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Low CSF somatostatin associated with response to nimodipine in patents with affective illness
Mark A Frye1, Peggy J Pazzaglia, Mark S George
1UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Background:
In patients with depression, treatment with nimodipine has been shown to increase cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) somatostatin (SRIF) and ameliorate baseline global cerebral hypometabolism. This study was conducted to assess whether a low baseline level of CSF SRIF was associated with response to nimodipine treatment.
Methods:
Twenty-one depressed patients underwent lumbar puncture for analysis of CSF somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SRIF-LI) during a medication-free period and after at least 6 weeks of nimodipine monotherapy. Twenty-five healthy control subjects were utilized as a comparison group. Clinical improvement was assessed using the Clinical Global Impression Scale for Bipolar Illness.
Results:
As predicted, baseline CSF SRIF-LI was significantly lower in eventual nimodipine responders (33.1 +/- 2.8 pg/mol) compared to eventual nonresponders [41.9 +/- 2.6 pg/mL; t(19) = 1.98, p =.03, one-tailed].
Conclusions:
Low baseline CSF somatostatin in depression may be associated with response to nimodipine, which in turn may be related to the ability of nimodipine to increase CSF somatostatin.
