Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-m42fx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T18:55:52.988Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of the contraceptive pill on sedative responses to clonidine and apomorphine in normal women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

J. S. Chalmers ,
I. Fulli-Lemaire  and
P. J. Cowen
J. S. Chalmers
Affiliation:
University Department of PsychiatryMRC Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
I. Fulli-Lemaire
Affiliation:
University Department of PsychiatryMRC Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
P. J. Cowen*
Affiliation:
University Department of PsychiatryMRC Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
*
2Address for correspondence: Dr P. J. Cowen, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford OX4 4XN.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Synopsis

In normal women sedation following intravenous administration of the α2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine (1·3 μg/kg) was significantly greater following 3 weeks' continuous treatment with the combined contraceptive pill than at the end of the 7-day withdrawal period. In contrast, sedative responses to the dopamine agonist apomorphine (5 μg/kg subcutaneously) were decreased when subjects were taking the contraceptive pill. These findings are in agreement with animal experimental studies, indicating that oestrogen can alter α-adrenoceptor and dopamine autoreceptor sensitivity. Such interactions may be involved in the effects of female sex steroids on mood.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , May 1985 , pp. 363 - 367
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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

Barnett, D. B., Nahorski, S. R. & Richardson, A. (1984). Modulation of [3H]-dihydroergocryptine and [3H]-yohimbine binding sites on human platelets during the menstrual cycle. British Journal of Pharmacology 81, 159.Google Scholar
Buller, R. E. & Ommalley, B. W. (1976). The biology and mechanism of steroid hormone receptor interaction with the eukaryocytic nucleus. Biochemical Pharmacology 25, 1–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Charney, D. S., Henniger, G. R. & Stenberg, D. E. (1983). Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor sensitivity and the mechanism of action of antidepressant therapy: the effect of long-term amitriptyline treatment. British Journal of Psychiatry 142, 265–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Checkley, S. A., Slade, A. P. & Shur, E. (1981). Growth hormone and other responses to clonidine in patients with endogenous depression. British Journal of Psychiatry 138, 51–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chiodo, L. & Caggiula, A. R. (1980). Alterations in basal firing rate and autoreceptor sensitivity of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, following acute and extended exposure to estrogen. European Journal of Pharmacology 67, 165–166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cohen, R. M., Campbell, I. C., Cohen, M. R., Torda, T., Pickar, D., Siever, L. J. & Murphy, D. L. (1980). Presynaptic noradrenergic regulation during depression and antidepressant drug treatment. Psychiatry Research 3, 93–105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Costain, D. W., Cowen, P. J., Gelder, M. G. & Grahame-Smith, D. G. (1982). Electroconvulsive therapy and the brain: evidence for increased dopamine-mediated responses. Lancet ii, 400–404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Di Chiara, G., Porceddu, M. L., Vargia, L., Argiolas, A. & Gessa, G. L. (1976). Evidence for dopamine receptors mediating sedation in mouse brain. Nature 264, 564–567.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dow, R. J. & Whiting, R. L. (1984). Reversal of clonidine-induced effects in healthy volunteers by RS-21361, a selective α2,-adrenoceptor antagonist. Proceedings of British Pharmacological Society,April Meeting, p. 26.Google Scholar
Drew, G. M., Gower, H. J. & Marriott, A. S. (1979). Alpha-2-adrenoceptors mediate clonidine-induced sedation in the rat. British Journal of Pharmacology 67, 133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elliott, J. M., Peters, J. R. & Grahame-Smith, D. G. (1980). Oestrogen and progesterone change the binding characteristics of α-adrenergic and serotonin receptors on rabbit platelets. European Journal of Pharmacology 66, 21–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordon, J. H., Borison, R. L. & Diamond, B. I. (1980). Modulation of dopamine receptor sensitivity by estrogen. Biological Psychiatry 15, 389–396.Google ScholarPubMed
Heal, D. J., Akagi, H., Bowdler, J. M. & Green, A. R. (1981). Repeated electroconvulsive shock attenuates clonidine-induced hypoactivity in rodents. European Journal of Pharmacology 75, 321–327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hruska, R. E. & Silbergeld, E. K. (1980). Increased dopamine receptor sensitivity after estrogen treatment using the rat rotational model. Science 208, 1466–1468.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, S. B., Bylund, D. B., Riesen, C. A., Shekim, W. O., Byer, J. A. & Carr, G. W. (1983). α2-Adrenergic receptor binding in human platelets: alterations during the menstrual cycle. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 34, 90–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kobinger, W. & Pinchler, L. (1976). Centrally induced reduction in sympathetic tone – a post-synaptic α-adrenoceptor-stimulating action of imidazolines. European Journal of Pharmacology 40, 311–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lorez, H. P., Kiss, D., Da Prada, M. & Haeusler, G. (1983). Effect of clonidine on rate of noradrenaline turnover in discrete areas of the rat central nervous system. Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archiv für experimentalle Pathologie und Pharmakologie 323, 307–314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Matussek, N., Ackenheil, M. & Herz, M. (1984). The dependence of the clonidine growth hormone test on alcohol drinking habits and the menstrual cycle. Psychoneuroendocrinology 9, 173–177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meltzer, H. Y. (1980). Relevance of dopamine autoreceptors for psychiatry: preclinical and clinical studies. Schizophrenia Bulletin 6, 456–475.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Metz, A., Stump, K., Cowen, P. J., Elliott, J. M., Gelder, M. G. & Grahame-Smith, D. G. (1983). Changes in platelet α2-adrenoceptor binding post-partum: possible relation to maternity blues. Lancet i, 495–498.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peters, J. R., Elliott, J. M. & Grahame-Smith, D. G. (1979). Effect of oral contraceptives on platelet noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors and aggregation. Lancet ii, 933–936.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Piccardi, P., Fortunato, B., Zvani, R. & Corsini, G. (1983). Effect of estrogens on dopamine autoreceptors in male rats: European Journal of Pharmacology 91, 1–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, J. M., Insel, P. A., Goldfien, R. D. & Goldfien, A. (1977). α-Adrenoceptors but not β-adrenoceptors increase in rabbit uterus with oestrogen. Nature 270, 624–625.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, J. M., Goldfien, R. D., Tsuchiya, A. M., Goldfien, A. & Insel, P. A. (1979). Estrogen treatment decreases α-adrenergic binding sites on rabbit platelets. Endocrinology 104, 722–728.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schmitt, H. (1977). The pharmacology of clonidine and related products. In Handbuch der experimentellen Pharmakologie (ed. Gross, F.), pp. 299–396. Springer: Berlin.Google Scholar
Sharma, J. N., Sandrew, B. B. & Wang, S. C. (1978). CNS site of action of clonidine induced hypotension: a microiontophoretic study of bulbar cardiovascular neurons. Brain Research 191, 127–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Strombon, U. & Svensson, T. H. (1980). Clonidine: attenuation of sedative action by facilitated central noradrenergic transmission. Journal of Neural Transmission 47, 29–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terry, L. C. & Martin, J. B. (1981). Evidence for alpha-adrenergic regulation of episodic growth hormone and prolactin secretion in the undisturbed male rat. Endocrinology 108, 1869–1873.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Timmermans, P. B., Schoop, A. M., Kwa, H. T. & Van-Zwieten, P. A. (1981). Characterisation of the α-adrenoceptors participating in the central hypotensive and sedative effects of clonidine using yohimbine, rauwolsine and coryanthine. European Journal of Pharmacology 70, 7–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weir, R. J., Briggs, E., Mack, A., Naismith, L., Taylor, L. & Wilson, E. (1974). Blood pressure in women taking oral contraceptives. British Medical Journal i, 533–535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar