Anger attacks in unipolar depression, Part 2: Neuroendocrine correlates and changes following fluoxetine treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Neuroendocrine derangements have been reported in both depression and aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the subset of depressed patients with anger attacks have a distinctive neuroendocrine abnormality.


METHODS
The thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) test was administered to 25 patients with major depression, 12 of whom reported having anger attacks, at the Depression Research Program of the Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Twenty-two subjects underwent the TRH test again after 8 weeks of treatment with fluoxetine, a relatively selective serotonin uptake inhibitor.


RESULTS
The depressed patients with anger attacks had a blunted prolactin response to TRH stimulation compared to the depressed patients without anger attacks. Treatment with fluoxetine was followed by an overall increase in the prolactin response to TRH among the depressed patients with anger attacks. The prolactin response to TRH also tended to predict the degree of response to treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the subset of depressed patients with anger attacks may have a greater central serotonergic dysregulation than depressed patients without such attacks.
Rosenbaum
J F
JF
Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Fava
M
M
Pava
J A
JA
McCarthy
M K
MK
Steingard
R J
RJ
Bouffides
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000786:Anger / Q000187:drug effects; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
D005473:Fluoxetine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D013972:Thyrotropin