[Catecholamine excretion in patients with eating disorders].

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical features of eating disorders and parameters of monoamine metabolism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Authors examined 21 patients with eating disorders during 2008-2011 using clinical/psychopathological method. To evaluate the status of monoamine neuromediator system, urine levels of dopamine, noradrenalin and adrenaline excretion were measured using high-yield liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The reference group included 26 sex- and age-matched volunteers. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The common patterns of the pathogenesis of compulsive urges of different origin were identified. The results indicate not only nonspecific changes in catecholamine systems of patients with eating disorders associated with different stress disorders but also demonstrate the pathogenetic correlations between dopaminergic activity and clinical symptoms of addiction.

[Catecholamine metabolism in Parkinson's disease with depression]. / Obmen katekhomaminov pri bolezni Parkinsona s depressiei.

Daily urinary catecholamine excretion (DOPA, DA, DOPAC, NA, A) was studied in 66 patients with Parkinson's disease, 38 of them with differently expressed depression. Depression severity correlated with rigid form of disorders (p < 0.001). Biochemical profile of the depressive patients was characterized by noradrenaline (NA) to adrenaline (A) ratio reduction (p < 0.01) and dopamine to NA (p < 0.01) ratio increase on the background of total catecholamines deficit. Changes of NA/A and DOPA and correlation between DOPA and depression severity imply a role of dopamine neuromediator deficit in depression development.

[Catecholamine metabolism in different forms of Parkinson's disease]. / Obmen katekholaminov pri raznykh formakh bolezni Parkinsona.

Catecholamine metabolism was evaluated by daily urine excretion in patients with Parkinson's disease of tremor (18 patients) and rigid (14 patients) types. The group included 16 untreated patients. According to urine analysis, most informative peripheral markers for dopamine metabolism proved to be DOPA excretion, 3,4-dioxyphenylacidic acid (DOPAA) level and DOPA/DOPAA ratio. In the initial disease stage, a marked decrease of free dopamine and noradrenaline as well as dopamine metabolism intensification with corresponding DOPA/DOPAA ratio decrease were found. Significantly lower DOPAA and DOPA excretion was detected in patients with predominance of akinesia and rigidity types compared to tremor ones. In contrast to untreated patients, those treated with drugs containing dopamine revealed correlations between daily urine DOPA excretion as well as DOPA/DOPAA ratio with neurological symptoms severity.

Catecholamines and their metabolites in the brain and urine of rats with experimental Parkinson's disease.

The content of catecholamines and their metabolites in the brain and the relationship between cerebral catecholamine levels and their urinary excretion were studied in rats with 6-OHDA-induced hemiparkinsonism. 6-OHDA reduced brain concentrations of dopamine, DOPAC, and homovanilic acid and urinary excretion of dopamine, dioxyphenilalanine, and DOPAC by more than 90%. A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of these metabolites in the urine and striatum. Measurement of urinary catecholamines and their metabolites is a perspective test for evaluating the status of the dopaminergic nigrosostriate system of the brain in experimental parkinsonism.

Complex analysis of efficiency of transplantation of embryonic nerve tissue to rats with hemiparkinsonism.

Effect of transplantation of embryonic ventral mesencephalon preparation containing dopaminergic neurons on repair of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system was studied in rats with hemiparkinsonism induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. Transplantation of embryonic ventral mesencephalon into denervated striatum led to a more than 50% decrease in apomorphine-induced rotation, recovery of dopamine and DOPAC levels in the brain, and to an increase in DOPAC excretion and the DOPAC-dopamine ratio in daily urine of rats with hemiparkinsonism. Dopaminergic neurons of the transplant survived, forming a network of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive processes growing beyond the transplant and reinnervating the adjacent compartments of the striatum. A positive correlation between urinary excretion of DOPAC and brain concentration of dopamine was revealed in denervated rats after transplantation of ventral mesencephalon. Intrastriatal transplantation of cell preparations of embryonic striatum containing no dopaminergic neurons and isolated local injury to the striatum did not affect regeneration of the denervated nigrostratal system.

[Clinical and neurochemical features of depressive syndrome in neuroses and slowly progressive schizophrenia]. / Klinicheskie i neirokhimicheskie osobennosti depressivnogo sindroma pri nevrozakh i maloprogredientnoi shizofrenii.

The examination was made of 78 patients (57 women, 21 men) with depression of neurotic level in slow progredient neurosis-like schizophrenia or neurosis. In all the cases of neuroses depressive syndrome correlated with relevant premorbid structure of the person. Meanwhile, such correlation was not clearly observed in schizophrenic patients. Complication of the clinical picture of the depression wasn't the same in cases of schizophrenia and neuroses, and resulted from productive symptomatics of different registers. The results of neurochemical studies evidence, that physiologic inactivation of serotonin, in terms of a removal of the active molecules from a zone of interaction with the receptors, was considerably increased in patients with neuroses as compared with schizophrenic patients. This suggests treatment of neurotic patients with the drugs, which inhibit serotonin reuptake selectively.

[The efficacy and mechanisms of action of lerivon in alcoholism]. / Effektivnost' i mekhanizmy deistviia lerivona pri alkogolizme.

Clinico-biological examination of 50 alcoholic patients was carried out. 30 patients were treated with lerivon (L) during 1 month. 15 control patients received amitriptylin for 1 month and 15 patients received relanium for 7 days. It was determined that L was quite effective in treatment of depression in alcoholic patients. The main L effects were anxiolytic, antidepressive and hypnotic. The drug also decreased alcohol addiction, had vegetostabilising and sedative effects. The conclusion was made on pathogenetic action of L in alcoholism: It influences upon dopaminergic mediation in catecholamine system. Administration of L permitted to normalize neurochemical processes underlying alcohol addiction and depression. L was well tolerated. Side effects complications, drug addiction were not registered.

[Relationship of free and conjugated forms of catecholamines in depressive disorders in psychopathic personalities]. / Sootnoshenie svobodnykh i kon''iugirovannykh form katekholaminov pri depressivnykh rasstroistvakh u psikhopaticheskikh lichnostei.

The study was undertaken to examine the content of free and conjugated forms of norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine in the daily urine and blood plasma of psychopathic patients during varying severity depressive disorders. To isolate the conjugated forms, hot acid hydrolysis was applied, catecholamines were measured by the procedures based on high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Patients with the most marked clinical signs of depressions were found to have the most profound urinary and blood shortage of free forms of dopamine and norepinephrine, as compared with the controls, which was associated with the most intensive conjugation of these catecholamines. Thus, it may be supposed that disturbances of the catecholamine conjugation systems are one of the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the development of affective disorders.

[Determination of free and conjugated catecholamines, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the urine and blood plasma by high pressure liquid chromatography]. / Opredelenie svobodnykh i kon'iugirovannykh form katekholaminov, 3,4-dioksifenilalanina, 3,4-dioksifeniluksusnoi kisloty v moche i plazme krovi s ispol'zovaniem vysokoéffektivnoi zhidkostnoi khromatografii.

A method for simultaneous measurement of free and conjugated forms of adrenalin, noradrenaline, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the blood plasma and urine by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector has been developed. The levels of the said substances in 36 normal volunteers and 20 patients with mental disorders are presented. Simultaneous measurements of excretion of free catecholamines and their conjugates permitted a more complete characterization of catecholamine metabolism, which is important for understanding the mechanisms of disorders in catecholamine system in various diseases.

[Monoamine metabolism in different forms of paraphilias]. / Obmen monoaminov pri razlichnykh formakh parafilii.

42 persons which commited crime sexual actions were examined in terms of clinical and neurochemical investigations. The sexual behaviours of 31 patients from this group were associated with sexual inclination pathology--with paraphilia. The patients were divided into 2 groups namely with compulsive form of paraphilia (13 individuals) and without compulsive disturbances (18 patients). Both free and conjugated forms of norepinephrine (NA), dopamine (DA), dihyroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and dihyroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were measured in serum and daily urine as well as serotonin concentration was estimated in blood plasma and platelets. The rate of 3H-serotonin uptake into platelets (Vmax) was also investigated. It was determined that Vmax, free and especially conjugated forms of NA, DA, DOPAC levels were significantly higher in patients with compulsive forms of paraphilia. It was supposed that monoamine mechanisms may be operated in psychopathological variations of the crime sexual behaviour.

[Catecholamines and the dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity of the blood plasma in motor pathology in children: the role of central and peripheral mechanisms]. / Katekholaminy i aktivnost' dofamin-beta-gidroksilazy plazmy krovi pri dvigatel'noi patologii u detei: rol' tsentral'nykh i perifericheskikh mekhanizmov.

Plasma catecholamine levels and serum dopamine-beta-hydrolase (D beta H) activity were investigated using high-performance chromatography and spectrophotometry, respectively, in 32 patients aged 10-14 with various motor pathology. Group 1 patients (21 children with spastic diplegia and clinical signs of central catecholaminergic neuromediation deficiency) received Nakom in a single daily dose 60 mg in the morning. The treatment produced a good clinical effect. Six children of group 2 with hereditary degenerative cerebral, spinal, nervous diseases and 5 children of group 3 with lower spastic paraplegia consequent to spinal cord trauma inflicted 6-12 months: before received Nakom in a single daily dose 30 mg in the morning for 14 days. The treatment in them resulted in an essential decrease of pelvic dysfunctions. All the children had a high DOPA level in blood plasma irrespective of the group and Nakom administration. Pretreatment dopamine (DA) levels were different: the least in cerebral palsy patients (0.019 +/- 0.01 ng/ml), the highest in group 2 (p < 0.05), in children with spinal cord pathology it was higher than normal and higher than in group 1 (p < 0.001). Nakom treatment promoted DA normalization in all the groups. Norepinephrine (NE) concentrations were very low in all the patients correlating with the degenerative process degree and did not change in response to Nakom administration. D beta H activity was inhibited in all the groups, especially in the spinal patients. Nakom increased both D beta H activity (p < 0.01) and motor activity. Thus, an increased DOPA level is plasma is not specific for nervous diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The similarity of the pathogenetic mechanisms of alcoholism and drug dependence and the means of searching for agents for treating these diseases]. / Obshchnost' patogeneticheskikh mekhanizmov alkogolizma i narkomanii i puti poiska sredstv dlia lecheniia étikh zabolevanii.

The concept of the principal unity of the pivotal mechanisms underlying the formation of the syndrome of dependence on alcohol and various narcotic agents is presented. The central link of the mechanisms is the totality of the specific disturbances of neurochemical processes among which of particular importance are the specific changes in the functional state of catecholamine system. The theoretical approaches to the development of medicinal agents for treating alcoholism and drug addictions are considered. As an example there are discussed the results of using small doses of dopamine receptor stimulants (apomorphine and bromocriptine) and a neuropeptide cholecystokinin.

Basal activities of adenylate and guanylate cyclase in lymphocytes and platelets of alcoholics.

Basal activities of adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase were determined in lymphocytes and platelets of alcoholics with different severity of alcoholic withdrawal syndrome. Compared to controls, significant changes were found in the basal activities of adenylate and guanylate cyclase in all groups of patients. Adenylate cyclase activity in lymphocytes has a positive correlation to the severity of the clinical states. Although we found increased guanylate cyclase activities in lymphocytes and decreased activities in platelets compared to controls, similar values of activities were obtained in all groups of alcoholics independently of their clinical state.

[Importance of parameters of central hemodynamics in examining working capacity of patients with renovascular hypertension]. / Znachenie pokazatelei tsentral'noi gemodinamiki dlia ékpertizy trudosposobnosti bol'nykh vasorenal'noi gipertenziei.

Cardiovascular system parameters were measured in 80 patients with renovascular hypertension using resting and bicycle exercise readings of tetrapolar chest rheography. The findings were indicative of various defects in central hemodynamics. Signs of subclinical initial stage of cardiac insufficiency were revealed in 57.5% of cases. Cardiovascular reserves were reduced in patients operated on fading with increasing duration of the disease. Labor prognosis appeared more favorable in operated on patients with good hypotensive effect of the surgery.

Disturbances in regulation of catecholamine neuromediation in alcoholism.

Dopamine content of blood, activity of adenylate- and guanylate cyclases in platelets and lymphocytes, catechol-O-methyltransferase in erythrocytes, dopamine-beta-hydroxylase in blood plasma, monoamine oxidase in platelets, cAMP and cGMP content of blood, and the intensity of 3H-DA uptake by platelets have been investigated in alcoholic patients at different clinical states. Most of these indices have been studied in the brain and blood of rats displaying different affinities to alcohol. The results indicate that, in addition to the previously described disturbances of DA turnover, changes occur in the functions of enzyme and receptor systems involved in the mechanism of catecholamine neuromediation. Rats preferring and avoiding alcohol exhibit different DA and cyclic nucleotide concentrations in the blood and a trend towards different activity of some enzymes in the brain. It is suggested that: (1) the disturbances in the regulation of catecholamine neuromediation are involved in the mechanism of development of alcohol dependence; (2) the genetically-determined abnormalities of catecholamine neuromediation may contribute to an individual's attitude to alcohol.

[Alcoholism and heredity: biological basis of the predisposition to alcoholism]. / Alkogolizm i nasledstvennost': biologicheskie osnovy predraspolozhennosti k alkogolizmu.

Authors critically review current data about biochemical-physiological factors mediating genetic predisposition to alcoholism. Results of genetic investigation of the ethanol and acetaldehyde metabolism and the facts about enzyme polymorphism of systems of the ethanol biotransformation and genetic polymorphism of particular enzymes are summarized. Data about possible determinants of nervous system sensitivity to ethanol action are considered. The investigation of genetic basis of phenomena imminent to alcoholism by use of laboratory animals is discussed.