Electrodermal activity in relation to basal and postdexamethasone levels of thyroid stimulating hormone and basal levels of thyroid hormones in major depressive patients and healthy subjects.
Electrodermal activity in 50 patients with major depression and 50 matched healthy control subjects was related to basal and postdexamethasone changes in levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), basal levels of thyroid hormones, and nocturnal levels of urinary cortisol. Levels of skin conductance and thyroxine were inversely correlated in the patients, but positively correlated in the healthy subjects. Patients with blunted postdexamethasone reduction of TSH showed high rates of nonevoked electrodermal fluctuations, low TSH levels, and elevated nocturnal urinary cortisol levels.
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping, Sweden.
L H
LH
Thorell
B F
BF
Kjellman
G
G
d'Elia
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*
D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone