . I n :

B e a u c h a m p TL ,

W a l t e r s

LW,

e d s .

C o n t e m p o r a r y i s s u e s

i n b i o e t h i c s . 2 n d

e d . B e l m o n t ,

C a l i f o r n i a : W a d s w o r t h

P u b l i s h i n g

C o m p a n y , 1 9 8 2 .

3 A p p e l b a u m

P S ,

R o t h

LH .

C o m p e t e n c y

t o

c o n s e n t

t o

r e s e a r c h . A r c h G e n

P s y c h i a t r y

1 9 8 2 ; 3 9 : 9 5 1 - 8 .

4

S t a n l e y

B, G u i d o J ,

S t a n l e y M, S h o r t e l l

D . Th e

e l d e r l y

p a t i e n t

a n d

i n f o r m e d

c o n s e n t .

E m p i r i c a l f i n d i n g s .

JAMA

1 9 8 4 ; 2 5 2 : 1 3 0 2 - 6 .

5

S i l v a MC, S o r e l l J M .

E n h a n c i n g

c o m p r e h e n s i o n

o f

i n f o r m a t i o n f o r i n f o r m e d

c o n s e n t : a r e v i e w

o f

e m n p i r i c a l

r e s e a r c h . I R B . V o l

1 0 . New Y o r k :

H a s t i n g s

C e n t e r

R e p o r t , 1 9 8 8 : 1 - 5 .

6 S i m es R J, T a t t e r s a l l

NHN, C o a t e s

A S , R a g h av a n

D ,

S o l o m o n

H J ,

S m a r t t H .

R a n d o m i s e d

c o m p a r i s o n o f p r o c e d u r e s f o r

o b t a i n i n g

i n f o r m e d

c o n s e n t i n

c l i n i c a l t r i a l s o f

t r e a t m e n t

f o r

c a n c e r . BM 3

1 9 8 6 ; 2 9 3 : 1 0 6 5 - 8 .

7

C a s s i l e t h

B R ,

Z u p k i s R B ,

S u t t o n - S m i t h

K ,

M a r c h

V .

I n f o r m e d

c o n s e n t - w h y

a r e i t s

g o a l s i m p e r f e c t l y r e a l i z e d ? N

E n g l j

Med

1 9 8 0 ; 3 0 2 : 8 9 6 - 9 0 0 .

8 T a u b

HA .

I n f o r m e d

c o n s e n t ,

m e m o r y , a n d

a g e . G e r o n t o l o g i s t 1 9 8 0 ; 2 0 : 6 8 6 - 9 0 .

9

G r a y

BH .

Human

s u b j e c t s

i n

m e d i c a l

e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n :

a

s o c i o l o g i c a l s t u d y o f

t h e

c o n d u c t a n d

r e g u l a t i o n o f

c l i ni c a l r e s e a r c h .

New Y o r k :

W i l e y - I n t e r s c i e n c e ,

1 9 7 5 .

1 0

L v n o e

N , J ac ob s so n L . K v a l i t e t e l l e r i n t e g r i t e t - E n

p i l o t s t u d i e

av e n

f o r s k n i n g s e t i s k

k o m m i t t e . ( Q u a l i t y o f

r e s e a r c h

o r

a u t o n o m y

o f

t h e

p a r t i c i p a n t s - a p i l o t s t u d y o f a

r e s e a r c h

e t h i c s c o m m i t t e e . )

L a k a r t i d n i n g e n

1 9 8 7 ; 8 4 : 3 2 4 6 - 8 .

1 1 W e s t r o m L.

B e h a n d l i n g

a v a k u t a g g l e d a r i n f l a m m a t i o n

me d

e n b a r t a n t i b i o t i k a ,

e l l e r me d

a n t i b i o t i k a

k o m b i n a t i o n

me d

a n t i - i n f l a m m a t o r i s k d r o g .

( T r e a t m e n t o f

s a l p i n g i t i s a c u t a

w i t h

a n t i b i o t i c s s o l e l y

o r i n

c o m b i n a t i o n

w i t h a n a n t i p h l o g i s t i c d r u g . )

P r o t o c o l

f o r

t h e r e s e a r c h e t h i c s

c o m m i t t e e s ,

D i a v i e n o m b e r

2 0 1 - 8 6 , U n i v e r s i t y

o f

L u n d ,

1 9 8 6 .

( A c c e p t e d

3 3 J u n e

1 9 9

1 )

I n c r e a s e d

s e n s i t i v i t y

o f

d o p a m i n e

r e c e p t o r s

a n d

r e c u r r e n c e o f

a f f e c t i v e p s y c h o s i s a f t e r

c h i l d b i r t h

A

W i e c k ,

R

K u m a r ,

A D H i r s t ,

MN

M a r k s ,

I C

C a m p b e l l , S A C h e c k l e y

A b s t r a c t

O b j e c t i v e - T o

t e s t t h e

h y p o t h e s i s t h a t a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s

a f t e r

c h i l d b i r t h

i s

a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a n

a l t e r e d

s e n s i t i v i t y

t o

d o p a m i n e r g i c

s t i m u l a t i o n .

D e s i g n - P r o s p e c t i v e s tu d y o f p r e g n a n t women a t

h i g h

r i s k

o f d e v e l o p i n g a n

a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s a f t e r

c h i l d b i r t h .

C l i n i c a l

a s s e s s m e n t s

i n

p r e g n a n c y a n d

a f t e r

d e l i v e r y

w e r e

m a d e

b y

u s i n g

a

s e m i s t r u c t u r e d

i n t e r v i e w ( s c h e d u l e

f o r a f f e c t i v e d i s o r d e r s a n d

s c h i z o p h r e n i a ) a n d

p s y c h i a t r i c i l l n e s s e s w e r e

c a t e -

g o r i s e d a c c o r d i n g t o

o p e r a t i o n a l c r i t e r i a ( r e s e a r c h

d i a g n o s t i c c r i t e r i a ) .

S e t t i n g - O b s t e t r i c

a n d

p s y c h i a t r i c

d e p a r t m e n t s

i n

a n d a r o u n d G r e a t e r L o n d o n .

S u b j e c t s - 2 9 p r e g n a n t women w i t h

a

h i s t o r y o f

b i p o l a r

o r

s c h i z o a f f e c t i v e p s y c h o s i s a n d 4 7 c o n t r o l

p r e g n a n t

women.

Of

t h e s e , 1 6 f r o m

e a c h

g r o u p

p a r t i c i p a t e d

i n a

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c h a l l e n g e

t e s t a n d

t h e

r e s u l t s f o r 1 5 women i n

e a c h

g r o u p

w e r e

a n a l y s e d .

I n t e r v e n t i o n s - O n

t h e f o u r t h

d a y

p o s t p a r t u m

women

p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e h o r m o n e

c h a l l e n g e

t e s t

w e r e g i v e n

a

s u b c u t a n e o u s

i n j e c t i o n

o f

a

s m a l l

d o s e

( 0 0 0 5

m g / k g )

o f

t h e d o p a m i n e

a g o n i s t

a p o m o r p h i n e .

Main

o u t c o m e

m e a s u r e s - G r o w t h h o r m o n e s e c r e -

t i o n

i n r e s p o n s e

t o a p o m o r p h i n e a s a n i n d e x

o f t h e

f u n c t i o n a l s t a t e o f

h y p o t h a l a m i c

d o p a m i n e

r e c e p t o r s .

R e s u l t s - E i g h t o f

t h e 1 5 women

a t

r i s k o f p s y c h o s i s

s u b s e q u e n t l y

h a d

a r e c u r r e n c e

o f

i l l n e s s

( f i v e

b i p o l a r , o n e

s c h i z o m a n i c , a n d t w o m aj o r d e p r e s s i v e

i l l n e s s e s ) ; t h e s e

women

h a d s i g n i f i c a n t l y

g r e a t e r

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e r e s p o n s e s t o

a p o m o r p h i n e

t h a n t h e

s e v e n a t r i s k

women

who r e m a i n e d

w e l l

a n d

t h e

1 5

c o n t r o l s , a n d t h e r e w e r e n o

s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e s

b e t w e e n

g r o u p s

i n

a v e r a g e

b a s e l i n e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s . T he mean

( S D )

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

f o r

women

w i t h r e c u r r e n c e ,

women

a t

r i s k

who

r e m a i n e d

w e l l , a n d

c o n t r o l women

r e s p e c t i v e l y

w e r e :

a v e r a g e b a s e l i n e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

1 - 0 6

( 1 . 1 4 ) ,

1 - 4 4 ( 1 - 3 9 ) , a n d 0 9 0

( 1 - 3 4 ) m U / l ;

p e a k i n c r e a s e

i n c o n ce n t ra ti o n s 1 3 - 6 8

( 1 2 . 9 5 ) , 3 - 4 6 ( 4 . 6 8 ) , a n d

3

4 0

( 3 . 8 3 )

m U / l

( b e tw e e n g r o u p

d i f f e r e n c e p < 0 0 5 ) ;

a v e r a g e i n c r e a s e

i n

c o n ce n t ra ti o n s 6 - 7 4 ( 7 . 0 1 ) , 1 X 7 8

( 3 . 3 9 ) , a n d

1 - 4 0 ( 2 . 0 5 ) m U / l ( p < 0 0 5 ) .

C o n c l u s i o n s - T h e

o n s e t o f a f f e c t i v e p s y c h o s i s

a f t e r c h i l d b i r t h w a s a s so c i at e d w i t h

i n c r e a s e d s e n s i -

t i v i t y

o f

d o p a m i n e

r e c e p t o r s

i n

t h e

h y p o t h a l a m u s

a n d

p o s s i b l y e l s e w h e r e

i n

t h e

b r a i n .

S u c h c h a n g e s

may b e

t r i g g e r e d

b y t h e s h a r p f a l l

i n c i r c u l a t i n g

o e s t r o g e n

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

a f t e r

d e l i v e r y .

I n t r o d u c t i o n

C h i l d b i r t h

i s

a

p o t e n t p r e c i p i t a t o r o f s e v e r e

m e n t a l

i l l n e s s : a woman

i s a b o u t

2 0

t i m e s m o r e

l i k e l y

t o

r e q u i r e

a d m i s s i o n t o

h o s p i t a l f o r a p s y c h o t i c i l l n e s s i n

t h e m o n t h a f t e r d e l i v e r y t h a n i n a n y m o n t h i n t h e

p r e v i o u s

t w o

y e a r s . '

Women w i t h

a

h i s t o r y o f a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s , r e l a t e d o r u n r e l a t e d t o

c h i l d b i r t h ,

a r e

p a r t i c u l a r l y v u l n e r a b l e ,

a n d

r e l a p s e

r a t e s o f

5 0 h a v e

b e e n

r e p o r t e d .

P r o s p e c t i v e

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o f s u c h

women

t h r o u g h p r e g n a n c y

a n d

t h e

p o s t p a r t u m

p e r i o d

t h e r e f o r e

p e r m i t

r i g o r o u s e v a l u a t i o n

o f

p u t a t i v e

a e t i o -

l o g i c a l

m e c h a n i s m s . 3

O f

a l l t h e e n d o c r i n e

c h a n g e s t a k i n g

p l a c e

a f t e r

p a r t u r i t i o n ,

t h e

s h a r p

f a l l

i n

c i r c u l a t i n g

s e x s t e r o i d

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

i s

p e r h a p s

m o s t

l i k e l y

t o

c o n t r i b u t e

t o

t h e

p r e c i p i t a t i o n

o f

p s y c h o s i s

i n

p r e -

d i s p o s e d w o m e n .

U n l i k e

m o s t

o t h e r h o r m o n e s s t e r o i d s

h a v e

e a s y

a c c e s s t o t h e b r a i n a n d c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f

o e s t r a d i o l a n d

p r o g e s t e r o n e

i n

p l a s m a

a n d c e r e b r o -

s p i n a l

f l u i d a r e

h i g h l y c o r r e l a t e d . 4

R e c e n t r e s e a r c h

h a s s h o w n t h a t o e s t r o g e n s m o d u l a t e

t h e f u n c t i o n

o f

m o n o a m i n e r g i c

a n d ,

i n

p a r t i c u l a r , d o p a m i n e r g i c

n e u r o t r a n s m i t t e r

s y s t e m s

i n t h e c e n t r a l n e r v o u s

s y s t e m . 5 6

A b n o r m a l i t i e s o f

d o p a m i n e r g i c

n e u r o t r a n s -

m i s s i o n h a v e

b e e n

i m p l i c a t e d

i n

b o t h

s c h i z o p h r e n i c

a n d m an i c

d e p r e s s i v e

i l l n e s s ,

a n d

C o o k s o n

h a s

p r o -

p o s e d

t h a t

p u e r p e r a l

p s y c h o s i s

i s

t r i g g e r e d b y

t h e

D e p a r t m e n t o f

P s y c h i a t r y ,

I n s t i t u t e o f

P s y c h i a t r y ,

L o n d o n S E 5 8AF

A

W i e c k ,

MRCPSYCH,

l e c t u r e r

R

K u m a r ,

FRCPSYCH,

r e a d e r

M

N M a r k s , D P H I L ,

l e c t u r e r

S A

C h e c k l e y , F R C P S Y C H ,

d e a n

D e p a r t m e n t o f

N e u r o s c i e n c e , I n s t i t u t e

o f

P s y c h i a t r y ,

London

S E 5 8A F

A

  H i r s t ,

B S C ,

r e s e a r c h

w o r k e r

I C

C a m p b e l l , D S C , r e a d e r

C o r r e s p o n d e n c e t o :

Dr K u m a r .

BMJ

1 9 9 1 ; 3 0 3 : 6 1 3 - 6

BMJ

VOLUME

30 3

14 SEPTEMBER

1 991

613

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e f f e c t s

o f

p o s t p a r t u m o e s t r o g e n w i t h d r a w a l o n c e n t r a l

d o p a m i n e r g i c f u n c t i o n s .

I n c l i n i c a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n s t h e

s e c r e t i o n o f g r o w t h h o r m o n e i n

r e s p o n s e t o

a

s m a l l

d o s e o f

t h e d o p a m i n e a g o n i s t

a p o m o r p h i n e h a s

b e e n

u s e d a s a n i nd e x

o f

t h e r e s p o n s i v e n e s s

o f d o p a m i n e

s e n s i t i v e

n e u r o n e s

( p r o b a b l y

v i a

D 2

r e c e p t o r s )

i n t h e

h y p o t h a l a m u s

o r e l s e w h e r e

i n

t h e b r a i n . 8

A

m a j o r

d i f f i c u l t y w i t h t h e s e

s t u d i e s

l i e s

i n

f i n d i n g

i l l

p a t i e n t s

who h a v e

n o t r e c e n t l y

b e e n

t r e a t e d w i t h

p s y c h o t r o p i c

d r u g s ,

w h i c h i n t e r f e r e

w i t h

g r o w t h h o r m o n e s e c r e t i o n .

We

h a v e

e x a m i n e d

t h e a p o m o r p h i n e i n d u c e d

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e

o n

t h e

f o u r t h

d a y p o s t

partum-

t h a t

i s ,

b e f o r e

t h e

l i k e l y

o n s e t

o f

i l l n e s s - - i n

women

a t

h i g h

r i s k

o f

p u e r p e r a l a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s t o

s e e

w h e t h e r i t d i s c r i m i n a t e s b e t w e e n

women

who s u b s e -

q u e n t l y h a v e r e c u r r e n c e o f p s y c h o s i s

a n d t h o s e who

r e m a i n

w e l l .

M e t h o d s

P s y c h i a t r i s t s

a n d

o b s t e t r i c i a n s f r o m

s e v e r a l c e n t r e s

i n

a n d a r o u n d

G r e a t e r

L o n d o n

r e f e r r e d t o u s 3 8

p r e g n a n t

women who h a d a

h i s t o r y

o f m a n i c d e p r e s s i v e

o r

s c h i z o a f f e c t i v e

i l l n e s s a n d

who

a g r e e d

t o

t a k e

p a r t

i n a

p r o s p e c t i v e i n v e s t i g a t i o n

o f

p s y c h o s o c i a l

a n d

b i o l o g i c a l

f a c t o r s

t h a t m i g h t b e i n v o l v e d i n

t h e

r e c u r -

r e n c e o f

a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s a f t e r c h i l d b i r t h .

T w e n t y

n i n e o f

t h e s e

women

f u l f i l l e d

t h e

a d d i t i o n a l

s e l e c t i o n

c r i t e r i a o f

h a v i n g

n o c u r r e n t

p s y c h i a t r i c

i l l n e s s a n d

n o t

t a k i n g

p s y c h o t r o p i c d r u g s . F o r t y s e v e n

c o n t r o l

s u b j e c t s

w i t h n o

h i s t o r y

o f

p s y c h i a t r i c d i s o r d e r

w e r e

r e c r u i t e d

a t r a n d o m

f r o m

t h e

a n t e n a t a l

c l i n i c

o f

K i n g ' s

C o l l e g e H o s p i t a l .

T h e a i m s a n d

p r o c e d u r e s

o f

t h e

s t u d y

w e r e

e x p l a i n e d

a n d

a l l s u b j e c t s

a g r e e d t o

t a k e

p a r t a s

u n p a i d

v o l u n t e e r s .

S i x t e e n

o f

t h e

2 9

  a t r i s k

m o t h e r s

a n d 1 6

c o n t r o l s

p a r t i c i p a t e d

i n

t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e t e s t a f t e r

d e l i v e r y .

T h e

r e m a i n i n g

women

e i t h e r

d i d n o t w i s h t o t a k e

p a r t

o r w e r e

e x c l u d e d

b e c a u s e

o f

m a j o r

o b s t e t r i c

c o m p l i c a t i o n s

w h i c h

m i g h t

h a v e a l t e r e d

t h e t e s t r e s u l t s

( f o r e x a m p l e ,

c a e s a r e a n

s e c t i o n , s u r g e r y

u n d e r

g e n e r a l

a n a e s t h e s i a ,

b l o o d

l o s s

o f

m o r e t h a n 5 0 0

m l ,

o r

b l o o d

t r a n s f u s i o n s ) .

A l l

s u b j e c t s

w e r e

i n t e r v i e w e d

a t

3 6

w e e k s

o f

p r e g -

n a n c y a n d a t

s i x

m o n t h s

p o s t p a r t u m b y u s i n g

t h e

s c h e d u l e f o r

a f f e c t i v e d i s o r d e r s

a n d

s c h i z o p h r e n i a . 9

I n t e r v i e w d a t a w e r e

s u p p l e m e n t e d

b y

i n f o r m a t i o n

f r o m

h o s p i t a l c a s e

n o t e s . P a s t

p s y c h i a t r i c

e p i s o d e s

a n d

p o s t n a t a l r e l a p s e s

w e r e

c a t e g o r i s e d

a c c o r d i n g

t o

t h e

r e s e a r c h

d i a g n o s t i c

c r i t e r i a .

 

T h e

p o s t n a t a l

p e r i o d

w a s

d e f i n e d a s t h e

f i r s t 9 0

d a y s

a f t e r

d e l i v e r y .

T h e f o u r t h

d a y

a f t e r d e l i v e r y

w a s

c h o s e n

f o r t h e

C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

o f s a m p l e

a n d

r e s u l t s

o f

n e u r o e n d o c r i n e

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s

i n

women

a t

r i s k w h o d i d

o r d i d

n o t

d e v e l o p p s y c h o s i s a f t e r

p r e g n a n c y

a n d

c o n t r o l s

Women w i t h

Women

a t

r i s k

r e c u r r e n c e

o f w h o r e m a i n e d

C o n t r o l s

p s y c h o s i s

w e l l

( n =

1 5 )

( n = 8 ) ( n = 7 )

p

V a l u e

M e a n ( S D ) a g e ( y e a r s )

2 9 - 2 ( 4

5 )

3 1 6 ( 5 - 5 )

3 2 - 3 ( 5 - 7 )

NS

M e a n ( S D ) w e i g h t ( k g )

6 7 - 3 ( 1 0 - 3 ) 6 9 - 8 ( 7 - 7 ) 6 7 - 0 ( 1 4 - 9 )

N S t

M e d i a n

( r a n g e )

No o f

m o n t h s

n o t

t a k i n g

n e u r o l e p t i c s

2 2

( 4 - 5 4 )

2 9

( 1 2 - 1 1 0 ) t

N S 5

M e a n

( S D ) g r o w t h

h o r m o n e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

( m U / l ) :

B a s e l i n e

0

9 0 ( 1 - 3 4 )

1 - 0 6 ( 1 - 1 4 )

1

4 4 ( 1 - 3 9 ) N S I |

P e a k i n c r e a s e a f t e r

a p o m o r p h i n e

3 4 0

( 3 - 8 3 )

1 3

6 8

( 1 2 - 9 5 )

3 - 4 6

( 4 - 6 8 )

<0 0 5 ¶

A v e r a g e

i n c r e a s e a f t e r

a p o m o r p h i n e

1

4 0 ( 2

0 5 )

6 - 7 4

( 7 0 1 )

1 - 7 8

( 3 - 3 9 )

< 0 0 5 * *

M e d i a n

( r a n g e )

mood

s c o r e

2 7

( 9 - 5 2 )

4 2

( 1 6 - 6 1 )

4 7

( 1 1 - 6 3 )

N S t t

 F =

1 - 0 7 ,

t o t a l

d f = 2 9

( p r o b a b i l i t y

o f

F

v a l u e ,

o n e

w a y a n a l y s i s

o f

v a r i a n c e ) .

t F = 0 1 6 ,

t o t a l

d f = 2 9

( p r o b a b i l i t y

o f

F

v a l u e ,

o n e

w a y

a n a l y s i s

o f

v a r i a n c e ) .

t D a t a

m i s s i n g

f o r on e

p a t i e n t .

S M a n n - W h i t n e y

U t e s t ,

U=

1 1 - 5 ,

n=

1 2 .

I l F = 0 7 6 ,

t o t a l

d f = 2 9

( d a t a

l o g a r i t h m i c a l l y

t r a n s f o r m e d b e f o r e

o n e

w a y a n a l y s i s

o f

v a r i a n c e ) .

¶ I F = 4 - 2 8 ,

t o t a l

d f = 2 9

( d a t a

l o g a r i t h m i c a l l y

t r a n s f o r m e d b e f o r e

o n e

w a y a n a l y s i s

o f

v a r i a n c e ) .

M u l t i p l e

c o m p a r i s o n s ,

l e a s t

s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e

t e s t : women w i t h r e cu r r en c e v

c o n t r o l s , p < 0 0 5 ;

women w i t h

r e c u rr e n c e v

women

w h o

r e m a i n e d

w e l l ,

p < 0 0 5 .

* * F = 4 - 0 5 ,

t o t a l

d f =

2 9 .

M u l t i p l e

c o m p a r i s o n s ,

l e a s t

s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e t e s t : w o m e n w i t h

r e c u r r e n c e

v

c o n t r o l s ,

p < O 0 5 ;

women

w i t h

r e c u r r e n c e

v

women

wh o

r e m a i n e d

w e l l ,

N S .

t t N o

s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e

b y

K r u s k a l l - W a l l i s

t e s t

a m o n g

t h e

t h r e e

g r o u p s

( x 2 = 4 O 0 7 ,

n = 2 9 ) .

Women

w i t h

r e c u r r e n c e

a n d

women

wh o

r e m a i n e d

w e l l

c o m b i n e d v c o n t r o l s

b y M a n n - W h i t n e y

U

t e s t ,

U=

5 9 - 0 , n = 2 9 , p < 0 O 0 5 .

n e u r o e n d o c r i n e

i n v e s t i g a t i o n b e c a u s e ,

o n t h e

o n e

h a n d ,

i t

a l l o w e d

a

p e r io d o f r e c o v e r y d u r i n g

w h i c h

d r u g s g i v e n d u r i n g

l a b o u r

w o u l d b e

m o s t l y

c l e a r e d

a n d ,

o n

t h e

o t h e r

h a n d ,

b e c a u s e

i t w a s e x p e c t e d t o

f a l l

i n t o

t h e

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c   l u c i d

i n t e r v a l b e f o r e t h e

o n s e t

o f

t h e

a c u t e

p s y c h o s i s . T h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e t e s t w a s

c a r r i e d

o u t

a c c o r d i n g

t o

C o r n e t a l . Women w e r e

s e p a r a t e d f r o m

t h e i r b a b i e s t h r o u g h o u t

t h e t e s t .

B e t w e e n

9

a m

a n d 1 0 a m

a n

i n t r a v e n o u s

c a n n u l a w a s

i n s e r t e d

i n t o

a

f o r e a r m v e i n .

A f t e r a r e s t i n g p e r i o d o f

o n e h o u r 5

m l

b l o o d

s a m p l e s w e r e c o l l e c t e d

e v e r y 1 5

m i n u t e s

f r o m

3 0

m i n u t e s b e f o r e t o 9 0 m i n u te s

a f t e r

s u b c u t a n e o u s

i n j e c t i o n

o f

a p o m o r p h i n e

( 0 - 0 0 5

m g / k g ) .

T h e

mood s t a t e

a t t h e

s t a r t

o f

t h e

t e s t w a s a s s e s s e d

b y

u s i n g

o n e

o f

a

s e r i e s

o f

v i s u a l

a n a l o g u e

s c a l e s

w i t h

  h a p p y

a s 0

a n d

  s a d

a s

1 0 0 o n a 1 0 0 mm s c a l e

w h i c h

t h e

s u b j e c t

c o m p l e t e d

b e f o r e

t h e

f i r s t

b l o o d s a m p l e w a s

t a k e n .

P l a s m a

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s w e r e

a s s a y e d

i m m u n o r a d i o m e t r i c a l l y

b y

u s i n g a

p r o p r i e t a r y

k i t

( N o v o

B i o L a b s ,

U n i t e d

K i n g d o m ) .

T h e g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

s t a n d a r d s o f

t h e

k i t

w e r e c a l i b r a t e d

a g a i n s t

t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l

r e f e r e n c e

p r e p a r a t i o n ( 6 6 / 2 1 7 ) .

T h e

r e s u l t s o f t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

a s s a y s

w e r e

c a l c u l a t e d

f r o m t h e s e

s t a n d a r d s

a n d a r e

e x p r e s s e d

i n

m U / l . A t

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

o f 9 - 0 ,

2 4 - 0 , a n d 4 6 - 0

m U / l

i n t r a - a s s a y

a n d

i n t e r a s s a y

c o e f f i c i e n t s o f

v a r i a t i o n

w e r e

6

5 ,

7

1 ,

a n d

5

5

a n d

9

4 ,

8

5 ,

a n d

9 - 6 ,

r e s p e c t i v e l y .

R e s u l t s

T h e

1 6

women

a t r i s k

o f r e c u r r e n c e o f a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s

w h o

p a r t i c i p a t e d

i n

t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c h a l l e n g e

t e s t

d i d

n o t

d i f f e r

s i g n i f i c a n t l y

f r o m t h e o t h e r

1 3

women a t

r i s k

w i t h

r e s p e c t t o mean

( S D )

a g e

( 3 2 - 4

  5

7

y e a r s

v

3 1 - 9

( 3 - 5 ) y e a r s ) ,

s o c i a l

c l a s s

( p r o p o r t i o n

o f

m a n u a l w o r k e r s

4 / 1 6

( 2 5 )

v 6 / 1 3

( 4 6 ) ) ,

n u m b e r s

o f

p r e v i o u s p s y c h i a t r i c

a d m i s s i o n s

( m e d i a n

i n b o t h

g r o u p s = 1 ,

a n d

r a t e s

o f

r e l a p s e

a f t e r t h i s

d e l i v e r y

( 9 / 1 6

( 5 6 )

v 6 / 1 3

( 4 6 ) ) .

W i t h i n

t h e

c o n t r o l

g r o u p

t h e

p a r t i c i p a n t s

a n d

n o n - p a r t i c i p a n t s

i n

t h e t e s t

a l s o d i d

n o t

d i f f e r

s i g n i f i c a n t l y

i n

r e g a r d

t o

mean

a g e

( 2 8 - 7

( 4 3 )

v

3 1

1

( 4

7 )

y e a r s )

a n d

p r o p o r t i o n

o f

m a n u a l w o r k e r s

( 9 / 1 6

( 5 6 )

v 1 8 / 3 1

( 5 8 ) ) .

O n e a t

r i s k

w o m a n d i d n o t

c o m p l e t e

t h e

t e s t a n d o n e c o n t r o l

wa s

e x c l u d e d

f r o m

d a t a

a n a l y s i s

b e c a u s e

h e r b a s e l i n e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n

was a b o v e

6

m U / l ;

t h i s c u t

o f f

p o i n t

was

u s e d t o

a v o i d

t h e

n e g a t i v e

f e e d b a c k e f f e c t o f

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e on

i t s

own s e c r e t i o n .

2

O f t h e 1 5 w o m e n a t

r i s k who

c o m p l e t e d

t h e

t e s t ,

1 3

h a d

a

h i s t o r y

o f

b i p o l a r

m a n i c

d e p r e s s i v e i l l n e s s ,

o n e

o f

s c h i z o a f f e c t i v e

m a n i a ,

a n d

o n e o f

s c h i z o a f f e c t i v e

d e p r e s s i o n .

No

w o m a n h a d a

p s y c h i a t r i c

i l l n e s s

a c c o r d i n g

t o t h e r e s e a r c h

d i a g n o s t i c

c r i t e r i a

d u r i n g

t h e

two m o n t h s b e f o r e

d e l i v e r y . E i g h t

o f

t h e a t

r i s k w o m e n

h a d

r e c u r r e n c e o f

i l l n e s s - f i v e

h a d

e p i s o d e s

o f

m a n i a

w i t h

o r w i t h o u t

d e p r e s s i o n ,

one

h a d

s c h i z o -

m a n i a ,

a n d two h a d

m a j o r d e p r e s s i o n . O n l y

t wo o f t h e

w o m e n

h a d

a

r e c u r r e n c e

l a t e r

t h a n

t h e e n d

o f

t h e

f i r s t

w e e k ,

a n d

f o u r w o m e n

w e r e

s h o w i n g

some

e m o t i o n a l

l a b i l i t y

a t

t h e t i m e o f t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e t e s t

( t h r e e

w o m e n

w e r e

s l i g h t l y

d i s i n h i b i t e d a n d o v e r t a l k a t i v e

a n d o n e

w o m a n

was

t e a r f u l .

None o f t h e c o n t r o l

m o t h e r s b e c a m e

i l l .

T h e

t a b l e s u m m a r i s e s

t h e

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

o f t h e

s a m p l e

a n d

t h e

r e s u l t s

o f t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e t e s t f o r

t h e c o n t r o l s

( n = 1 5 ,

t h e

p a t i e n t s

w i t h

recurrence o f

p s y c h o s i s ( n = 8 ) ,

a n d

t h e

women

a t r i s k

o f

p s y c h o s i s

w h o r e m a i n e d

w e l l

( n =

7 .

T h e

f i g u r e

s h o w s

t h e

i n d i v i d u a l

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e

curves f o r a l l

s u b j e c t s

i n e a c h

g r o u p .

T h e r e

were no

s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e s

b e t w e e n

g r o u p s

w i t h

r e s p e c t

t o

a g e

a n d

b o d y w e i g h t

no r b e t w e e n

t h e t wo

s u b g r o u p s

o f women

a t r i s k o f

p s y c h o s i s

i n t h e

t i m e

s i n c e

t h e y

h a d

l a s t

b e e n

BM J

VOLUME 3 0 3

1 4 SEPTEMBER 1 9 9 1

1 4

Page 3: Increased Dopamine

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http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/increased-dopamine 3/4

Women w i t h r e c u r r e n c e

4 0 -

3 5 -

3 0 -

2 5 -

2 0 -

1 5 -

Women a t r i s k wh o

r e m a i n e d w e l l

4 0

3 0

2 5

2 0 '

1 5

1 0

0 3

5 -

M i n u t e s

|; 

. . . . . . . . . . . .

- 3 0 0

3 0

6 0 9 0

M i n u t e s

C o n t r o l s

A

- 3 0 0 3 0 6 0

9 0

M i n u t e s

G r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e s

t o

a p o m o r p h i n e

on

f o u r t h

d a y

a f t e r

d e l i v e r v

i n

e i g h t

women a t r i s k

o f

p u e r p e r a l

a f f e c t i v e p s y c h o s i s

w h o

h a d

r e c u r r e n c e ,

i n seven a t

r i s k wh o

r e m a i n e d

w e l l ,

a n d

i n

1 5

c o n t r o l s .

( A p o m o r p h i n e

h y d r o c h l o r i d e ( 0

0 0 5

m g l k g )

was

g i v e n b y

s u b c u t a n e o u s

i n j e c t i o n

a t

t i m e

0 )

t r e a t e d

w i t h

n e u r o l e p t i c

d r u g s .

No

woman

h a d r e c e i v e d

a n y p s y c h o t r o p i c d r u g

f o r a t l e a s t t wo m o n t h s b e f o r e

t h e

t e s t

e x c e p t

f o r

a n t i e m e t i c s

a n d

o p i a t e s

g i v e n

a r o u n d

t h e

t i m e

o f

l a b o u r a n d

d e l i v e r y

t o

o ne

woman

who h a d

a recurrence ( p e t h i d i n e

1 0 0

mg

i n t r a m u s c u l a r l y

a n d

p r o c h l o r p e r a z i n e 1 2 - 5 m

i n t r a m u s c u l a r l y ) ,

t h r e e a t

r i s k women

who r e m a i n e d w e l l

( p e t h i d i n e

1 0 0

mg a n d

p r o c h l o r p e r a z i n e

1 2 - 5

mg

i n

o n e )

a n d sev en

c o n t r o l

m o t h e r s ( s i x r e c e i v e d

p e t h i d i n e

1 0 0

mg

a n d

p r o c h l o r -

p e r a z i n e

1 2 - 5

mg

a n d

o ne

d e x t r o p r o p o x y p h e n e

6 5

m g ) .

The

p r o p o r t i o n

o f women

b e i n g g i v e n

o p i a t e s

or

a n t i e m e t i c s

w as not

s i g n i f i c a n t l y

d i f f e r e n t

among

t h e

t h r e e

group s

( X 2 = 2 - 7 7 )

d f = 2

a n d

X 2 =2 - 7 3 , d f = 2 ) .

One

woman

who l a t e r h a d a recurrence o f

i l l n e s s ,

w a s

g i v e n t e m a z e p a m

f o r

t h e

f i r s t

t h r e e

n i g h t s

p o s t

par tum.

The

average

b a s e l i n e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a -

t i o n s w e r e s i m i l a r i n t h e

t h r e e

groups.

The

area

u n d e r

t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

response

c urv e

w a s

c a l c u l a t e d

b y

s u b t r a c t i n g

t h e

average

b a s e l i n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n f r o m

t h e

average

c o n c e n t r a t i o n

a f t e r

t h e

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n

o f

a p o m o r p h i n e .

A v e r a g e

b a s e l i n e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

w e r e

a l s o s u b t r a c t e d f r o m

t h e

a b s o l u t e

p e a k

v a l u e s

t o o b t a i n

p e a k

i n c r e a s e s . B e c a u s e

t h e

v a r i a n c e

o f

i n c r e a s e s

i n

p e a k

a n d

average g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

was

s i g n i f i c a n t l y

d i f f e r e n t

among

t h e t h r ee

groups

t h e d a t a

were t r a n s f o r m e d

l o g a r i t h m i c a l l y

b e f o r e

a l l

s t a t i s t i c a l

t e s t s . T he women

wh o

h a d

r ecur r ence o f

p s y c h o s i s

h a d

s i g n i f i c a n t l y g r e a t e r g r o w t h

hormone

r es p ons es

( p e a k

i n c r e a s e s a n d

average i n c r e a s e s )

t o

a p o m o r p h i n e

t h a n t h o s e a t

r i s k

who

r e m a i n e d

w e l l a n d

t h e i r

p e a k

i n c r e a s e s w e r e a l s o

s i g n i f i c a n t l y g r e a t e r

t h a n

t h o s e

o f

t h e

c o n t r o l s .

Of t h e

t wo women wh o

ex -

p e r i e n c e d

a

recurrence

o f

m a j o r

d e p r e s s i o n ,

o n e

h a d

a n

i n c r e a s e d

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

response

a n d

one

d i d n o t .

T h e r e

was no

d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e

g r o w t h

hormone

responses

b e t w e e n

t h e a t r i s k women who r e m a i n e d

w e l l a n d

t h e c o n t r o l s .

W i t h i n

t h e

group

o f women

w i t h

a

re c u rre n c e t h e

f o u r

who

s e e m e d t o h a v e m i l d

p r o d r o m a l s y m p t o m s

a t

t h e

t i m e

o f t h e

t e s t

d i d no t d i f f e r i n t h e i r

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r es p ons es

f r o m

t h e

o th e r f o u r

women

( m e a n

( S D ) p e a k

i n c r e a s e

1 3 - 5 8

( 1 1 - 7 1 )

a n d 1 3 - 7 6

( 1 5 - 9 5 )

m U / l ,

t =

- 0 . 5 0 , d f = 6 ,

n o t

s i g n i f i c a n t ; average

i n c r e a s e

5 - 4 2

( 4 - 7 1 )

a n d

8 - 0 8 ( 9 - 3 7 ) m U / l ,

t = 0

0 0 , d f = 6 ,

no t

s i g n i f i c a n t ) .

The 1 5

a t

r i s k

women

t a k e n t o g e t h e r

r a t e d

t h e m s e l v e s

on t h e mood

s c a l e as

l e s s

h a p p y

t h a n t h e

c o n t r o l s , b u t

t h e

mood

scores o f

t h o s e w i t h

s u b s e q u e n t

r ecur r ence

w e r e not

d i f f e r e n t

f r o m

t h o s e

who

r e m a i n e d

w e l l . Mood

r a t i n g s

d i d

no t

c o r r e l a t e w i t h t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

responses ( P e a r s o n ' s

c o r r e l a t i o n

c o e f f i c i e n t r = 0

0 5 ,

n=29 f o r

p e a k

i n c r e a s e

i n g r o w t h

h o r m o n e a n d

r = 0 - 0 8 ,

n=29 f o r a v e r a g e i n c r e a s e ,

b o t h

n o t

s i g n i f i c a n t ) .

S u b j e c t s

w e r e

a l s o

s p l i t

i n t o

t w o

g r o u p s a c c o r d i n g t o m e d i a n mood s c o r e ( 3 3 - 6 9 mm,

n= 2 9 ) ,

a n d t h e r e

w a s n o s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e i n

p e a k g r o w t h h o r m o n e r e s p o n s e ( t =

- 0 - 1 8 , d f = 2 7 )

a n d

a v e r a g e g r o w t h h o r m o n e i n c r e a s e ( t = - 0 d 1 9 , d f = 2 7 )

b e t w e e n

t h e t w o g r o u p s . I t

s e e m s

u n l i k e l y ,

t h e r e f o r e ,

t h a t t h e e n h a n c e d

g r o w t h h o r m o n e r e s p o n s e s

i n

women w i t h

r e c u r r e n c e

o f p s y c h o s i s w e r e a r e f l e c t i o n

o f a f f e c t i v e o r

b e h a v i o u r a l

c h a n g e s a t

t h e

t i m e o f

t h e

t e s t .

T w e l v e

a t

r i s k

women h a d

b e e n

t r e a t e d

w i t h

n e u r o l e p t i c

d r u g s i n

t h e p a s t

( 7 / 8

women w i t h r e c u r -

r e n c e a n d

5 / 7 who r e m a i n e d w e l l , d a t a

o n o n e s u b j e c t

who r e m a i n e d w e l l

w e r e

n o t a v a i l a b l e ) .

T h e

l e n g t h o f

t i m e t h a t t h e s e

women

h a d s t o p p e d t a k i n g n e u r o l e p t i c

d r u g s

d i d n o t c o r r e l a t e

w i t h t h e i r

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e s ( P e a r s o n ' s

c o r r e l a t i o n

c o e f f i c i e n t r=-0 3 3 ,

n= 1 2 f o r p e a k

i n c r e a s e

i n g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

c o n c e n -

t r a t i o n a n d

r =

- 0

3 6 ,

n= 1 2

f o r a v e r a g e

i n c r e a s e ,

b o t h

n o t s i g n i f i c a n t ) ,

a n d

t h e r e w a s

a l s o

n o d i f f e r e n c e

b e t w e e n

s u b j e c t s

i f

t h e y

w e r e

s p l i t i n t o t w o g r o u p s

a c c o r d i n g t o

m e d i a n t i m e

n o t t a k i n g

n e u r o l e p t i c s

( m e d i a n = 2 7

m o n t h s ,

t =

1

- 2 4 ,

d f = 1 0

f o r p e a k i n c r e a s e ,

a n d

t = 1 - 2 1 ,

d f = 1 0

f o r a v e r a g e i n c r e a s e ,

b o t h

n o t

s i g n i f i c a n t ) .

A n t i e m e t i c o r

o p i a t e d r u g s g i v e n d u r i n g

l a b o u r

a n d

d e l i v e r y

h a d

n o

e f f e c t

o n g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e s e i t h e r w i t h i n

t h e

c o n t r o l g r o u p ( f o r a n t i -

e m e t i c s

t = 0 - 3 3 , d f =

1 3 f o r

p e a k

i n c r e a s e a n d

t = 0

1 3 ,

d f =

1 3 f o r

a v e r a g e i n c r e a s e ; f o r

o p i a t e s

t =

- 0 - 0 2 ,

d f =

1 3 a n d t = - 0 - 2 6 , d f =

1 3 , n o t

s i g n i f i c a n t )

o r w h e n

t h e

r e s p o n s e s

o f

c o n t r o l

a n d

a t

r i s k

s u b j e c t s

w e r e

a n a l y s e d t o g e t h e r   t = 0 - 3 6 d f = 2 8 , t = 0

0 5 ,

d f = 1 3 a n d

t = 0

5 8 , d f = 2 8 , t = - 0 - 7 8 , d f = 2 8 ,

n o t

s i g n i f i c a n t ,

r e s p e c t i v e l y ) .

D i s c u s s i o n

T h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e r e s p o n s e

t o t h e

d o p a m i n e

a g o n i s t

a p o m o r p h i n e

w a s e n h an c e d

o n

t h e

f o u r t h d a y

a f t e r

d e l i v e r y

i n

w om en wh o

w e r e a b o u t

t o

h a v e a

r e c u r r e n c e

o f

a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s .

T h e

s i g n i f i c a n c e o f

t h e

p r e s e n c e

o f m i l d

p r o d r o m a l s y m p t o m s

i n

h a l f

o f

t h e s e

s u b j e c t s

i s u n c e r t a i n

a n d

i n f u t u r e

s t u d i e s

t e s t s a t

d i f f e r e n t t i m e s a f t e r

d e l i v e r y a r e n e e d e d . P r e v i o u s

n e u r o e n d o c r i n e

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o f d o p a m i n e r g i c

f u n c t i o n

i n

a f f e c t i v e

i l l n e s s e s h a v e

y i e l d e d

c o n f l i c t i n g

r e s u l t s a n d

may h a v e

b e e n

i n f l u e n c e d

b y c o n f o u n di n g

f a c t o r s

s u c h a s

i n c o m p l e t e

w i t h d r a w a l f r o m

d r u g s ,

w e i g h t l o s s ,

a n d o t h e r

n o n - s p e c i f i c

e f f e c t s o f

a s e v e r e

m e n t a l i l l n e s s .

I 3

T h e

s t r a t e g y o f

i n v e s t i g a t i n g h i g h

r i s k

s u b j e c t s j u s t

b e f o r e

t h e y a r e l i k e l y t o

b e c o m e s e v e r e l y

i l l

a v o i d s

t h e s e p r o b l e m s . H o w e v e r ,

s o m e o t h e r v a r i -

a b l e s

w h i c h c o u l d

h a v e

c o n f o u n d e d o u r r e s u l t s n e e d t o

b e c o n s i d e r e d .

I n

t h e

p r o d r o m a l

p h a s e o f p u e r p e r a l p s y c h o s i s

women

o f t e n

h a v e

a p p r e c i a b l e i n s o m n i a .

We

d i d n o t

m e a s u r e

t h i s ,

b u t

i f s o m e o f t h e s u b j e c t s w i t h

a

s u b s e q u e n t

r e c u r r e n c e

o f

p s y c h o s i s

h a d l e s s

s l e e p

b e f o r e

t h e

t e s t

t h i s

w o u l d

h a v e r e d u c e d

r a t h e r

t h a n

e n h a n c e d t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e

t o

a p o m o r -

p h i n e . ' 4

B r e a s t

f e e d i n g

w a s n o t p e r m i t t e d

d u r i n g t h e

t e s t ,

a n d b r e a s t

f e e d i n g

b e f o r e

t h e t e s t c o u l d

a l s o

n o t

h a v e a c c o u n t e d

f o r d i f f e r e n c e s

i n

e n d o c r i n e r e s p o n -

s i v e n e s s :

o n l y

t w o

a t

r i s k

s u b j e c t s d i d

n o t

a t t e m p t

t o

b r e a s t f e e d

-one

r e l a p s e d

a n d o n e d i d

n o t . W i t h i n t h e

c o n t r o l

g r o u p

t h e r e w e r e

n o

d i f f e r e n c e s i n

mean

( S D )

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s b e t w e e n

t h e n i n e

b r e a s t

f e e d i n g

women

a n d t h e s i x

b o t t l e

f e e d i n g

women

( b a s e l i n e 0 - 6 4 ( 0 3 2 )

a n d

1 - 2 6

( 2

1 5 ) m U / l , t =

- 0 - 3 8 ,

d f =

1 3 ; p e a k

i n c r e a s e 4 - 0 0

( 4

3 0 )

a n d

2

5 4

( 3

1 4 )

m U / l ,

t = 0 - 7 8 ,

d f = 1 3 ;

a v e r a g e

i n c r e a s e

1 - 6 0

( 2 - 3 2 )

a n d 1 1 0

( 1 - 7 1 ) m U / 1 ,

t = 0

3 4 , d f = 1 3 ;

a l l

c o m p a r i s o n s

w e r e n o t

s i g n i f i c a n t l y d i f f e r e n t ) .

BMJ

VOLUME 30 3

1 4

SEPTEMBER

1991

4 0

3 5 '

3 0 -

E 2 5

( )

c

0

E

2 0

0

 

3

1 5 i

1 0

5 .

0 '

3 5 1

5 -

6 1 5

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http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/increased-dopamine 4/4

A p o m o r p h i n e i s

t h o u g h t t o

i n c r e a s e g r o w t h

h o r m o n e s e c r e t i o n

b y

s t i m u l a t i n g

p o s t s y n a p t i c

d o p a -

m i n e r e c e p t o r s ,

p r o b a b l y o f t h e D 2 t y p e ,

i n

t h e m e d i a n

e m i n e n c e o f t h e h y p o t h a l a m u s .

s

T h e r e

i s

e v i d e n c e

t h a t t h e s e n s i t i v i t y o f

t h e s e r e c e p t o r s o r o f s o m e

a s s o c i a t e d i n t r a c e l l u l a r m e c h a n i s m i s

i n f l u e n c e d

b y

f e m a l e

s e x

s t e r o i d

h o r m o n e s . T h u s t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e

t o a p o m o r p h i n e i s e n h a n c e d i n

women t a k i n g o r a l

c o n t r a c e p t i v e s ' 6

a n d ,

i n

women

w i th s p o n t an e o u s c y c l e s , i t i s much g r e a t e r i n t h e

m i d - l u t e a l t h a n t h e e a r l y

f o l l i c u l a r p h a s e o f t h e

m e n s t r u a l c y c l e .   V a r i a t i o n s i n s e x s t e r o i d c o n c e n t r a -

t i o n s

d o

n o t

i n f l u e n c e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

s e c r e t i o n

i n d u c e d

b y g r o w t h h o r m o n e r e l e a s i n g h o r m o n e , ' 8 9

a n d

t h i s i n d i c a t e s

t h a t

t h e y

a c t

a t

a

s u p r a p i t u i t a r y l e v e l .

I n a n i m a l s t u d i e s o e s t r o g e n s h av e b e e n s h o w n t o h a v e

p r o n o u n c e d

e f f e c t s o n

t h e

f u n c t i o n

o f c e n t r a l

d o p a -

m i n e r g i c n e u r o t r a n s m i t t e r

s y s t e m s .

S e v e r a l s i t e s

o f

a c t i o n

h a v e

b e e n

i d e n t i f i e d , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e

o f

d o p a m i n e s y n t h e s i s 2 0 a n d p o s t s y n a p t i c r e c e p t o r

f u n c t i o n . 2 '

R e c e n t l y ,

o e s t r o g e n i c

e f f e c t s h a v e

b e e n

s h o w n a t a m o l e c u l a r l e v e l ; t h u s B l u m e t

a l

r e p o r t e d a

c o n s i d e r a b l e

d e c r e a s e ,

a f t e r

o e s t r o g e n

t r e a t m e n t ,

i n

t h e

t r a n s c r i p t i o n

o f

t h e g e n e f o r

t y r o s i n e

h y d r o x y l a s e ,

t h e

r a t e l i m i t i n g e n z y m e

f o r

d o p a m i n e

s y n t h e s i s . 2 2

We d o n o t

k n o w how

t h e

d o p a m i n e r g i c s y s t e m

i s

f u n c t i o n i n g

i n

n o r m a l o r

h i g h

r i s k women

j u s t

b e f o r e

d e l i v e r y .

T h u s

i t

i s

n o t

p o s s i b l e

t o

e x p l a i n

how

t h e

e n h a n c e d

r e s p o n s e t o d o p a m i n e r g i c

s t i m u l a t i o n

may

h a v e a r i s e n i n t h e women w i t h

r e c u r r e n c e o f

p s y c h o s i s

a f t e r c h i l d b i r t h .

I n v e s t i g a t i n g

t h e s a m e

s u b j e c t s

a f t e r

r e c o v e r y

a c r o s s t h e

m e n s t r u a l

c y c l e may

h e l p

t o

e l u c i d a t e how

d o p a m i n e r g i c

f u n c t i o n

a l t e r s

w i t h a

v a r y i n g

h o r m o n a l

m i l i e u . T h e

p o s s i b l e

l i n k

b e t w e e n

o e s t r o g e n   w i t h d r a w a l ,

i n c r e a s e d

s e n s i t i v i t y

t o

d o p a -

m i n e r g i c

s t i m u l a t i o n ,

a n d

p u e r p e r a l

a f f e c t i v e

p s y c h o s i s

i s i n t r i g u i n g

a n d

may

h o l d t h e

k e y

f o r

s u c c e s s f u l

p r e v e n t i o n

o f r e c u r r e n t

p s y c h o s e s .

We

a r e

c u r r e n t l y

i n v e s t i g a t i n g

w h e t h e r

o e s t r o g e n

g i v e n

t o

h i g h

r i s k

women

s o o n a f t e r

d e l i v e r y

w i l l

r e d u c e r a t e s

o f

r e c u r -

r e n c e ,

a s w a s

o r i g i n a l l y

d e s c r i b e d

b y

H a m i l t o n

i n

a n

u n c o n t r o l l e d

s e r i e s

o f

4 0

s u b j e c t s , 2 9

a n d w h e t h e r

i t w i l l

n o r m a l i s e

d o p a m i n e

r e c e p t o r f u n c t i o n .

T h i s s tu dy

w a s

f u n d e d

b y t h e M e d i c a l R e s e a r c h

C o u n c i l ,

t h e H e a l t h

P r o m o t i o n R e s e a r c h T r u s t ,

a n d

t h e G a t s b y

T r u s t .

We t ha nk o u r many c o l l e a g u e s

f o r r e f e r r i n g s u i t a b l e s u b j e c t s

f o r t h i s r e s e a r c h a n d a l l t h e m o t h e r s wh o

h e l p e d u s t o c a r r y

i t

o u t . We

a l s o

t h a n k

B r i a n E v e r i t t , p r o f e s s o r

o f s t a t i s t i c s i n

b e h a v i o u r a l

s c i e n c e

a t

t h e

I n s t i t u t e o f

P s y c h i a t r y ,

L o n d o n ,

f o r

s t a t i s t i c a l

a d v i c e .

I

K e n d e l l R E ,

C h a l m e r s JC , P l a t z

C .

E p i d e m i o l o g y

o f

p u e r p e r a l

p s y c h o s i s .

B r . 7

P s Y c h i a t r y

1 9 8 7 ; 1 5 0 : 6 6 2 - 7 3 .

2

D e a n

C ,

W i l l i a m s RJ ,

B r o c k i n g t o n I F .

I s p u e r p e r a l p s y c h o s i s

t h e s a m e a s

b i p o l a r

m a n i c - d e p r e s s i v e d i s o r d e r ? A f a m i l y

s t u d y .

P s v c h o l M e d 1 9 8 9 ; 1 9 :

6 3 7 - 4 7 .

3

Kumar

R , I s a a c s 8 ,

M e l t z e r

E .

R e c u r r e n t

p o s t - p a r t u m

p s y c h o s i s .

B r _

P s s c h i a t r

1 9 8 3 ; 1 4 2 : 6 1 8 - 2 0 .

4 B a c k s t r o m

T , C ar st en se n

H , S o d e r g a r d R.

C o n c e n t r a t i o n

o f

e s t r a d i o l ,

t e s t o s t e r o n e

a n d

p r o g e s t e r o n e i n c e r e b r o s p i n a l f l u i d

c o m p a r e d

t o p l a s m a

u n b o u n d

a n d

t o t a l

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s . J 5 t e r o i d B i o c h e m

1 9 7 6 ; 7 : 4 6 9 - 7 2 .

5

D e a k i n

J F W .

R e l e v a n c e

o f h o r m o n e - C N S

i n t e r a c t i o n s

t o

p s y c h o l o g i c a l

c h a n g e s i n

t h e p u e r p e r i u m . I n :

Kumar R , B r o c k i ng t o n

I F , e d s .

M o t h e r h o o d

a n d m e n t a l i l l n e s s 2 . L o n d o n :

W r i g h t ,

1 9 8 8 : 1 1 3 - 3 2 .

6

W i e c k

A. E n d o c r i n e

a s p e c t s

o f

p o s t n a t a l

m e n t a l

d i s o r d e r s .

I n :

O a t e s

M ,

e d .

P s y c h o l o g i c a l a s p e c t s

o f

o b s t e t r i c s

a n d

g y n a e c o l o g y . B a i l l i e r e ' s c l i n i c a l

o b s t e t r i c s

a n d

g y n a e c o l o g y . V o l

3 / 4 . L o n d o n :

B a i l l i e r e

T i n d a l l ,

1 9 8 9 : 8 5 7 - 7 7 .

7 C o o k s o n

J C .

T h e

n e u r o e n d o c r i n o l o g y

o f

m a n i a .

J

A f f e c t i v e D i s o r d

1 9 8 5 ; 8 :

2 3 3 - 4 1 .

8

M at u s se k N . C a t e c h o l a m i n e s

a n d m o o d :

n e u r o e n d o c r i n e

a s p e c t s .

C u r r e n t

t o p i c s

i n n e u r o e n d o c r n n o l o g y .

V o l

8 . B e r l i n :

S p r i n g e r ,

1 9 8 8 : 1 4 1 - 8 2 .

9

E n d i c o t t

J ,

S p i t z e r

R L . A

d i a g n o s t i c

i n t e r v i e w . A r c h

G e n P s v c h t a t r v

1 9 7 8 ; 3 5 :

8 3 7 - 4 4 .

1 0

S p i t z e r R L ,

E n d i c o t t J ,

R o b i n s E .

R e s e a r c h

d i a g n o s t i c

c r i t e r i a .

R a t i o n a l e

a n d

r e l i a b i l i t y . A r c h G e n

P s v c h i a t y 1 9 7 8 ; 3 5 : 7 7 3 - 8 2 .

1 1

C o r n T , H a l e

A S ,

T h o m p s o n C ,

B r i d g e s P K ,

C h e c k l e v

S A . A

c o m p a r i s o n o f

t h e

GH

r e s p o n s e s

t o

c l o n i d i n e

a n d

a p o m o r p h i n e

i n t h e s a m e

e n d o g e n o u s l y

d e p r e s s e d

p a t i e n t s .

B r J

P s y c h i a t r v 1 9 8 4 ; 1 4 4 : 6 3 6 - 9 .

1 2

C h e ck l e y S A ,

C o r n

TH,

G l a s s

I B ,

B u r t o n

SW,

B u r k e

C A .

Th e

r e s p o n s i v e n e s s

o f

c e n t r a l

a l p h a 2

a d r e n o c e p t o r s

i n

d e p r e s s i o n .

I n :

D e a k i n

J F W ,

e d . T h e

b i o l o g y

o f

d e p r e s s i o n .

L o n d o n :

G a s k e l l , 1 9 8 6 : 1 0 0 - 2 0 .

1 3

C h e c k l e y

S A .

N e u r o e n d o c r i n e t e s t s o f m o n o a m i n e

f u n c t i o n i n m a n : a r e v i e w

o f

b a s i c

t h e o r y

a n d

i t s

a p p l i c a t i o n

t o

t h e

s t u d y

o f

d e p r e s s i v e i l l n e s s .

P s y c h o l M e d

1 9 8 0 ; 1 0 : 3 5 - 5 3 .

1 4

L al

S ,

T h a v u n d a y i l J , N a i r

NPV,

e t a l . E f f e c t

o f

s l e e p d e p r i v a t i o n

o n

d o p a m i n e

r e c e p t o r f u n c t i o n i n m a n .

7

N e u r a l

T r a n s m i s s i o n

1 9 8 1 ; 5 0 : 3 9 - 4 5 .

1 5

M e l t z e r

HY.

R e l e v a n c e o f

d o p a m i n e a u t o r e c e p t o r s

f o r

p s y c h i a t r y : p r e c l i n i c a l

a n d c l i n i c a l

s t u d i e s .

S c h i z o p h r

B u l l

1 9 8 0 ; 6 : 4 5 6 - 7 5 .

1 6

E t t i g i

P ,

L a l

S ,

M a r t i n

JB ,

F r i e s e n H C . E f f e c t o f

s e x ,

o r a l

c o n t r a c e p t i v e s ,

a n d

g l u c o s e

l o a d i n g

o n

a p o m o r p h i n e - i n d u c e d g r o w t h h o r m o n e s e c r e t i o n .

J

C l i n

E n d o c r i n o l M e t a b

1 9 7 5 ; 4 0 : 1 0 9 4 - 8 .

1 7

W i e c k A , H i r s t

AD ,

Kumar

R , C h e c k le v

S A ,

C a m p b e l l I C .

G r o w th h o r m o n e

s e c r e t i o n

b y

human f e m a l e s i n

r e s p o n s e

t o

a p o m o r p h i n e

c h a l l e n g e

i s

m a r k e d l y a f f e c t e d

b y

m e n s t r u a l

c y c l e

p h a s e .

B r

J

C l i n

P h a r m

1 9 8 9 ; 2 7 :

7 0 0 -

1 P .

1 8

G e l a t o MC ,

P e s c o v i t z

OH ,

C a s s o r l a

F ,

L o r i a u x

D L ,

M e r r i a m

G R . D o s e -

r e s p o n s e r e l a t i o n s h i p s

f o r t h e

e f f e c t s o f

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e - r e l e a s i n g

f a c t o r -

( 1 - 4 4 ) - N H 2

i n

y o u n g

a d u l t me n

a n d

w o m e n .

j

C l i n E n d o c r i n o l

M e t a b

1 9 8 4 ; 5 9 : 1 9 7 - 2 0 1 .

1 9 R o s s

R J M ,

G r o s s m a n

A ,

D a v i e s

P S W ,

S a v a g e

MO,

B e s s e r

GM .

S t i l b o e s t r o l

p r e t r e a t m e n t

o f

c h i l d r e n w i t h

s h o r t s t a t u r e d o e s n o t

a f f e c t

t h e

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e

r e s p o n s e

t o

g r o w t h

h o r m o n e - r e l e a s i n g

h o r m o n e . C l i n

E n d o c r i n o l

1 9 8 7 ; 2 7 :

1 5 5 - 6 1 .

2 0

D e m a r e s t

K T , R i e g l e

GD,

M o o r e

K E .

L o n g - t e r m

t r e a t m e n t w i t h

e s t r a d i o l

i n d u c e s r e v e r s i b l e a l t e r a t i o n s i n

t u b e r o i n f u n d i b u l a r d o p a m i n e r g i c n e u r o n s :

a

d e c r e a s e d

r e s p o n s i v e n e s s t o

p r o l a c t i n .

N e u r o e n d o c r i n o l o g y

1 9 8 4 ; 3 9 :

1 9 3 - 2 0 0 .

2 1

V a n

H a r d t e s v e l d t

C ,

J o y c e

J N .

E f f e c t s

o f

e s t r o g e n

o n

t h e

b a s a l

g a n g l i a .

N e u r o s c i

a n d

B i w b e h a v

R e v

1 9 8 6 ; 1 0 :

1 - 1 4 .

2 2 B l u m

M,

McEwen

BS ,

R o b e r t s

J L .

T r a n s c r i p t i o n a l

a n a l y s i s

o f

t y r o s i n e

h y d r o x y l a s e

g e n e

e x p r e s s i o n

i n t h e

t u b e r o i n f u n d i b u l a r

d o p a m i n e r g i c

n e u r o n s

o f

t h e r a t a r c u a t e n u c l e u s

a f t e r

e s t r o g e n

t r e a t m e n t .

J

B i o l

C h e m

1 9 8 7 ; 2 6 2 : 8 1 7 - 2 1 .

2 3

H a m i l t o n

J A .

T h e

i d e n t i t y

o f

p o s t p a r t u m

p s y c h i a t r i c

p r o b l e m s .

I n :

B r o c k i n g -

to n

I F , Kumar

R,

e d s . M o t h e rh o o d a n d

m e n t a l i l l n e s s .

L o n d o n :

A c a d e m i c

P r e s s ,

1 9 8 2 : 1 - 1 7 .

( A c c e p t e d

2 8

j u n e

1 9 9 1 )

ONE HUNDRED

YEARS

AGO

On

A u g u s t 2 9 t h D r .

O l i v e r

W e n d e l l H o l m e s a t t a i n e d t h e

a g e o f 8 2 , a n d w e a r e

s u r e

t h a t

t h e

w h o l e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n

o n

t h i s

s i d e

o f

t h e A t l a n t i c

w i l l

j o i n

w i t h

u s

i n

w i s h i n g

m a n y h a p p y

r e t u r n s

o f t h e d a y t o

t h e g r a c e f u l

p o e t ,

t h e

g e n i a l e s s a y i s t ,

a n d t h e

v e n e r a b l e e x - p r o f e s s o r

o f

a n a t o m y ,

w h o

h a s d o n e m o r e t h a n

a n y man l i v i n g

t o p r o v e

t h a t

t h e r e

i s n o

n e c e s s a r y

i n c o m p a t i b i l i t y b e t w e e n m e d i c i n e

a n d

l i t e r a t u r e .

T h i s i s a

t r u t h w h i c h

i n

t h e s e d a y s , w h e n

t h e

l i t e r a r y e l e m e n t

i s b e i n g

m o r e a n d m o r e t h r u s t a s i d e

i n t h e

e d u c a t i o n

o f m e d i c a l

s t u d e n t s ,

n e ed s s u ch

a

c o n s p i c u o u s

e x a m p l e a s t h a t

o f D r .

H o l m e s t o

r e i n f o r c e i t , a n d a l l t h o s e

m e d i c a l

men

who

h a v e

w h a t

may

w i t h o u t

o f f e n c e

b e c a l l e d

a s o u l a b o v e t h e i r s t e t h o s c o p e s , a n d who a r e a n x i o u s

n o t t o

s e e m e d i c i n e

l o s e

t h e

r a n k

w h i c h

i t h a s s o l o n g h e l d

a s

o n e

o f t h e   l e a r n e d p r o f e s s i o n s , s h o u l d b e d e e p l y

g r a t e f u l

t o

h i m

f o r

h a vi n g s h e d

t h e

l u s t r e o f

l e t t e r s o v e r o u r s o m e w h a t

d i s m a l s c i e n c e . T h o u g h h e h a s l o n g r e t i r e d f r o m

a c t i v e

p r a c t i c e

i t i s

g r a t i f y i n g

t o

l e a r n t h a t

t h e M u s e s

w ho m

h e

h a s w o o e d

s o s u c c e s s f u l l y h a v e n o t

b e e n a b l e

t o b a n i s h

t h e

l o v e

o f

m e d i c i n e

f r o m

h i s

h e a r t .

H e

s t i l l

c o n t i n u e s

t o

t a k e

t h e k e e n e s t i n t e r e s t

i n

e v e r y t h i n g c o n n e c t e d

w i t h t h e

g o o d

r e p u t e a n d

d i g n i t y

o f

t h e

p r o f e s s i o n

w h i c h

i t m a y b e

h o p e d

h e

w i l l c o n t i n u e t o

a d o r n f o r m a n y a

l o n g y e a r .

N o t

m a n y

m o n t h s

a g o

t h e e d i t o r

o f

T h e

A u s t r a l a s i a n

M e d i c a l

G a z e t t e ,

h a v i n g f o r w a r d e d t o D r .

H o l m e s c o p i e s o f t h e e v i d e n c e

t a k e n

b y t h e

S e l e c t

C o m m i t t e e o f t h e L e g i s l a t i v e C o u n c i l

o f

New S o u t h

W a l e s ,

r e l a t i v e

t o t h e p r a c t i c e

o f

m e d i c i n e

i n

t h a t

c o l o n y , r e c e i v e d

f r o m h i m t h e f o l l o w i n g l e t t e r ,

w h i c h

w e n e e d

m a k e

n o a p o l o g y f o r

g i v i n g i n

f u l l :

 

B o s t o n ,

A p r i l

2 5 t h ,

1 8 9 1

M Y D E A R S I R , - I

t h a n k y o u m o st c o r d i a l l y f o r

t h e

v e r y

i m p o r t a n t a n d i n t e r e s t i n g

p a p e r s r e l a t i n g t o q u a c k e r y a s

i t

a p p e a r s

i n y o u r

g r e a t c o l o n y .

A l t h o u g h i t i s a v e r y

l o n g t i m e

s i n c e I h a v e p r a c t i s e d

m e d i c i n e ,

I

r e t a i n my

i n t e r e s t

i n

a l l

m a t t e r s

r e l a t i n g t o t h e

p r o f e s s i o n ,

a n d

a m g l a d

t o

a d d

t h e s e v a l u a b l e

d o c u m e n t s

t o

my l i b r a r y , f o r

t h e p r e s e n t , b u t t o

g o

e v e n t u a l l y

w i t h

t h e

r e s t

o f my

m e d i c a l

b o o k s ,

w h i c h I

g a v e

s o m e y e a r s a g o

t o

t h e

B o st o n M e di c al

L i b r a r y . - B e l i e v e

m e , d e a r S i r ,

v e r y

t r u l y

a n d

g r a t e f u l l y y o u r s .

T h e H o n .

J o h n

M.

C r e e d ,

S y d n e y .

O L I V E R

WENDELL H O L M E S .

( B r i t i s h

M e d i c a l J 7 o u r n a l

1 8 9 1 ; i i : 6 5 5 )

6 1 6

BM J

VOLUME

3 0 3

1 4

SEPTEMBER

1 9 9 1