CORRELATIONS BETWEEN PLASMA-NEUROPEPTIDES AND TEMPERAMENT DIMENSIONS DIFFER BETWEEN SUICIDAL PATIENTS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

Background: Decreased plasma levels of plasma-neuropeptide Y (NPY) and plasma-corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), and increased levels of plasma delta-sleep inducing peptide (DSIP) in suicide attempters with mood disorders have previously been observed. This study was performe d in order to further understand the clinical relevance of these findi ngs. Methods: Examination of correlates between temperament dimensions (Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), the Eysenck Personality Ques tionnaire together with the IVE-impulsiveness scale (EPQI), and the Ma rke-Nyman Temperament (MNT)) and NPY, CRH and DSIP and serum-cortisol in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in 38 suicidal patients an d matched controls. Results: NPY correlated significantly and positive ly with psychasthenia, irritability, and stability and significantly a nd negatively with validity in patients, but significantly and negativ ely with muscular tension, psychasthenia, verbal aggression and irrita bility in controls. DSIP correlated significantly and positively with impulsiveness (EPQI) in controls. CRH correlated negatively with lie i n controls. Cortisol correlated significantly and positively with vali dity, extraversion and verbal aggression and significantly and negativ ely with inhibition of aggression in controls. Conclusion: NPY may be related to stress tolerance. DSIP seems to be associated with impulsiv ity/antisocial traits. Limitations: Non-suicidal patients were not inc luded in the examination. Clinical Relevance: The state of depression or stress seems to influence the correlations studied. (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science B.V.