Serotonergic 'vulnerability' in affective disorder: a study of the tryptophan depletion test and relationships between peripheral and central serotonin indexes in citalopram-responders.

A double-blind study of the tryptophan depletion (TD) challenge was performed on a sample consisting of 20 patients with a major depressive disorder in clinical remission after citalopram treatment. TD was induced by the intake of 43 g of an amino acid mixture containing the five large neutral amino acids. The control group received the same mixture, to which 2.

Age, alcoholism and depression are associated with low levels of urinary melatonin.

Two normal control populations, separated by 8,000 miles and 24 degrees of latitude, had similar six-month mean values for overnight urinary melatonin concentrations. These values were significantly higher than six-month values for depressed subjects and abstinent alcoholic subjects, while the means for the two clinical populations were similar. Age and urinary melatonin concentration in the control and clinical populations were inversely related, but the slopes of the linear regression equations were ten times steeper for the control populations than for the clinical populations.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis interaction with prostaglandins.

1. The major PGE2 plasma metabolite, 15-keto-13, 14-dihydro-PGE (PGEM) was measured during metyrapone, dexamethasone and ACTH tests in order to elucidate if plasma PGE was affected by short term changes of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis function in man. 2.

Electroconvulsive therapy and plasma prostaglandin E2 metabolite in major depressive disorder.

1. Animal experiments show that PGE2 affects the release of ACTH and corticosteroids. In depressed subjects, plasma concentrations of the same hormones are increased immediately following ECT.

Growth hormone and somatomedin serum levels in patients with major depressive illness undergoing electroconvulsive therapy.

Thirty-three patients with major depressive illness received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and serum growth hormone (GH) levels were measured 30, min before and 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after treatment. Six of the patients were studied 2 days before the first ECT (ECT-1) while receiving anaesthesia only. The anaesthesia given appeared to depress GH levels, which were significantly lower at 1 and 5 min after ECT than before treatment.

Hormone pattern and post-treatment attitudes in patients with major depressive disorder given electroconvulsive therapy.

As a follow-up study of a psychoendocrinological investigation of 33 patients with major depressive illness undergoing ECT, attitudes towards ECT were examined and hormones measured in remission. Two thirds of the group had a positive attitude towards ECT. Cortisol, prolactin and TSH levels differed significantly from the depressive state.

Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on neuropsychological function and circulating levels of ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, and TSH in patients with major depressive illness.

Thirteen patients with major depressive illness received unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Memory and some other neuropsychological functions were studied concomitantly with changes in clinical symptoms. ACTH in plasma and cortisol, prolactin (PRL) and TSH in serum were measured 30 min before and 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after treatment.

Prolactin and thyrotropin in serum during electroconvulsive therapy in patients with major depressive illness.

Thirty-three patients with major depressive illness received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and serum prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH) levels were measured 30 min before and 1, 5, 15, 30, and 60 min after the treatment. There was a threefold increase in PRL levels with a maximum after 15 min. The TSH plasma levels rose significantly with a maximum at 30 min after ECT.

Serum melatonin in relation to clinical variables in patients with major depressive disorder and a hypothesis of a low melatonin syndrome.

Maximum nocturnal serum melatonin level (MTmax) in relation to some clinical variables was studied in 32 patients with a major depressive episode and in 33 healthy subjects with reference to the outcome of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Significant regressions were found between MTmax levels and clinical rating scores in CPRS, interpreted as retardation symptoms. Four healthy subjects with disposition for dysthymic reactions had subnormal MTmax levels, which differed from MTmax levels in subjects without such disposition.

Plasma pattern of adrenocorticotropin and cortisol during electroconvulsive therapy in patients with major depressive illness.

Thirty-three patients with major depressive illness were treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), and cortisol levels were measured 30 min before and 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after ECT. There was an immediate release of ACTH with a maximum after 5 min. The maximum cortisol plasma levels were measured 30 min after ECT.