title: Apparent phase advance in diurnal MHPG rhythm in depression.
abstract: Several investigators have proposed that diurnal rhythms, particularly that of the norepinephrine metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), show abnormalities in affective disorders. The present study compared diurnal MHPG rhythms in the plasma of 18 male depressed patients and 12 healthy male volunteers. A diurnal rhythm of MHPG closely fit to a cosine model was observed in volunteers and, to a lesser extent, in depressed patients. Patients, especially those with endogenous depression (N = 11), demonstrated an earlier acrophase (mean +/- SD = 12.53 +/- 3.38 hours), and treatment with desipramine was associated with a significant (3-hour) phase delay. This study confirms and extends previous reports of apparent phase advances in circadian noradrenergic rhythms in depressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Brentwood VA Hospital, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gwirtsman
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Halaris
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: DeMet
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piletz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D006018:Glycols / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance
chemical_list: D006018:Glycols; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D009638:Norepinephrine