Human corticotropin-releasing hormone in depression--correlation with thyrotropin secretion following thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
Twenty-two subjects (11 patients with major endogenous depression and 11 controls) received an intravenous test dose of 100 micrograms human corticotropin-releasing hormone (h-CRH). Corticotropin (ACTH), but not cortisol, responses were blunted in depressives. Basal cortisol secretion was higher in depressives than in controls and was negatively correlated to the corticotropin response following h-CRH. This finding indicates the integrity of the glucocorticoid-dependent negative feedback regulation in depression and supports the view that hypercortisolism in depression is primarily due to a suprapituitary disturbance. Comparison of ACTH responses after h-CRH with thyrotropin (TSH) output following thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) revealed a positive correlation (r = 0.65, p less than 0.001). The concordance between ACTH and TSH responses after specific challenges suggests that regulation of both systems is at least in part under a common control.
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone