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Biomedical subjects

P J Mills

Publications and source records attributed to P J Mills.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Do circulating leucocytes and lymphocyte subtypes increase in response to brief exercise in children with and without asthma?

BACKGROUND: Exercise can alter health in children in both beneficial (eg reduced long-term risk of atherosclerosis) and adverse (eg exercise-induced asthma) ways. The mechanisms linking exercise and health are not known, but may rest, partly, on the ability of exercise to increase circulating immune cells. Little is known about the effect of brief exercise, more reflective of naturally occurring patterns of physical activity in children, on immune cell responses. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether (1) a 6-min bout of exercise can increase circulating inflammatory cells in healthy children and (2) the effect of brief exercise is greater in children with a history of asthma. METHODS: Children with mild-moderate persistent asthma and age-matched controls (n = 14 in each group, mean age 13.6 years) performed a 6-min bout of cycle-ergometer exercise. Spirometry was performed at baseline and after exercise. Blood was drawn before and after exercise, leucocytes were quantified and key lymphocyte cell surface markers were assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Exercise decreased spirometry only in children with asthma, but increased (p<0.001) most types of leucocytes (eg lymphocytes (controls, mean (SD) 1210 (208) cells/microl; children with asthma, 1119 (147) cells/microl) and eosinophils (controls, 104 (22) cells/microl; children with asthma, 88 (20) cells/microl)) to the same degree in both groups. Similarly, exercise increased T helper cells (controls, 248 (60) cells/microl; children with asthma, 232 (53) cells/microl) and most other lymphocyte subtypes tested. By contrast, although basophils (16 (5) cells/microl) and CD4+ CD45RO+ RA+ lymphocytes (19 (4) cells/microl) increased in controls, no increase in these cell types was found in children with asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise increased many circulating inflammatory cells in both children with asthma and controls. Circulating inflammatory cells did increase in children with asthma, but not to a greater degree than in controls. In fact, basophils and T helper lymphocyte memory transition cells did not increase in children with asthma, whereas they did increase in controls. Even brief exercise in children and adolescents robustly mobilizes circulating immune cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Body fat and circulating leukocytes in children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of obesity on baseline levels of circulating granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocyte subtypes in otherwise healthy children. DESIGN: Two group comparison of leukocytes in normal weight control and overweight children. SUBJECTS: In total, 38 boys and girls, ages 6-18 years, divided in two groups: normal weight, (NW, BMI<85th %tile, n=15) and overweight (OW, body mass index (BMI)>85th %tile, n=23). MEASUREMENTS: BMI obtained from direct measures of height and body mass. Body fat was assessed by DEXA. Complete blood counts (CBC) were obtained by standard clinical hematology methods and surface antigen staining by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The OW group compared to the NW group had increased total leukocytes counts (P=0.011), neutrophils (P=0.006), monocytes (P=0.008), total T (CD3) lymphocytes (P=0.022), and Helper T (CD4(+)) cells (P=0.003). Significant correlations were evident between leukocytes, and BMI percentile, BMI, or percent body fat. Neither lean body mass nor VO(2peak) per unit lean body mass were significantly related to any of the leukocytes. Percent body fat and BMI percentile were positively correlated (P<0.05) to total T cells (CD3) and/or helper T cells (CD4(+)). CONCLUSION: A group of 23 overweight children displayed elevated counts in most types of circulating immune cells, suggesting the presence of low-grade systemic inflammation, a known pathogenetic mechanism underlying most long-term complications of obesity. Our data provide an additional rationale for the importance of avoiding or correcting pediatric obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2004

Effect of intense wrestling exercise on leucocytes and adhesion molecules in adolescent boys.

BACKGROUND: In adults, exercise is a powerful and natural stimulator of immune cells and adhesion molecules. Far less is known about exercise responses during childhood and adolescence and whether or not exercise in "real life" activities of healthy adolescents influences immune responses. OBJECTIVE: To determine if strenuous exercise leads to significant changes in leucocyte number and adhesion molecule expression in adolescent boys. METHODS: Eleven healthy, high school boys, aged 14-18.5 years, performed a single, typical, 1.5 hour wrestling practice session. Blood was sampled before and after the session. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate changes in immune responses. RESULTS: The exercise led to significant (p<0.05) and robust increases in granulocytes, monocytes, and all lymphocyte subpopulations. The most significant changes were observed for natural killer cells (p<0.0005). The number of T cytotoxic and T helper cells expressing CD62L increased significantly (p<0.002 and p<0.0005 respectively), as did the number of T cytotoxic and T helper cells not expressing CD62L (p<0.003 and p<0.009 respectively). The density of CD62L on lymphocytes decreased significantly with exercise (p<0.0005), whereas CD11a (p<0.01) and CD54 (p<0.01) increased. CONCLUSIONS: The data show that an intense wrestling bout in adolescent boys leads to profound stimulation of the immune system. The role of these common changes in overall immune status and the development of the immune and haemopoietic systems has yet to be determined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

A randomised-controlled trial of the effects of a traditional herbal supplement on sleep onset insomnia.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effectiveness and safety of a traditional herbal supplement used for sleep onset insomnia. DESIGN: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. SETTING: A total of 25 healthy volunteers (20-65 years of age) suffering from sleep onset insomnia were recruited from the general population. INTERVENTION: A traditional Ayurvedic supplement formulated to reduce sleep onset insomnia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Sleep latency. RESULTS: The supplement led to a statistically significant decrease in reported sleep latency of 16.72 min (S.D.=44.8) as compared to placebo (P=0.003). There were no self-reported side effects. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that traditional herbal supplements may be of significant benefit to patients suffering from sleep onset insomnia while avoiding the negative side effects of commonly prescribed hypnotics.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Short-term hyperglycemia induces lymphopenia and lymphocyte subset redistribution.

Alterations in lymphocytes are a common finding in both type I and type II diabetes. Autoimmune phenomena in type I diabetes, the stage of the diabetic disorder and metabolic effects of therapeutic interventions may also affect actual distribution of lymphocyte phenotypes. This study investigated immunological effects specific to standardized hyperglycemia in non-diabetic individuals to exclude immunological changes potentially related to diabetes stage and treatment. 37 subjects (mean age +/- SD 39 +/- 5 years) underwent a sequence-controlled crossover with oral administration of a solution containing either 75 g glucose or artificial sweetener (i.e. placebo). At rest and at two hours, counts of white blood cells (WBC), mixed lymphocytes, mature T-cells (CD3), T-helper cells (CD4), T-suppressor/ cytotoxic cells (CD8), B-cells (CD19), natural killer cells (CD16/CD56), and interleukin-2 receptor bearing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (CD25) were measured by flow cytometry. Subjects showed a significant decrease in WBC, lymphocytes, and all lymphocyte subsets with the OGTT compared with the placebo solution (p < .05 to p < .001). In non-diabetic individuals, short-term hyperglycemia induces immunological changes that may be relevant to explain similar findings in patients with diabetes mellitus. Future studies need to validate these findings and their potential clinical implications in a diabetic population.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Catecholamines in human saliva.

Catecholamines are readily detectable in human saliva but their origin is unclear. Norepinephrine (NE) was stable in saliva stored at 4 degrees for 2 hours but 11 +/- 3% degraded after storage at 25 degrees for 1 hour. We intravenously infused 3H-NE into humans and measured levels of 3H-NE and its metabolites in both saliva and forearm venous plasma (a site whose plasma NE levels reflect both local uptake and release of NE). 3H-NE levels in saliva continued to rise for 1 hour even though forearm plasma levels had plateaued by 5 min. By 65 min into the infusion the ratio of 3H-NE:non-radioactive NE was similar in saliva and forearm venous plasma. The ratio of NE:epinephrine (E) was similar in saliva and forearm venous plasma at all time points. Chewing induced salivation, and at least tripled the amount of NE, E and 3H-NE released into saliva per minute, but decreased their concentration in saliva by as much as one half. Saliva NE level was unaltered after 15 min of standing but was increased by 31% after 1 hour of upright posture. Our data imply that the NE present in human saliva comes from both the bloodstream and from salivary sympathetic nerves. The finding that diffusion of blood NE into saliva takes roughly 1 hour to complete suggests that NE in saliva is a poor index of acute changes in sympathetic activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Propranolol affects stress-induced leukocytosis and cellular adhesion molecule expression.

In this study, the impact of the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol on resting and acute psychological- and physical-stress-induced circulating leukocyte numbers and the density of cellular adhesion molecules was investigated. In a randomized double-blind crossover design, 45 healthy volunteers performed a 15-min public speaking task and 21 subjects performed a 16-min bicycle exercise after 5 days of ingesting a placebo and after 5 days of ingesting 100 mg/day propranolol. One week of ingesting propranolol modestly elevated the numbers of CD62L+ (P<0.019) but not CD62L- T-lymphocytes. Moreover, propranolol preferentially blunted-psychological stress-induced increases in naïve T-helper (CD4+CD62L+; P<0.049) and naïve T-cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8+CD62L+; P<0.003), as well as activated T-cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8+CD29+; P<0.005). However, exercise-induced increases in leukocyte numbers were enhanced following propranolol treatment (P<0.04). In contrast to the effect on the numbers of adhesion-molecule-bearing cells, there was only a modest effect of propranolol on stress-induced alterations of the density of CD62L, CD54 and CD11a. In this study, propranolol treatment interfered with the adrenergic regulation of circulating leukocyte numbers by blunting psychological stress effects but enhancing exercise effects. Propranolol affected the cell activation status to a lesser extent, as reflected by the density of adhesion molecules.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2001

Effects of laboratory versus field exercise on leukocyte subsets and cell adhesion molecule expression in children.

In adults, exercise is a powerful and natural stimulator of immune cells and adhesion molecules. Far less is known about these exercise responses during childhood and whether or not exercise in real-life activities of healthy children might influence immune responses. We compared laboratory exercise (10 x 2 min periods of heavy, constant intensity, cycle ergcometer exercise with 1 min rests between exercise in nine subjects, aged 9-15 years) with field exercise (90 min soccer practice in nine different subjects, aged 9-11 years). Blood was sampled before both protocols, 5 min after the 30 min laboratory protocol, and 10-15 min after the 90 min field protocol. Both field and laboratory exercise protocols led to significant (P<0.05) increases in granulocytes, monocytes, and all lymphocyte subpopulations. The mean (SEM) increases were similar for the two protocols except for the significantly greater increase in laboratory compared with field protocols for natural killer cells [142 (39)% vs 12 (16)%, P<0.001] and monocytes [64 (22)% vs 32 (19)%, P<0.001] Both protocols significantly influenced adhesion molecules (such as CD54) which have not been previously studied in children. However, the adhesion molecule CD8+ CD62L increased to a significantly (P < 0.001) greater extent in the laboratory [101 (25)%] versus field [34 (25)%] protocol. Finally, the density of CD632L on lymphocytes significantly decreased with laboratory exercise but showed no change in the field protocol [-20 (3)% vs -3 (3)%, P<0.001]. The rapid and substantial immune response in both laboratory and field protocols suggests that exercise stimulation of the immune system occurs commonly in the real lives of children and may play a role in their overall immune status.

CD3 Complex↗
PubMed2001

The hypercoagulable state in sleep apnea is related to comorbid hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased prevalence of atherosclerotic disease. A hypercoagulable state thought to underly atherosclerosis has been described in both OSA and systemic hypertension. We wondered about the respective contribution of apnea and hypertension to a hypercoagulable state. DESIGN: Eighty-seven subjects with symptoms suggestive of OSA, mean age 47 years (range 32-64 years), underwent polysomnography and blood pressure (BP) screening. OSA was diagnosed when respiratory disturbance index (RDI) > or = 15. Subjects having systolic BP (SBP) > 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) > 90 mmHg were classified as having hypertension. Three hypercoagulability markers were measured: thrombin/antithrombin III complex (TAT), fibrin D-dimer (DD), and von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:ag). RESULTS: Analysis of variance and multiple linear regression were performed on the following four subject groups: (1) normotensive non-apneics (n = 19), (2) normotensive apneics (n = 38), (3) hypertensive non-apneics (n = 11), and (4) hypertensive apneics (n = 19). OSA (groups 2 and 4) had no significant main effect on hemostasis. Hypertensives (groups 3 and 4) had higher plasma levels of TAT (median/inter-quartile range, 148/59-188 versus 77/53-108 pmol/l; P = 0.009) and of DD (376/265-721 versus 303/190-490 ng/ml; P = 0.040) than normotensives (groups 1 and 2). Across all subjects, SBP was the only significant predictor of TAT (P = 0.001) and of DD (P = 0.004), whereas DBP was the only significant predictor of vWF:ag (P = 0.029). These findings persisted even after controlling for gender, age, body mass index, RDI, mean SaO2, and hematocrit. CONCLUSION: Hypercoagulability in OSA is mediated by comorbid hypertension and might account for high cardiovascular morbidity in OSA in general.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Continuous positive airway pressure normalizes cardiac autonomic and hemodynamic responses to a laboratory stressor in apneic patients.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for sleep apnea on cardiac contractility, heart rate variability, and hemodynamics at rest and in response to a laboratory stressor. SUBJECTS AND INSTRUMENTATION: Forty-one apneic patients were studied on three occasions: before treatment, after 1 full night of CPAP treatment, and after 1 week of CPAP treatment. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive effective treatment or placebo. Contractility and hemodynamics were determined with impedance cardiography, and parasympathetic activity was assessed by analysis of heart rate variability. Measures were determined at rest and in response to a stressor. DESIGN AND RESULTS: For the cardiac sympathetic (contractility) measures (preejection period, cardiac acceleration index [CAI], and low-frequency/high-frequency ratio) significant interactions were found in the combination treatment (CPAP vs placebo) by study day (day 1, day 3, day 11) by test period (baseline, preparation, talking) [p < 0.01]. For these measures, there were no differences between the treatment groups or responses to the stressor on day 1. Levels in placebo-treated subjects did not change or respond on the subsequent study days. In the CPAP-treated subjects, there was a decrease in these indexes at baseline, which became significantly lower by day 11 (ie, CAI levels were 24 Omega/s(2), 22 Omega/s(2), and 14 Omega/s(2) on day 1, day 3, and day 11, respectively). These measures also became responsive to the stressor by showing increased sympathetic activity (CAI levels on day 11 were 14 Omega/s(2) at baseline, 32 Omega/s(2) during speech preparation, and 36 Omega/s(2) while speaking). The parasympathetic indexes, such as high-frequency power or band of heart rate variability as determined by spectral analysis, showed a significant day-by-treatment interaction (p < 0.005), whereas the CPAP- treated group had significantly more parasympathetic activity after 1 week of treatment. For the hemodynamic measures (stroke volume [SV], cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance [SVR]), there were significant treatment-by-study day-by-test-period interactions (p < 0.01). SV and cardiac output increased across days, and SVR decreased in the CPAP-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that CPAP normalizes contractility, increases cardiac vagal tone, and changes hemodynamic regulation from being resistance dominated to being cardiac dominated. Thus, after 1 week of treatment with CPAP, many of the indicators of poor cardiac functioning in apnea patients are improved.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Effect of continuous positive airway pressure and placebo treatment on sympathetic nervous activity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: We studied the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on sympathetic nervous activity in 38 patients with obstructive sleep apnea. DESIGN: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Patients underwent polysomnography on three occasions in a clinical research center, and had BP monitored over 24 h at home. All of the patients had sleep apnea with a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) > 15. INTERVENTIONS: The patients were randomized blindly to CPAP or placebo (CPAP at ineffective pressure) treatment. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Prior to therapy, the number of apneas and the severity of nocturnal hypoxia correlated significantly with daytime urinary norepinephrine (NE) levels, but not nighttime urinary NE levels. CPAP treatment lowered daytime BP from 99 +/- 2 mm Hg to 95 +/- 3 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) and nighttime BP from 93 +/- 3 mm Hg to 88 +/- 3 mm Hg. Placebo CPAP treatment decreased both day and night mean BP only 2 mm Hg. CPAP, but not placebo, treatment lowered daytime plasma NE levels by 23%, daytime urine NE levels by 36%, daytime heart rate by 2.6 beats/min, and increased lymphocyte beta(2)-adrenergic receptor sensitivity (all p < 0.05). The effect of CPAP treatment on nighttime urine NE levels and heart rate did not differ from placebo treatment. There was a suggestion of an effect of placebo CPAP treatment on nighttime measures, but not on daytime measures. CONCLUSION: We conclude that daytime sympathetic nervous activation is greater with more severe sleep apnea. CPAP treatment diminished the daytime sympathetic activation; the potential nighttime effect of CPAP treatment was obscured by a small placebo effect.

Female↗
PubMed2000

Plasma epinephrine levels in hypertension and across gender and ethnicity.

Epinephrine (E) infusions raise blood pressure and there is an excess incidence of hypertension among males and blacks. However, reports of E levels by ethnicity, gender, and blood pressure status are inconsistent. Insensitive assays, variability in plasma E levels within individuals, and the small size of most studies have contributed to these conflicting reports. We measured plasma E levels in a large diverse sample of subjects, using a highly sensitive assay. A total of 361 individuals participated in the study: 61% were men and 39% women, 74% were normotensive and 26% hypertensive, 59% were white and 41% were black. Except for difference in blood pressure and body mass index between the normotensives and hypertensives, subjects had similar baseline characteristics and took no antihypertensive medications for at least five days prior to sampling. All blood samples were collected after resting for a least 30 minutes following the insertion of an indwelling i.v. catheter. Catecholamine levels were determined using a radioenzymatic assay (assay sensitivities for E and norepinephrine were 6 pg/ml and 10 pg/ml, respectively). An ethnicity by gender interaction was found (F(1,315) = 5.126, p = .024). Subsequent analysis revealed that white women had significantly lower basal plasma E levels than white men (p <0.001) and black women (p = 0.036). There were no significant differences in E levels between black men and women or between white men and black men. Uncorrected E levels were lower in normotensive than hypertensive subjects (p = .009) but this difference was not significant when corrected for body mass index (BMI). Uncorrected norepinephrine levels were higher in women than men (p = .03) but the difference was no longer significant when corrected for BMI. Plasma E levels were significantly lower among white women than men or black women. In contrast to prior studies, E levels were lower in hypertensives, but this may reflect obesity among hypertensives.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Leukocyte adhesion molecule expression and T cell naïve/memory status following isoproterenol infusion.

This study examined adhesion molecules on peripheral leukocytes following a 30-min infusion of the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol in 23 healthy subjects. In response to isoproterenol, the number of CD8 +CD62L- T cells and both CD62L+ and CD62L-natural killer (NK) (CD3 CD16+ 56+) cells increased markedly in circulation (p < 0.001). In addition, the surface density of CD62L was significantly lower on both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells (p < 0.001). Plasma levels of soluble CD62L remained unchanged, arguing against an isoproterenol-induced shedding of L-selectin. In contrast to CD62L, the surface density of the beta2 integrin LFA-1 (CD11a) was higher on circulating lymphocytes (p < 0.001) (but not monocytes or lymphocytes) post-infusion. Isoproterenol also led to a mobilization of memory/activated CD8+CD29high T cells (p < 0.01), but had no significant effect on the number of circulating CD8+ CD45RA+ CD62L+ naïve T cells. beta blockade with the non-specific antagonist propranolol eliminated these isoproterenol-induced effects.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed2000

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell-endothelial adhesion in human hypertension following exercise.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of hypertension and exercise on interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and mononuclear cell adhesion to endothelial cells. DESIGN: Twelve hypertensive and 33 normotensive volunteers were studied prior to and following exhaustive exercise. End points were stimulated IL-6 levels and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) CD11a (LFA-1) expression and in vitro PBMC adhesion to human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC). RESULTS: In response to exercise, all subjects showed a significant increase in lymphocyte CD11a a density and in IL-6 levels (P < 0.001). Compared to normotensives, hypertensives showed significantly greater mean density of CD11a on lymphocytes (P< 0.05) and on monocytes (P < 0.05). In response to exercise, hypertensive subjects showed a twofold greater increase in IL-6 as compared to normotensives (+ 240 pg/ml versus + 123 pg/ml, respectively; P< 0.05). PBMC adhesion to HUVEC was increased in hypertensives but decreased in normotensives following exercise (P< 0.03). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that exercise leads to increased mononuclear cell adhesion to endothelial cells in patients with hypertension, possibly through cytokine-induced activation of mononuclear cell CD11a. These findings, coupled with prior data indicating increased endothelial activation in hypertension, may be relevant to the increased risk of atherosclerosis in human hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Nonselective beta blockade attenuates the recruitment of CD62L(-)T lymphocytes following exercise.

Exercise induces a selective redistribution of CD62L(-) T lymphocytes. This study examined the effects of beta adrenergic receptor blockade on this phenomenon. Twelve healthy men were exercised to exhaustion on a treadmill prior to and following 1 week of treatment with the nonselective beta antagonist propranolol or the beta1 selective antagonist metoprolol. Dynamic exercise resulted in a significant lymphocytosis (p < 0.001). CD8(+)CD62L(-) T cells showed a greater than 3-fold increase in response to exercise (p < 0.001) as compared to CD8(+)CD62L(+) T cells, which showed a more modest increase. Treatment with the nonselective beta antagonist propranolol significantly attenuated the preferential increase of circulating CD8(+)CD62L(-) lymphocytes (p = 0.01) but had no effect on CD8(+)CD62L(+) T cells. Treatment with the beta1 selective antagonist metoprolol did not affect the response of either subset. Our findings replicate a prior study indicating that CD62L expression influences T lymphocyte trafficking in response to exercise and extends those findings by showing that this phenomenon is mediated, in part, via the beta2-adrenergic receptor.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1999

Menstrual cycle, race and task effects on blood pressure recovery from acute stress.

This study examined cardiovascular recovery from two standardized laboratory stressors in 68 healthy black and white normotensive women and men (mean age 33 years). Women were studied in a randomized order at the same time of day on two separate occasions, once during the follicular phase (days 7 to 10 following menses) and once during the luteal phase (days 7 to 10 following the leutenizing-hormone surge) of the menstrual cycle. Men were studied twice approximately 6 weeks apart. There were differential effects of the tasks on blood pressure recovery (change scores) with a mirror star task yielding poorer diastolic blood pressure recovery (p = 0.004) and an interpersonal speaking task yielding poorer systolic blood pressure recovery (p = 0.003). Across both tasks, blacks evidenced greater diastolic blood pressure recovery as compared to whites (p = 0.02). Black women showed greater diastolic blood pressure recovery in the luteal as compared to the follicular phase (p = 0.01), whereas white women evidenced no such change across the menstrual cycle. Correlation analysis across testing sessions generally revealed comparable temporal stability values for recovery as compared to reactivity measures. The findings support prior studies indicating racial differences in recovery from acute stress and extend these findings by suggesting that the menstrual cycle may differentially affect recovery in black versus white women.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Psychological states and lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptor responsiveness.

There is a complex interplay between psychological states and biochemical factors. beta-Adrenergic receptor responsiveness is altered in some patients with depression and anxiety disorders, but the relation between various psychological states and receptor function in a normal population is unknown. We measured lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptor density (Bmax), sensitivity (cAMP ratio), the Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in 39 hypertensives and 81 normotensives. We examined correlations between log normalized receptor variables and psychological states. Log Bmax showed negative correlations with age and with POMS tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, and anger-hostility. Log cAMP ratio did not show significant correlations with POMS and STAI ratings. In step-wise multiple regression analyses, 36% of the variance in Bmax was accounted for by POMS tension-anxiety, and age. Our study suggests that increased POMS tension-anxiety was highly associated with down-regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors, even in subjects who do not have psychiatric illness. Numerous psychological states could be associated with changes of beta-adrenergic receptor responsiveness in a normal population.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗