Growth hormone response to growth hormone releasing hormone in non-delusional and delusional depression and healthy controls.
Growth hormone (GH) responses to growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) of 53 in-patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive episode with melancholia (24 non-delusional and 23 delusional depression) were compared with those of 19 healthy controls. No significant differences in basal GH were found between the control and either the non-delusional or the delusional groups. The whole group of depressed patients showed a significantly lower response than the control patients at all points of the GH response to GHRH curve as well as a lower area under curve. When the three groups (control, delusional, and non-delusional depressed) were compared, it was found that only the non-delusional depressed patients had a significantly lower area under curve and lower values at +60, +90 and +120 min than the controls. The only significant difference between the two groups of depressed patients was that the delusional group showed a delayed appearance of the maximum response peak and a more prolonged response.
Contreras
F
F
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Bellvitge, School of Medicine, Barcelona, Spain.
Navarro
M A
MA
Menchon
J M
JM
Rosel
P
P
Serrallonga
J
J
Perez-Arnau
F
F
Urretavizcaya
M
M
Vallejo
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003702:Delusions / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values
D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone