Cholesterol and
uric acid, which might correlate with steroidogenesis and monoamine functions, may change under emotionally stressful conditions and in mental disturbances. Among
anxiety disorders, an increase of serum
cholesterol has been observed in
panic disorder. However, the issue has not been adequately investigated in other
anxiety disorders, including
post-traumatic stress disorder (
PTSD). The present study investigated serum cholesterols,
uric acid and
cholinesterase in victims of the Tokyo subway
sarin poisoning, 1995, in a series of 5-year follow-ups.
Cholinesterase was studied, in relevance with serum
lipid changes and symptoms of
PTSD, and also in light of a
biological effect of
sarin. Out of 34 victims, eight developed
PTSD and two were currently diagnosed with
PTSD using the Clinician-Administered
PTSD Scale (CAPS). No significant relationship was observed between
PTSD and serum cholesterols or
uric acid. Several factors including co-occurrence of other mental disturbances with
PTSD, in addition to the limited sample size, might have affected the result. In contrast, serum
cholinesterase level was significantly reduced in the victims with the development of
PTSD, compared with the matched controls (P<0.02, t-test). This might partly reflect a long-term remnant effect of
sarin intoxication, although an effect of the psychological experience could not be totally excluded.