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Psychotic and Depressive Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease a Study of the Growth Hormone Response to Apomorphine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

John D. C. Mellers ,
Niall P. Quinn  and
Maria A. Ron
John D. C. Mellers*
Affiliation:
Section of Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Niall P. Quinn
Affiliation:
Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London
Maria A. Ron
Affiliation:
Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London
*
Dr Mellers, Section of Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF
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Abstract

Background

The growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine, thought to reflect central dopaminergic receptor sensitivity, has been reported as enhanced in acute schizophrenia. We investigated this response in relation to the psychotic episodes associated with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Method

The GH response to apomorphine was measured in three groups of patients with Parkinson's disease: those currently psychotic (n = 9), those with a past history of psychosis (n = 7) and those who had never been psychotic (n = 8).

Results

Apomorphine-induced GH response was not related to psychosis but was unexpectedly associated with measures of depression.

Conclusions

Visual hallucinations were a prominent feature in the psychotic patients and the atypical nature of these psychoses might explain why we found no evidence of dopaminergic sensitivity. Serotonergic dysfunction would be in keeping with this. Dopaminergic mechanisms may contribute to the minor depressive symptomatology seen in PD.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue 4 , October 1995 , pp. 522 - 526
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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