David M. Shaw

3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol in depression

The concentration of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients suffering from unipolar depressive illness did not differ significantly from the concentration in a neurological control group. After recovery there was a small but significant decrease in the concentration of MHPG and there was positive correlation between the concentration of MHPG and severity of depression as measured by the Beck Inventory. There was no correlation between urinary excretion of MHPG and the concentration of MHPG in cerebrospinal fluid. In contrast with the findings in cerebrospinal fluid there was a significant increase in the urinary excretion of MHPG after recovery.

Uptake and release of 14 C-5-hydroxytryptamine by platelets in affective illness

In the search for paradigms of postulated abnormalities in indolamine function in the brain in affective disorders, 5-HT uptake and release was estimated in platelets from patients suffering from severe depressive illness. Neither of these measures was altered by the illness and the most likely explanation for the negative findings was that in this setting platelets are not a suitable model.

Estimation of corticosteroids in human cerebral cortex after death by suicide, accident, or disease

The concentration of cortisol (F) has been found to decrease only to a limited extent in intact brain tissue maintained at ambient temperature after death, and the decrease is mainly accounted for as 20-dihydrocortisols (DHF). The sum of F and DHF has therefore been estimated in samples of frontal cortex removed from human cadaver brains collected at necropsy, and taken as a measure of the concentration of cortisol at death. Corticosterone concentration was also estimated. The concentration of cortisol in the cerebral cortex of physically healthy individuals who had committed suicide was consistently as low or lower than in the cortex of control patients who had died suddenly without antecedent severe illness. It is concluded therefore that neither the presumed severe emotional stress preceding suicide nor depressive illness itself is associated with high levels of cortisol in the cerebral cortex. On the other hand, it was found that the cerebral cortical concentration of cortisol in patients who had died from stressful somatic diseases was raised and that the increase was roughly related to the likely degree and duration of the physical stress endured by the patients. There was some indication that the ratio of cortisol (F+DHF) to corticosterone may be lower in the cerebral cortex of suicides than in that of controls.

Multicompartmental analysis of amino acid. 1. Preliminary data on concentrations, fluxes, and flow constants of tryptophan in affective illness.

The study of tryptophan metabolism using compartmental analysis suggested differences between males and females, and between control subjects and patients with affective illness, patients treated with tricyclic drugs, and those established on lithium therapy. The total mass of tryptophan in the body may be reduced in people prone to affective disorder, and in depressed patients(ill and well)turnover of tryptophan seemed to be reduced. The reduction of concentration of tryptophan in compartment S2 in affective illness could affect protein synthesis.

Body Composition in Alcoholic as Compared to Control Individuals

Height, weight, total body potassium, exchangeable sodium, bromide space, total body water, and concentrations of sodium, potassium, and chloride in plasma were measured in control subjects and individuals suffering from alcoholism, with techniques which included body counting and a multiple isotope method using 24Na, 82Br and 3HzO. No differences were found between control and alcoholic subjects so there was no evidence that chronic alcoholism altered body composition. In particular, there was no evidence of cellular damage or loss which would have been reflected in changes in KT or KIN. The data were combined and were analysed to give information on the relationships of the variates.

Preliminary study of the effects of lithium, imipramine and reserpine on the relative sizes of tryptophan pools and flow constants in rabbits

Abstract Tracer doses of 14 C—L-tryptophan were injected intravenously into control rabbits and animals which had received imipramine, lithium, or reserpine. Samples of venous blood, taken at intervals for 200 min, were assayed for radioactivity. The results showed that all three treatments altered the fate of tryptophan in the body and attempts were made to interpret the differences by multicompartmental analysis. A mathematical model was found which fitted the data from the control and lithium and imipramine treated animals. The derivation of this model is discussed.