[Assessment of mental condition by saliva level of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol].

There is substantial evidence that the anxiety state in human is associated with a high level of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), noradrenaline metabolite, in the plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid. Moreover, the plasma level of MHPG in some patients with depression has been reported to be lower than that in normal controls. Recently, the saliva level of MHPG was well correlated with a level of plasma and CSF. Social dysfunction score of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was negatively correlated with the saliva level of MHPG in normal volunteers (n = 270, r = -0.213, p < 0.001). Lowered baseline saliva MHPG level was associated with the poor performance on a continuous task requiring effortful attention. These data indicate that reduced saliva MHPG in general population would reflect a depressive state. The saliva level of MHPG at first visit to a hospital in patients with anxiety disorder was significantly higher than that of control individuals and was reduced by alprazolam treatment for 1 week. Thus, a saliva MHPG would be a useful marker to assess some mental states in psychiatric patients as well as the general population.