Relationship between serum cholesterol levels and meta-chlorophenylpiperazine-induced cortisol responses in healthy men and women

We investigated the effect of cholesterol on serotonergic receptor function in 20 healthy male and 10 healthy female subjects using cortisol responses to meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) neuroendocrine challenge tests. M-C PP, a metabolite of the antidepressant trazodone, has been widely used in p sychopharmacology research as a probe of serotonin function. In the human b rain, m-CPP binds both to various serotonergic receptors, mainly 5-HT2C, an d to alpha (2)-adrenoceptors. After an overnight fast, the subjects receive d m-CPP (0.5 mg/kg) or identical placebo capsules orally in a randomized, d ouble blind, crossover design. Blood was obtained for measurement of choles terol and cortisol. In some analyses, especially in males, there were signi ficant positive correlations between serum cholesterol levels and cortisol responses. These findings suggest the possibility that serum cholesterol le vels may be positively associated with serotonergic receptor function. The existence of such an association may provide an explanation for reported in creases in depression, suicide and violence in individuals with low or lowe red cholesterol. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved .