Skip to main content
Log in

Correlation between serum and urinary calcium levels and psychopathology in patients with affective disorders

  • Short Communication
  • Biological Psychiatry
  • Published:
Journal of Neural Transmission Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

To examine whether serum and urinary calcium levels were related to the psychopathology index (i.e. average score in clinically relevant scales of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), 24 women aged 35.6 ± 2.5 years and 20 men aged 34.3 ± 2.1 years, suffering from affective disorders, were studied. A non-parametric bivariate correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between PI and serum calcium (r=−0.256, p < 0.01), while urinary calcium levels correlated positively with PI (r=0.236, p < 0.02). A positive correlation occurred between serum and urinary calcium (r=0.968, p < 0.0001). When the data were analyzed by categorical classification of patients with normal or abnormal PI scores, serum calcium levels were smaller, and urinary calcium levels higher, in patients with abnormal PI (p < 0.01). The results support to the concept that alterations of calcium homeostasis occur in psychopathology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  • AOAC Official Methods of Analysis (1990) Calcium, potassium, and sodium in electrolyte replenishes. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric Method #977.29, 503–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Balabanova S, Hartmann J, Tollner U, Nowak R, Kirkpatrick UC (1986) Effect of stress on calcium homeostasis in sheep. Horm Res 24: 302–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Guinjoan SM, Bonanni Rey RA, Cardinali DP (1995) Correlation between skin potential response and psychopathology in patients with affective disorders. Neuropsychobiology 31: 24–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Joborn H, Hjemdahl P, Larsson PT, Lithell H, Olsson G, Bergstrom R, Ljunghall S (1990) Effects of prolonged adrenaline infusion and of mental stress on plasma minerals and parathyroid hormone. Clin Physiol 10: 37–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Medalia A, Scheinberg MD (1989) Psychopathology in patients with Wilson's disease. Am J Psychiatry 146: 662–664

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern JE, Ladizesky MG, Keller Sarmiento MI, Cardinali DP (1993) Involvement of the cervical sympathetic nervous system in the changes of calcium homeostasis during turpentine oil-induced stress in rats. Neuroendocrinology 57: 381–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Vadstrup S, Pedersen TF (1993) Calciumaendringer i blodet ved septiske tilstande. En oversigt Ugeskr Laeger 155: 3905–3908

    Google Scholar 

  • Walters DC (1986) Stress as a principal cause of calcium oxalate urolithiasis. Int Urol Nephrol 18: 271–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeragani VK, Pohl R, Balon R, Ramesh C, Glitz D, Jung I, Sherwood P (1991) Heart rate variability in patients with major depression. Psychiatry Res 37: 35–46

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stern, J.E., Guinjoan, S.M. & Cardinali, D.P. Correlation between serum and urinary calcium levels and psychopathology in patients with affective disorders. J. Neural Transmission 103, 509–513 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01276424

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01276424

Keywords

Navigation