Hayriye Baykan

Relationship between panic disorder and plasma neuropeptide-S level

Panic disorder has long been associated with the changes in various neurotransmitters, such as Neuropeptide-S (NPS). Objective: In this study we aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between blood NPS levels and panic disorder. Methods: Twenty nine patients with panic disorder and thirty two healthy control subjects who were age and gender matched were enrolled to the study. Blood samples were taken from participants and plasma NPS levels were quantified by using an ELISA kit. Results: In the study group, median NPS blood level was 16.7 pg/mL and in the control group it was 32.5 pg/mL. There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.021). Using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, sensitivity and specificity of NPS blood level, for diagnosing panic disorder was calculated, and it was found 79.3% and 56.25% respectively (AUC:0.672, 95% CI: 0.540-0.787). Discussion: Malfunction at the NPS modulatory system in the cortical areas (which is causing excitations in brain areas, such as amygdala and hypothalamus) does not only increase anxiety symptoms and risk of panic disorder but also causes panic disorder patients to have lower plasma NPS levels than the control group. Therefore it can be argued that such malfunction can be treated with a systemic treatment

Investigating the relationship between plasma neuropeptide-S levels and clinical depression

Abstract Purpose: Neuropeptide-S (NPS) is a novel 20-amino acid peptide, mainly expressed in the central nervous system and endocrine tissues. NPS has been linked to anxiety and fear-related behaviors. The association of NPS with depression in a human population has not been previously examined. The aim of the current study was to explore the potential association of NPS with clinical depression and comorbid anxiety. Materials and methods: Seventy-nine patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder and seventy-eight controls were included in the study. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) were used to measure depression and anxiety levels, respectively. Venous blood samples were obtained to measure plasma NPS levels. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the patients and controls in terms of sex, marital status, and smoking status. Plasma NPS levels were also not significantly different between the patients and controls. In patients with major depressive disorder, HAM-A and HAM-D scores were significantly higher than those of controls. No correlation was found between plasma NPS levels and age, body mass index (BMI), median HAM-A scores, and median HAM-D scores. Conclusions: Despite a significantly high level of comorbid anxiety among the patient group, we found no relationship between plasma NPS levels and depressive symptomatology.