Related Experiment Videos
Elevated plasma levels of neuropeptide Y in patients with panic disorder
J P Boulenger1, I Jerabek, F B Jolicoeur
1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Que., Canada.
Objective:
Neuropeptide Y is a pancreatic polypeptide closely associated with noradrenergic activity both in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The objective of this study was to assess plasma neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in panic disorder.
Method:
Radioimmunoassays were performed in 12 patients with DSM-III-R panic disorder and two groups of normal comparison subjects (N = 22 and N = 16).
Results:
Markedly higher plasma neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity was found in patients with panic disorder.
Conclusions:
Higher plasma neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity suggests that this peptide may be implicated in the etiology or expression of symptoms of panic disorder.