Urinary Excretion of Cyclic Amp and Manic-Depressive Psychosis

Abstract

Recently several communications have been published implicating impaired 3′5′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) metabolism as a causal factor in affective disorders (1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11). In particular, the urinary excretion of cyclic AMP in manic patients is reported to be increased compared with that of normal subjects, whereas in depressed patients a decreased excretion has been observed (1, 7, 8, 9). These findings form the basis of a theory explaining the systemic and mental symptoms of affective disorders (1).