Abnormal anterior pituitary responsiveness to hypothalamic hormones in primary affective disorders. Effect of desipramine therapy.
Abnormal anterior pituitary responsiveness to acute administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone was investigated in 8 patients, 6 women and 2 men, with primary affective disorders in a depressive phase and in 2 women with schizoaffective disorders. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone, 500 micrograms i.v., induced a rise of plasma growth hormone levels in 1 patient suffering from primary affective disorders and in the 2 schizoaffective subjects, a rise of follicle-stimulating hormone in 1 schizoaffective patient, of luteinizing hormone in the 2 schizoaffective patients, an excessive prolactin rise in 5 patients with primary affective disorders and in 1 schizoaffective subject and a flat response of thyroid-stimulating hormone in 4 patients with primary affective disorders and in 2 schizoaffective patients. Desipramine was given at a dose of 50-100 mg/day for 3-5 weeks. The thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test was repeated when the patients were improving or after 5 weeks of treatment without improvement. The hormonal impairments tended to disappear in those patients showing symptomatic improvement and were still present in those who did not improve.
D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003891:Desipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000097:blood*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003891:Desipramine