Inhibition of In Vitro Production of Aldosterone by Manic-Depressive Sera

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Abstract
Serum samples from psychiatric patients were added to incubations of rat adrenal cortical cells synthesizing aldosterone. A high proportion of sera from patients with bipolar manic-depressive psychosis inhibited aldosterone production, but chronic inpatients without affective disorders gave few inhibitory sera. Inhibition was greatest in depression and lowest during normal affect. In 1 patient studied through 11 affective cycles the inhibitor score increased during transitions from mania to depression, showing a significant regression on time. The possible relationship of this in vitro phenomenon to the defect of aldosterone regulation in manic-depressive psychosis is discussed.