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Binding of tritiated yohimbine to platelets in women with maternity blues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

N. R. Best ,
M. Wiley ,
K. Stump ,
J. M. Elliott  and
P. J. Cowen
N. R. Best*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
M. Wiley
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
K. Stump
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
J. M. Elliott
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
P. J. Cowen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr N. R. Best, Oxford University, Department of Psychiatry and MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford OX4 4XN.
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Synopsis

Platelet α2-adrenoceptor binding was measured in 108 women in the 36th week of pregnancy, at ten and twenty days and at three and six months post-partum. An age matched non-pregnant control group of women (N = 25) was also studied. The number Bmax) of α2-adrenoceptors was elevated antepartum but fell to control values on the tenth post-partum day. At three and six months post-partum, however, α2-adrenoceptor Bmax was again increased. Women who developed maternity blues (N = 59) had significantly more platelet α2-adrenoceptors than those who did not (N = 49) at both ten and twenty days post-partum. In addition their α2-adrenoceptor Bmax was greater than controls at all time points measured except the tenth post-partum day. In contrast, the α2-adrenoceptor Bmax of women without the blues did not differ from controls at any stage. It is suggested that women who develop maternity blues may have a relatively enduring abnormality in α2-adrenoceptor sensitivity which is associated with psychological symptoms when concentrations of circulating sex-steroids suddenly change.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 4 , November 1988 , pp. 837 - 842
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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