title: Serial DST, TRH test, and TRH-like immunoreactivity measurements in major affective disorders.
abstract: Neuroendocrine functions in depressed patients with major affective disorders were serially investigated by the Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST), the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test, and the plasma TRH-like immunoreactivity (TRH-LI) measurement. Prior to antidepressant therapy, the sensitivity for nonsuppression to the DST was 36.0%, whereas that for blunted thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) response to TRH was 28.0%. Both DST nonsuppression and TSH blunting appeared to be state-related markers for depressed patients. Specifically, a significant increase of maximum TSH response to TRH after 4 weeks of antidepressant therapy was associated with clinical improvement. Plasma TRH-LI in depressed patients was significantly lower than that of healthy controls. It is possible that the lower plasma TRH-LI level is related to the pathophysiology of some depressed patients with major affective disorders.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D009661:Nortriptyline; D002997:Clomipramine; D006854:Hydrocortisone