Psychomotor Activity and Cerebrospinal Fluid Amine Metabolites in Affective Illness

In order to evaluate the effect of psychomotor activity on CSF amine metabolites, lumbar punctures were performed after moderately depressed patients had simulated manic hyperactivity for four hours. The CSF levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were significantly higher after simulated mania or exercise alone than in the same patients after bed rest. In addition, there was a trend for levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol to increase with activity. The levels of 5-HIAA and HVA correlated with the amount of motor activity: lowest in depression, intermediate in mania and hypomania, and highest in simulated mania. Both metabolites were higher in severe mania than in hypomania. These results suggest that psychomotor activity is an important determinant of CSF amine metabolite levels in affective illness.