title: Biochemical correlate of depression in children.
abstract: The degree of depression in 88 abandoned children was analysed through a depression rating scale adapted to prepubertal children. The items were grouped into three dimensions: sociological-relational, psychological and biological. In 46 children from this sample it was dosed plasmatic cortisol and the urinary excretion of catecholamine, VMA, HVA and 5-HIAA. When analysing the principal components, the sociological and psychological dimensions were the most important ones in the sample, followed by age and catecholamine variables. The group of male depressed children presented a higher level of catecholamine urinary excretion and a lower peak of plasmatic cortisol than the non-depressed group. The variable age, in both sexes, was correlated with the biochemical variable catecholamine. Biochemical alterations are present in depressed children but it is difficult to show a correlation of dependence between them and the phenomenological aspects of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of ICB, Medicine School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Peixoto
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Z L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Basques
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lippi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002670:Child, Abandoned / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D006719:Homovanillic Acid