title: Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing factor in depression.
abstract: A blunted growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine and other pharmacologic stimuli has been reported in patients with depression. This blunted growth hormone response to clonidine has led to the speculation that there is a central alpha-2 adrenergic receptor subsensitivity in depression. This hypothesis is based on the assumption that the pituitary somatotroph response to growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF) is not altered in depression. In the present preliminary study, the somatotroph response to GHRF in depressed patients and normal controls has been evaluated in four depressed patients and four age- and sex-matched controls. The GH response to GRF is highly variable both in normal individuals and in the depressed patients studied. Larger numbers of patients and controls must be studied before any definitive conclusions can be drawn about GH responses to GRF in depressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Durham, NC 27710.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Manepalli
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rayasam
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Melville
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Thorner
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rivier
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone