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Experimental Approaches for Testing the Cholinergic-Noradrenergic Imbalance Hypothesis of Affective Disorders

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Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

The hypothesis of a cholinergic-/aminergic transmitter imbalance as the cause of manic-depressive disorders, formulated by Janowsky and coworkers (Janowsky et al. 1972; Janowsky and Risch 1986), is based on the observation that biological systems, such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and extrapyramidal system, are regulated by at least two transmitter systems in reciprocal interaction. It seemed reasonable to extend the amine deficiency hypothesis of depression to an imbalance model between the aminergic and cholinergic central transmitter systems (Berger 1985, 1987).

Supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 258, Teilprojekt B/M).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, J 5, 6800, Mannheim, Germany

    W. E. Müller

Authors
  1. M. Berger
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  2. P. Fleckenstein
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  3. D. Riemann
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  4. W. E. Müller
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Medicine, University of California at Irvine, 92717, Irvine, CA, USA

    W. E. Bunney Jr. M. D. (Professor of Psychiatry) (Professor of Psychiatry)

  2. Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universität München, Nußbaumstraße 7, 8000, München 2, Germany

    Hanns Hippius  & Gregor Laakmann  & 

  3. Bezirkskrankenhaus Augsburg, Dr.-Mack-Straße 1, 8900, Augsburg, Germany

    Max Schmauss

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Berger, M., Fleckenstein, P., Riemann, D., Müller, W.E. (1990). Experimental Approaches for Testing the Cholinergic-Noradrenergic Imbalance Hypothesis of Affective Disorders. In: Bunney, W.E., Hippius, H., Laakmann, G., Schmauss, M. (eds) Neuropsychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74034-3_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74034-3_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74036-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74034-3

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