Adrenergic receptors mania

Early research at our institute found that treatment with lithium decreased the b-adrenergic receptor number, consistent with the noradrenergic down-regulation hypothesis but difficult to reconcile with a complementary theory of mania ( 25). Lithium can also block dopamine receptor supersensitivity, and this is consistent with the postulate that mania is associated with an increased sensitivity of catecholamine receptors. 

The other end of the psychiatric spectrum (Fig. 12-19) is depression. A catecholamine hypothesis that evolved here during the mid-1960s essentially stated that most of depression is associated with a relative or absolute catecholamine deficiency, especially NE at functionally important adrenergic receptor sites in the brain (Schildkraut, 1965). It is presumed that the opposite situation, which is excess catecholamines, may produce mania. Even though overly simplistic, the hypothesis served as a useful initiation into the developing complexity that followed. The NE deficiency, of course, can arise in any of several ways (1) decreased synthesis, (2) impairment of receptor binding, (3) storage impairment, (4) increased intracellular release, (5) increased oxidative metabolism rate, and (6) decreased receptor sensitivity. It is possible that different depression subtypes relate to dif-... 

Olanzapine Alcohol Olanzapine is a second generation antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and mania related to bipolar disorder. Olanzapine binds neurotransmitter receptors of several classes including dopaminergic, adrenergic, and serotonergic receptors [249, 250]. 

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