title: Hormonal responses to clonidine and urinary MHPG in delusional and nondelusional melancholic patients: a placebo-controlled study.
abstract: The growth hormone (GH) and cortisol responses to intravenous clonidine (0.15 mg) treatment of 25 melancholic patients, 12 with and 13 without delusions, were studied with placebo control. The baseline concentrations of the main noradrenaline metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were also estimated in urine. Cortisol plasma levels decreased significantly and equally after both placebo and clonidine. Baseline cortisol levels correlated positively with urinary MHPG. Clonidine did not increase GH levels significantly over time compared with placebo. Delusional melancholic patients tended to have smaller GH responses to clonidine than nondelusionals (F = 2.18, P = 0.06). There were no differences in GH response to clonidine between high and low MHPG excretors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lykouras
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markianos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hatzimanolis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malliaras
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003702:Delusions / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003000:Clonidine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine