Urinary Cyclic AMP in the Switch Process from Depression to Mania

Abstract

Various reports have suggested that the urinary excretion of adenosine cyclic 3'5’ monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is increased in mania and decreased in depression. However, our own serial studies from short-cycle bipolar manic-depressive patients showed no correlation between mood and cyclic AMP excretion (2). Jenner et al. (4) confirmed our findings, except in the case of a patient with a regular 48-hour mood cycle who did show a correlation between his mood changes and changes in cyclic AMP excretion. Paul et al. (5) also reported a general lack of correlation between these variables, but found a transient increase of urinary cyclic AMP during the rapid switch from depression to mania. We have investigated the situation in a bipolar patient who shows such a rapid switch in mood but have been unable to demonstrate any increase in cyclic AMP excretion during the switch period.