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. 2024 Jan;68(1):69-77.
doi: 10.1007/s00484-023-02571-8. Epub 2023 Nov 14.

Circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in osteoarthritis patients: a pilot study on the effect of pelotherapy

Isabel Gálvez  1   2 , María Dolores Hinchado  3   4 , Eduardo Otero  1   5 , María Carmen Navarro  1   5 , Eduardo Ortega-Collazos  6 , Leticia Martín-Cordero  1   7 , Silvia Teresa Torres-Piles  8   9 , Eduardo Ortega  10   11
Affiliations

Circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in osteoarthritis patients: a pilot study on the effect of pelotherapy

Isabel Gálvez et al. Int J Biometeorol. 2024 Jan.

Abstract

Balneotherapy has demonstrated clinical efficacy in the management of pathologies involving low-grade inflammation and stress. In rheumatic conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), this therapy presents anti-inflammatory properties and potential to improve psychological well-being. Although the neurohormones serotonin and dopamine are known to be involved in these processes, surprisingly they have not been studied in this context. The objective was to evaluate the effect of a cycle of balneotherapy with peloids (pelotherapy) on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in a group of aged individuals with OA, after comparing their basal state to that of an age-matched control group. In our pilot study, a pelotherapy program (10 days) was carried out in a group of 16 elderly patients with OA, evaluating its effects on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations (measured by ELISA). Individuals with OA showed higher levels of serotonin and lower dopamine levels, in line with the inflammatory roles of these mediators. After pelotherapy, serotonin concentrations significantly decreased, potentially contributing to the previously reported anti-inflammatory effects of balneotherapy.

Keywords: 5-HT; Hydrotherapy; Inflammation; Mud therapy; Pelotherapy; Spa therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow of participants throughout the study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Peripheral serotonin concentrations in serum (ng/mL) in the A control group and OA group before balneotherapy (OA pre-treatment) and in the B OA group before balneotherapy (OA pre-treatment) and OA group after balneotherapy (OA post-treatment). Columns represent the mean ± SEM of independent assays performed in duplicate for each participant. *p < 0.05 with respect to A control values or B pre-treatment values. The horizontal line represents the mean serum concentration, as a reference value, determined in the age-matched control group
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Peripheral dopamine concentrations in plasma (ng/mL) in the A control group and OA group before balneotherapy (OA pre-treatment) and in the B OA group before balneotherapy (OA pre-treatment) and OA group after balneotherapy (OA post-treatment). Columns represent the mean ± SEM of independent assays performed in duplicate for each participant. *p < 0.05 with respect to control values. The horizontal line represents the mean plasmatic concentration, as a reference value, determined in the age-matched control group
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