• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.278-282
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• 1998

Various neurotransmitters have been proposed as possible mediators of penile erection. Especially, norepinephrine and serotonin might have a important role in sexual arousal and penile erection. And it could be hypothesized that the psychogenic impotence is associated with the depletion or imbalance of norepinephrine and serotonin from evidences, such as the symptomatic manifestation of depression and the antidepressantinduced sexual dysfunction. The authors investigates the association of norepienphrine and serotonin with psychogenic impotence. The psychogenic impotent group(PIG) consisted of twenty-three patients with psychogenic impotence and the controlled group(CG) consisted of twenty-seven patients without psychogenic impotence. PIG had no organic cause accounting for their erectile dysfunction. The Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) were applied to each subject to assess mood, state anxiety(SA) and trait anxiety(TA). Plasma norepinephrine level from systemic blood and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(HIAA) levels from 24-hours urine were measured in each subject. The mean score of BDI of PIG was significantly higher than that of CG(p=0.015). PIG had a tendency of higher TA compared with CG(p=0.054). And also SA was higher in PIG, but did not show significant difference(p=0.193). The level of norepinephrine was significantly lower in patient with psychogenic impotence(p=0.000). And the level of 24-hours urine 5-HIAA was lower in PIG but did not show significant difference(p=0.494). Although the authors did not exclude depressive disorders in PIG, the present findings suggest that psychogenic impotence might have higher depressive mood and trait anxiety, and be associated with the depletion of norepinephrine in systemic blood.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.165-178
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• 2001

In order to elucidate the biological etiology and the relationship between the ontogenesis of serotonin system and psychopathology in ADHD, plasma serotonin(5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA) were measured and the correlation between the plasma levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA and age were evaluated in 46 ADHD patients and 18 control subjects. The ADHD patients were composed of 16 combined type, 10 inattentive type, and 20 hyperactive-impulsive type and the control subjects were communication disorders. The results are summarized as follows：1) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HT levels among combined, inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive and control subjects(ANOVA F=4.33, df 3, 60, p<0.05), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed significant difference between the combined type and control group. But, post-hoc tests showed no significant differences between combined and inattentive, combined and hyperactive-impulsive, hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and control and inattentive and control groups. 2) There was no significant differences in plasma 5-HIAA levels among the combined, hyperactive- impulsive, inattentive and control groups(ANOVA F=2.08, df 3, 60, p>0.05). 3) Significant difference in 5-HT level was found between the whole ADHD group(N=46) and the control group(N=18)(T=3.10, df 62, p<0.05). But no significant difference in 5-HIAA level was found between the whole ADHD group and the control group(T=1.90, df 62, p>0.05). 4) Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels showed no significant correlation with TOVA findings(5-HT：omission pearson correlation 0.10, commision 0.23, reaction time 0.01, variability in attention 0.11, all p>0.05, 5-HIAA：omission 0.21, commision 0.15, reaction time 0.09, variability in attention 0.15, all p>0.05). 5) Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels showed no significant correlation with attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity based on DSM-IV criteria. 6) Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels showed no significant correlation with age both in ADHD and control group. These findings show that decreased plasma 5-HT level may play a role in the genesis of ADHD, but this finding has no significant correlation with the psychopathology of ADHD. And we could not find any significant differences in ontogenetic processes in 5-HT. Future studies should be focused on the drug effects, family history and prognosis based on the biochemical subtypes(high and low 5-HT group).

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 1996

In an open labeled study, two fixed doses of nimodipine(45mg and 90mg daily) were added to the usual antipsychotic drug treatment (Haloperidol : mean dose=25mg/day) in 20 male chronic schizophrenics for 5 weeks. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the therapeutic effects and the effect an the changes of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA) levels. The results were as follows : 1) Total BPRS score and thought cluster, paranoid cluster subscores showed linear decreasing trend over the course of the study(P<0.05). Especially the thought cluster and paranoid cluster subscores were significant difference between 45mg and 90mg dose of nimodipine(P<0.05). The improvement rates were 45,45% of 90mg and 11.11% of 45mg, but there was no significant difference between the 45mg and 90mg dose of nimodipine. 2) The scores of extrapyramidal symptoms and adverse events-somatic symptoms showed a linear decreasing trends over the course of study. 3) The changes in the mean plasma HVA and 5-H1AA concentrations by the dosages and durations of combining of nimodipine were not statistically significant. 4) There was no statistical significance in plasma HVA and 5-HIAA of the improved, non-improved goroup. Nimodipine has a possibility os on adjunctive agent for treatment resistant schizophrenics, elderly patients and liable patients for the Side effects to usual antipsychotic drugs. So we suggest that the dosage of nimodipine must be above 90mg/day in the treatment of schizophrenia.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.77-91
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• 1996

In order to elucidate the biological etiology and the effects of comorbidity on biological variables in tic disorders, plasma serotonin (5-hydroxlfryptamine, 5-HT) and 5-hydroxy- indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) we.e measured in 87 tic disorders and 30 control subjects. The 87 tic disorder were composed of 45 Tourette's disorder(TS), 22 chronic motor tic disorders (CMT) and 20 transient tic disorders (TTD). Among these patients,43 patients were pure tic disorder (PT), 28 subject also had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (T+ADHD) and 16 subjects had obsessive compulsive disorders (T+ OCD) as comorbid disorders. The results are summarized as follows : 1) Plasma 5-HT levels showed significant positive correlations with plasma 5-HIAA levels (Pennon r=0.77, p<0.05). 2) Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels showed no significant correlation with age in tic disorders. 3) Plasma 5-HIAA and 5-HT levels showed no significant correlations with age in control subjects. 4) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HT levels among TS, CMT, TTD and control groups (ANOVA F=34.48, df=3, 113, p<0.01), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed significant differences between control and TS, control and CMT, control and ITD groups. But, post-hoc test showed no significant differences between TS and CMT, TS and TTD, CMT and TTD groups. 5) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HIAA levels among TS, CMT, TTD and control groups (ANOVA F=26.48, df=3, 113, p<0.01), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed significant differences between control and TS, control and CMT, control and TTD groups. But, post-hoc test showed no significant differences between TS and CMT, TS and TTD, CMT and TID groups.f) There was significant difference in plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels among PT, T+ADHD, T+OCD and contol groups (ANOVA 5-HT, F=37.59, df=3, 113, p<0.01, 5-HIAA, F=27.37, df=3, 113, p<0.01), and post-hoc test using Scheffe method showed signiscant differences between control and PT, control and T+ADHD and control and T+OCB. But, post-hoc test showed no significant differences between PT and T+ADHD, PT and T+ OCD and T+ADHD and T+ OCD. These results show that decreased 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels may play a role in the genesis of tic disorders, but these findings have no significant correlations with the severity of tic disorders. And the comorbid disorders of tics may have minimal effects on the biochemical abnormalities. Future studies must be focused on the effects of serotonin agonists and antagonists on tic disorders and molecular biological methodology may enhance to elucidate the mechanisms of these abnormal findings.