OBJECTIVE: Cardiophysiological and neuroendocrine studies suggest that the two components of the endogenous stress response system, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are dysregulated in patients with schizophrenia. However, cardiophysiological measures are influenced by several confounding factors and the secretion of α-amylase in saliva is believed to represent a more reliable index of SNS activity. Therefore, to characterize the functional status of the SNS and HPA axis in schizophrenia we explored the concomitant salivary secretion of cortisol and α-amylase. METHODS: Saliva cortisol and α-amylase levels were measured after awakening in 30 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 22 healthy subjects. RESULTS: After awakening, saliva cortisol increased in a similar way in both patients and healthy controls, while saliva α-amylase concentrations showed a clear-cut decrease in healthy subjects but not in patients with schizophrenia. No significant correlation emerged between biochemical measures and patients' demographic or psychopathological characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate normal activity of the HPA axis with an enhanced SNS tone, which suggests a functional dissociation of the two components of the endogenous stress response system in patients with chronic schizophrenia. The pathophysiological significance of such dysregulation needs further studies to be clarified.
OBJECTIVE: Cardiophysiological and neuroendocrine studies suggest that the two components of the endogenous stress response system, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are dysregulated in patients with schizophrenia. However, cardiophysiological measures are influenced by several confounding factors and the secretion of α-amylase in saliva is believed to represent a more reliable index of SNS activity. Therefore, to characterize the functional status of the SNS and HPA axis in schizophrenia we explored the concomitant salivary secretion of cortisol and α-amylase. METHODS: Saliva cortisol and α-amylase levels were measured after awakening in 30 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 22 healthy subjects. RESULTS: After awakening, saliva cortisol increased in a similar way in both patients and healthy controls, while saliva α-amylase concentrations showed a clear-cut decrease in healthy subjects but not in patients with schizophrenia. No significant correlation emerged between biochemical measures and patients' demographic or psychopathological characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate normal activity of the HPA axis with an enhanced SNS tone, which suggests a functional dissociation of the two components of the endogenous stress response system in patients with chronic schizophrenia. The pathophysiological significance of such dysregulation needs further studies to be clarified.
Authors: Krista M Wisner; Joshua Chiappelli; Anya Savransky; Feven Fisseha; Laura M Rowland; Peter Kochunov; L Elliot Hong Journal: Brain Imaging Behav Date: 2020-04 Impact factor: 3.978
Authors: Alexandra C Reed; Junghee Lee; Michael F Green; Holly K Hamilton; Gregory A Miller; Kenneth L Subotnik; Joseph Ventura; Keith H Nuechterlein; Cindy M Yee Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2020-01-14 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Paula Calvo; Joan R Fortuny; Sergio Guzmán; Cristina Macías; Jonathan Bowen; María L García; Olivia Orejas; Ferran Molins; Asta Tvarijonaviciute; José J Cerón; Antoni Bulbena; Jaume Fatjó Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2016-05-06