A group of 27 patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were compared with 10 control subjects before stress exposure. No statistically significant differences between patients and controls were found for the cardiovascular parameters. Skin conductance level and skin conductance reaction were significantly higher in the patient group. They also showed higher self-ratings in behavioural symptoms associated with anxiety. There were statistically significant higher venous plasma levels of norepinephrine in patients than in controls, although the epinephrine levels were similar. The number of binding sites of alpha 2-receptors and the affinity of 3H-yohimbine to the alpha 2-receptors on intact thrombocytes was statistically significantly lower in patients compared to controls. Significant differences between the gender groups of patients and controls were found for electrodermal activity and epinephrine levels. These data add further evidence to an overshooting activation of the noradrenergic pathway in patients with panic disorder, possibly based on a dysregulation of alpha 2-receptor.

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Recent studies have focused considerable attention on the differentiation schizophrenie subtypes by biological or pharmacological means. This study investigated whether the observed abnormalities of circulating plasma catecholamines, adrenergic receptors and neuroleptic binding sites on blood cells in drugfree acute schizophrenie patients could be related to the different subtypes of the disease. Alpha-2-receptor densities on platelets were similar to those in controls (n = 30) in hebephrenie patients (n = 10), but significantly decreased in paranoid (n = 26) and schizoaffective (n = 4) types. This decrease was significantly negatively correlated with the increased plasma noradrenal ine concentration and, in paranoid patients, with the BPRS subscore thought disorder. Beta-2 receptor densities showed an overall decrease in the patient group, but no differences among the subtypes. Neuroleptic binding sites in Iymphocytes were c1early and significantly elevated in all patients, with values III0se to normals in hebephrenie patients, with a large increase in paranoids and maximum increase in schizoaffectives. Although these results suggest a possible differentiation between schizophrenia subtypes, they once more confirm that a c1ear distinction cannot be obtained by biological investigations.. Biochemische Klauifizierung der SchizophrenieunterllruppenEs gibt zunehmand Hinweise dafür, daß die einzelnen Untergruppen schizophrener Erkrankungen sich durch biologische Parameter unterscheiden. Ziel unserer Untersuchung war es festzustellen, ob die bei unbehandelten, akuten Schizophrenen bereits bekannten Veränderungen der adrenergen Rezeptoren und der Neuroleptika-Bindungsstellen an Blutzellen sowie der Plasmacatecholamine den einzelnen Subgruppen zugeordnet werden können. Bei hebephrenen Patienten (n = 10) war die Alpha-2-Rezeptordichte nicht von denen der Kontrollen (n = 30) zu unterscheiden, es zeigte sich jedoch eine signifikante Verminderung bei paranoiden (n = 26) und schizoaffektiven (n = 4) Patienten. Diese Verminderung zeigte eine signifikante negative Korrelation zu den bei diesen Patienten erhöhten Noradrenalinwerten, bei paranoiden Patienten auch zu BPRS-Subscore-Denkstörung. Die Beta-2-Rezeptordichte war zwar bei den Patienten insgesamt erniedrigt, zwischen den Gruppen gab es jedoch keine Unterschiede. Die Neuroleptika-Bindung an den Lymphozyten war bei allen Patienten signifikant erhöht, auch hier zeigten sich Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen, mit den niedrigsten Werten bei hebephrenen Patienten, hohen und sehr hohen Werten bei den paranoiden und schizoaffektiven Patienten. Diese Ergebnisse weisen einerseits auf eine mögliche Differenzierung der einzelnen Schizophrenie-Subtypen durch biologische Parameter hin, zeigen andererseits aber auch deutlich, daß eine klare Trennung durch biologische Untersuchungen kaum möglich ist.

SummaryCircadian variations of catecholaminergic binding sites on blood cells and circulating catecholamines (CA) in serum from ten healthy volunteers, with ordinary daily activities during the investigation were examined. Simultaneously, psychological status was analysed by different tests (MMPI-Saarbrücken, EWL and BfS).A significant increase in binding capacity (maximum at 8 p.m.) of α2-receptors with a concomitant significant decrease in affinity (minimum at 8 p.m.) was observed. β2-receptors showed a slight, but significant diurnal decrease in capacity (maximum at 8 a.m.) with no change in affinity. 3-H-spiperone binding sites on lymphocytes and circulating plasma CA did not differ significantly during 24 hours. The psychological tests showed significant diurnal variations for only the EWL-subgroups «activity» and «general inactivity» respectively with the BfS.No correlations has been observed between biological and psychological data.