title: Preservation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis fast-feedback responses in depression.
abstract: Depression is associated with overactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may be attributable to defective negative feedback. Fast feedback is the earliest phase of this, and has previously been suggested to be abnormal. A total of 30 physically healthy volunteers, 15 patients with DSM-III-R major depression and an age- and sex-matched control group received a standardized challenge of hydrocortisone (5 micrograms kg-1 min-1) or placebo over a period of 1 h. ACTH1-39 responses to hydrocortisone challenge did not differ significantly between healthy volunteers and patients with major depression. The fast-feedback response to hydrocortisone challenge is preserved in major depression when ACTH is measured directly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Medical College of St Bartholomew's London, UK.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Dinan
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone