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β-Endorphin-Induced Changes in Schizophrenic and Depressed Patients

Nathan S. Kline, MD; Choh Hao Li, PhD; Heinz E. Lehmann, MD; Abel Lajtha, PhD; Edward Laski, MD, PhD; Thomas Cooper, MA
[+] Author Affiliations

Accepted for publication July 13, 1977.

Reprint requests to Rockland Research Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962 (Dr Kline).


Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1977;34(9):1111-1113. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1977.01770210125012
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Recent and exciting research in animals has described endogenous polypeptides, endorphins, which in many biological respects resemble opiate agonists.1-3 While behavioral effects in animals are under intense investigation, the effects of the pure endorphins in man require specific testing. The effect of opiate antagonists in schizophrenic patients4 are in some dispute, but a recent doubleblind study revealed no effects.5 Thus, direct measures of injected endorphins are relevant to understanding their effects in man. Accordingly, when the opportunity presented itself, it seemed logical to evaluate synthetic β-endorphin in schizophrenic and depressed patients, and this preliminary report describes our initial observations. Thirty milligrams of synthetic material was prepared by one of us (C. H. L.) and made available for this purpose; subsequently, a second batch was used.6

SUBJECTS AND METHODS Laboratory Procedures  Preliminary experiments were carried out to determine whether or not morphine-like substances in blood could

REFERENCES

Goldstein A:  Opioid peptides (endorphins) in pituitary and brain . Science 193:1081-1086, 1976;.
Kosterlitz HW, Hughes J:  Peptides with morphine-like action in the brain . Br J Psychiatry 130:298-304, 1977;.
Snyder SH:  Opiate receptors in the brain . N Engl J Med 296:266-271, 1977;.
Gunne LM, Lindstrom L, Terenius L:  Naloxone-induced reversal of schizophrenic hallucinations . J Neural Transm 40:13-19, 1977;.
Davis GC, Bunney WE Jr, DeFraites EG, et al:  Intravenous naloxone administration in schizophrenia and affective illness . Science 197:74-77, 1977;.
Li CH, Yamashiro D, Tseng LF, et al:  Synthesis and analgesic activity of human β-endorphin . J Med Chem 20:325-328, 1977;.
Pasternak GW, Wilson HA, Snyder SH:  Differential effects of proteinmodifying reagents on receptor binding of opiate agonists and antagonists . Mol Pharmacol 11:340-351, 1975;.
Pert CB, Pert A, Tollman JF:  Isolation of novel endogenous opiate analgesics from human blood . Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 73:2226-2230, 1976;.
Thorel JI, Johanssen BG:  Enzymatic iodination of polypeptides with iodine-125 to high specific activity . Biochem Biophys Acta 251:363-369, 1971;.
Miyachi Y, Vaitukaitis JL, Nieschlag E, et al:  Enzymatic radioiodination of gonadotropins . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 34:23-28, 1972;.
Li CH, Rao J, Doneen B, et al:  β-Endorphin: Lack of correlation between opiate activity and immunoreactivity by radioimmunoassay . Biochem Biophys Res Commun 75:576-580, 1977;.
Bunney WE Jr, Goodwin FK, Murphy DL:  The "switch process" in manic-depressive illness: III. Theoretical implications . Arch Gen Psychiatry 27:312-317, 1972;.

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Goldstein A:  Opioid peptides (endorphins) in pituitary and brain . Science 193:1081-1086, 1976;.
Kosterlitz HW, Hughes J:  Peptides with morphine-like action in the brain . Br J Psychiatry 130:298-304, 1977;.
Snyder SH:  Opiate receptors in the brain . N Engl J Med 296:266-271, 1977;.
Gunne LM, Lindstrom L, Terenius L:  Naloxone-induced reversal of schizophrenic hallucinations . J Neural Transm 40:13-19, 1977;.
Davis GC, Bunney WE Jr, DeFraites EG, et al:  Intravenous naloxone administration in schizophrenia and affective illness . Science 197:74-77, 1977;.
Li CH, Yamashiro D, Tseng LF, et al:  Synthesis and analgesic activity of human β-endorphin . J Med Chem 20:325-328, 1977;.
Pasternak GW, Wilson HA, Snyder SH:  Differential effects of proteinmodifying reagents on receptor binding of opiate agonists and antagonists . Mol Pharmacol 11:340-351, 1975;.
Pert CB, Pert A, Tollman JF:  Isolation of novel endogenous opiate analgesics from human blood . Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 73:2226-2230, 1976;.
Thorel JI, Johanssen BG:  Enzymatic iodination of polypeptides with iodine-125 to high specific activity . Biochem Biophys Acta 251:363-369, 1971;.
Miyachi Y, Vaitukaitis JL, Nieschlag E, et al:  Enzymatic radioiodination of gonadotropins . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 34:23-28, 1972;.
Li CH, Rao J, Doneen B, et al:  β-Endorphin: Lack of correlation between opiate activity and immunoreactivity by radioimmunoassay . Biochem Biophys Res Commun 75:576-580, 1977;.
Bunney WE Jr, Goodwin FK, Murphy DL:  The "switch process" in manic-depressive illness: III. Theoretical implications . Arch Gen Psychiatry 27:312-317, 1972;.

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