Abstract
Serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity was estimated in groups of normals and of psychiatric patients, using a thin layer radiochromatographic method. The percentage of patients with schizophrenic and with depressive symptomatology was higher in the population with high enzyme activities. In addition, d-amphetamine given to normals caused an increase in the serum activity while haloperidol caused the opposite effect. The activity in serum is interpreted as a loss in the enzyme from the place it acts physiologically, with possible influence on the noradrenaline synthesis rate.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ackenheil, M., Beckmann, H., Greil, W., Hoffmann, G., Markianos, E., Raese, J.: Antipsychotic efficacy of clozapine in correlation to changes in catecholamine metabolism in man. In: The phenothiazines and structurally related drugs, I. S. Forrest, C. J. Carr and E. Usdin, eds., pp. 647–657. New York: Raven Press 1974
Andén, N. E., Fuxe, K.: A new dopamine-β-hydroxylase inhibitor: effects on the noradrenaline concentration and on the action of l-Dopa in the spinal cord. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 43, 747–756 (1971)
Angrist, B., Lee, H. K., Gershon, S.: The antagonism of amphetamine induced symptomatology by a neuroleptic. Amer. J. Psychiat. 131, 817–819 (1974)
Axelrod, J.: Dopamine-β-hydroxylase: Regulation of its synthesis and release from nerve terminals. Pharmacol. Rev. 24, 233–243 (1972)
Carlsson, A.: Amphetamine and brain catecholamines. In: Amphetamines and related compounds. E. Costa and S. Garattini, eds., pp. 289–300. New York: Raven Press 1970
Costa, E., Groppetti, A.: Amphetamine and brain catecholamines. In: Amphetamines and related compounds, E. Costa and S. Garattini, eds., pp. 231–255. New York: Raven Press 1970
Dunner, D. L., Cohn, C. K., Weinshilboum, R. M., Wyatt, R. J.: The activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and methionineactivating enzyme in blood of schizophrenic patients. Biol. Psychiat. 6, 215–220 (1973)
Farnebo, L. O., Hamberger, B., Jonsson, G.: Release of (3H)noradrenaline and (3H)dopamine from field stimulated cerebral cortex slices — effect of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase inhibition. J. Neurochem. 18, 2491–2500 (1971)
Freedman, L. S., Ohuchi, T., Goldstein, M., Axelrod, F., Fish, I., Dancis, J.: Changes in human serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity with age. Nature (Lond.) 236, 310–311 (1972)
Fuxe, K., Ungerstedt, U.: In: Amphetamine and related compounds, E. Costa and S. Garattini, eds., pp. 257–288. New York Raven Press 1970)
Janssen, P. A. J.: The pharmacology of haloperidol. Intern. J. Neuropsychiat. 3, suppl. 1, 510–518 (1967)
Kaufman, S., Friedman, S.: Dopamine-β-hydroxylase. Pharmacol. Rev. 17, 71–100 (1965)
Kirschner, N.: Pathway of noradrenaline formation from dopa. J. biol. Chem. 226, 821–825 (1957)
Louis, W. J., Doyle, A. E., Anavekar, S. N., Johnston, C. I., Geffen, L. B., Rush, R.: Plasma catecholamines, dopamine-β-hydroxylase and renin levels in essential hypertension. Circulat. Res. 35, I-57–I-63 (1974)
Markianos, E. S., Nyström, I.: Serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase: Assay and enzyme properties. Z. klin. Chem. klin. Biochem. 13, 273–276 (1975)
Musacchio, J. M., Goldstein, M., Anagnoste, B., Poch, G., Kopin, I. J.: Inhibition of dopamine-β-hydroxylase by disulfiram in vivo. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 152, 56–61 (1966)
Phillips, A. G., Brook, S. M., Fibiger, H. C.: Effects of amphetamine isomers and neuroleptics on self stimulation from the nucleus accumbens and dorsal noradrenergic bundle. Brain Res. 85, 13–22 (1975)
Rapoport, J. L., Quinn, P. O., Lamprecht, F.: Minor physical anomalies and plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity in hyperactive boys. Amer. J. Psychiat. 131, 386–390 (1974)
Rosenblatt, S., Leighton, W. P., Chanley, J. D.: Dopamine-β-hydroxylase. Evidence for increased activity in sympathetic neurons during psychotic states. Science 182, 923–924 (1973)
Shopsin, B., Freedman, L. S., Goldstein, M., Gershon, S.: Serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity and affective states. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 27, 11–16 (1972)
Silbergeld, S., Manderscheid, R. W., O'Neill, P. H., Lamprecht, F., Ng, L. K. Y.: Changes in serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity during group psychotherapy. Psychosom. Med. 37, 352–367 (1975)
Snyder, S. H., Taylor, K. M., Coyle, J. T., Meyerhoff, J. L.: The role of brain dopamine in behavioral regulation and the actions of psychotropic drugs. Amer. J. Psychiat. 127, 199–207 (1970)
Stone, R. A., Gunnells, J. C., Robinson, R. R., Schanberg, S. M., Kirschner, N.: Dopamine-β-hydroxylase in primary and secondary hypertension. Circulat. Res. 35, I-47–I-56 (1974)
Stone, R. A., Kirschner, N., Gunnells, J. C., Robinson, R. R.: Changes of plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity and other plasma constituents during the cold pressor test. Life Sci. 14, 1797–1805 (1974a)
Thierry, A. M., Blanc, G., Glowinski, J.: Dopamine-norepinephrine: another regulatory step of norepinephrine synthesis in central noradrenergic neurons. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 14, 303–307 (1971)
Weinshilboum, R. M., Axelrod, J.: Serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase after chemical sympathectomy. Science 173, 931–934 (1971)
Weinshilboum, R. M., Kvetnasky, R., Axelrod, J., Kopin, I. J.: Elevation of serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity with forced immobilization. Nature (Lond.) 230, 287–288 (1971)
Wise, D. C., Stein, L.: Dopamine-β-hydroxylase. Deficits in the brains of schizophrenic patients. Science 181, 344–347 (1973)
Wooten, G. F., Cardon, P. V.: Plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity. Elevation in man during cold pressor test and exercise. Arch. Neurol. (Chic.) 28, 103–106 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Markianos, E.S., Nyström, I., Reichel, H. et al. Serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase in psychiatric patients and normals. Effect of d-amphetamine and haloperidol. Psychopharmacology 50, 259–267 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426842
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426842