title: Triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and TSH response to dexamethasone in depressed patients and normal controls.
abstract: In view of recent investigations concerning alterations of thyroid function in depression, the pre- and postdexamethasone levels of T3, T4, and TSH of 14 patients during depression and after recovery were studied, in addition to those of 27 healthy controls. A reduction of T3 and TSH levels was shown to be dependent on the depressive state, with a tendency to lower T4 levels after recovery. Dexamethasone had a pronounced suppressive effect on TSH levels in healthy controls and in patients after recovery, but not during the depressive episode. These results point to an inadequate suppressibility of the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis to dexamethasone during depression. There are close interrelations between the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and the HPT axes that are possibly affected during depressive illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Würzburg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noder
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahlstedt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine; D006854:Hydrocortisone