A. Westrin et al., CORRELATIONS BETWEEN PLASMA-NEUROPEPTIDES AND TEMPERAMENT DIMENSIONS DIFFER BETWEEN SUICIDAL PATIENTS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS, Journal of affective disorders, 49(1), 1998, pp. 45-54
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.