Reduced Plasma Dopamine-β-Hydroxylase Activity Is Associated With the Severity of Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH) is an enzyme converting dopamine to norepinephrine, a key neurotransmitter in mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Due to overlapping symptomology of unipolar and bipolar depression, the present study attempted to explorer if the plasma DβH activity could discriminate the depressive episodes of BD from MDD. The aim of this study was to compare the plasma DβH activity among MDD patients (n = 104), BD patients (n = 101), and healthy controls (n = 160). Clinical characteristics and cognitive function were assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Our data showed a lower plasma DβH activity in patients with BD, not MDD, than that in controls. For the BD patients, the plasma DβH activities were negatively correlated with HAM-D scores and HAM-A scores. However, there was no significant correlation between plasma DβH activity and severity of depressive symptoms in MDD patients. No significant correlation between DβH activities and cognitive assessments neither in BD nor in MDD patients. The present study provides evidence that BD is associated with decreased circulating DβH activity.

Serum Levels of HCY, MIF, and hs-CRP Correlate with Glycolipid Metabolism in Adults with Never-Medicated First-Episode Schizophrenia

“…Higher scores suggest better personal and social functioning, with score ranging from 91 to 100 reflecting more than adequate functioning, while scores <30 indicate so poor functioning that intensive supervision is required. The YMRS scale was employed to assess the severity of mania [ 16 ], which is an 11-item rating scale among which items 1–4, 7, 10, and 11 have a potential range from 0 to 4 for each, and items 5, 6, 8, and 9 have a potential range from 0 to 8 for each. Higher scores suggest severe mania.…”

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“…The activities of dopamine-β-hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase, phenylalanine hydroxylase, catalase, tryptophan hydroxylase-2, xanthine oxidase, L-amino acid decarboxylase, and some RNA binding proteins have been reported to change during depression and other neurodegenerative disorders (Berguig et al, 2019;Ding et al, 2020;Sun et al, 2021). Moreover, in vivo administrations of excess phenylalanine and phytochemicals including chalcones, coumarins, alkaloids, and isothiocyanates were shown to competitively block Lamino decarboxylase and monoamine oxidase, respectively (Engelbrecht et al, 2018;Kamal et al, 2022).…”

Moringa oleifera (Lam) Root Extracts Elevate Catecholamine Levels in Experimental Rats: Potential Role of Ethnopharmacology in Combating Depressive Conditions

“…The activities of dopamine-β-hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase, phenylalanine hydroxylase, catalase, tryptophan hydroxylase-2, xanthine oxidase, L-amino acid decarboxylase, and some RNA binding proteins have been reported to change during depression and other neurodegenerative disorders (Berguig et al, 2019;Ding et al, 2020;Sun et al, 2021). Moreover, in vivo administrations of excess phenylalanine and phytochemicals including chalcones, coumarins, alkaloids, and isothiocyanates were shown to competitively block Lamino decarboxylase and monoamine oxidase, respectively (Engelbrecht et al, 2018;Kamal et al, 2022).…”