Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T02:02:55.614Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Diurnal Pattern of Salivary Flow in Normal and Depressed Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

G. Palmai
Affiliation:
The Bethlem Royal Hospital and The Maudsley Hospital
B. Blackwell
Affiliation:
The Bethlem Royal Hospital and The Maudsley Hospital

Extract

Attempts to correlate diagnosis or prognosis in depression with metabolic or autonomic parameters have been largely unsuccessful. Although electrolyte fluctuations coincide with some cyclical psychoses (Rey, 1957) these may be causal or incidental and their endocrine origin is undefined. Similar difficulties are inherent in studies of autonomic function (Martin, 1960) which have included observations on skin temperature and resistance (G.S.R.), heart rate, pupil reactions and muscle potentials. Much interest has focused on the blood pressure, and the Funkenstein test has emphasized the difficulties of this research. After widespread study and application, its prognostic value, the reliability of its measurements and the basic theoretical assumptions are now largely discredited (Rose, 1962). In the search for reliable objective criteria to evaluate or explain the phenomena of mental illness salivary secretion may prove of considerable value.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1965 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Davies, B. M., and Gurland, J. B. (1961). “Salivary secretion in depressive illness.” J. psychosom. Res., 5, 269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, B. M., and Gurland, J. B. and Palmai, G. (1964). “Salivary and blood pressure responses to methacholine in depressive illness.” Brit. J. Psychiat., 110, 594.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elithorn, A. (1962). “The treatment of depression”, in Aspects of Psychiatric Research (ed. Richter, D., Tanner, J. M., Taylor, Lord and Zangwill, O. C.). London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gibbons, J. L., Gibson, J. C., Maxwell, A. E., and Willson, D. R. C. (1960). “An endocrine study of depressive illness.” J. psychosom. Res., 5, 32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jenkins, C. N. (1960). Physiology of the Mouth. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Kleitman, N. (1949). “Biological rhythms and cycles.” Physiol. Rev., 29, 1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kral, V. R., Grad, B., and Hunzinoer, N. (1959). “Diurnal variation in patterns of circulating eosinophil counts and salivary sodium/potassium in psychiatric patients.” J. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 129, 69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lashley, K. S. (1916). “Reflex secretion of the human parotid gland.” J. exp. Psychol., 1, 461.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lundberg, A. (1958). “Electrophysiology of salivary glands.” Physiol. Rev., 38, 21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, I. (1960). “Somatic reactivity”, in Handbook of Abnormal Psychology (ed. Eysenck, H. J.). London: Pitman.Google Scholar
Migneon, C. J., Tyler, F. H., Mahoney, J. P., Florentin, A. A., Castle, H., Bliss, E. L., and Samuels, L. T. (1956). “The diurnal variation of plasma levels and urinary excretion of 17-hydroxy-corticosteroids in normal subjects, night workers and blind subjects.” J. clin. Endocr., 16, 622.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peck, R. E. (1959). “Salivary secretion in depressive illness.” Arch. gen. Psychiat. (Chic.), 1, 35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rey, J. H. (1957). In Schizophrenia: Somatic Aspects (ed. Richter, D.). London: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Rose, J. T. (1962). “Autonomic function in depression: a modified methacholine test.” J. Ment. Sci., 108, 624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sakai, M. (1960). “Diurnal rhythm in 17 corticosteroids and diurnal fluctuation in depressive effect.” Yokohama med. Bull., 11, 352.Google Scholar
Strongin, E. L., and Hinsie, L. E. (1938). “Parotid gland secretion in manic-depressive patients.” Amer. J. Psychiat., 94, 1459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webb, H. M., and Brown, F. A. (1959). “Timing long cycle physiological rhythms.” Physiol. Rev., 39, 127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winsor, A. L., and Korchin, B. (1940). “Some observations on the effect of mental activity on parotid secretion.” J. gen. Psychol., 22, 25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.