Possible mechanisms of panic attack and schizophrenia via APUD system

Psilocybin poisoning produces biphasic reactions composed of a schizophrenic phase and a panic attack-like phase. There is a time lag of several hours between phases, which may be considered an accumulation time in certain sites between the gut and the brain. So far as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) congeners are concerned, no sites are to be found except the amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) system. It is postulated that argyrophil cells (AC) in the foregut, neuroepithelial bodies (NEB) in the lung, and raphe nuclei (RN) in the brainstem axis are relevant to mental disorders. Schizophrenia might be due to the massive destruction of APUD cells, and the paroxysmal release of 5-HT with peptides and panneuroendocrine markers from NEB might be the cause of panic attack. (C) 2002 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.