Prolactin response to dexamethasone: a study on normal controls and depressed patients.
Pre- and post-dexamethasone prolactin and cortisol levels of 40 endogenous and non-endogenous depressive patients and of 20 controls were studied. Dexamethasone had a suppressive effect on prolactin levels, which was expressed more in normal controls and in non-endogenous depressive patients than in endogenous depression. A "prolactin suppression test" by dexamethasone was constructed and provided comparable results to the usual DST. However, it failed to be a specific marker for endogenous depression. There are close relationships between various endocrine axes, which might be altered in depression.
Rupprecht
R
R
Department of Psychiatry, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, West Germany.
Barocka
A
A
Jecht
E
E
Noder
M
M
Pichl
J
J
Schwarz
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
D003907:Dexamethasone; D011388:Prolactin; D006854:Hydrocortisone