title: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and platelet serotonin concentrations in depressed patients.
abstract: Plasma cortisol and platelet serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) concentrations were determined in 39 male psychotic and 39 male non-psychotic depressed inpatients, and in 69 male healthy control subjects. Psychotic or non-psychotic depressed patients had higher predexamethasone plasma cortisol levels than found in the control group. After the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), psychotic and non-psychotic depressed patients were subdivided into suppressors and non-suppressors. Psychotic and non-psychotic patients had significantly different platelet 5-HT concentrations among themselves and compared with the control group. However, there was no significant correlation between plasma cortisol levels and platelet 5-HT concentrations. Dexamethasone administration did not affect platelet 5-HT concentrations within subtypes of depressed patients. Abnormal cortisol suppression after the DST occurred more frequently in psychotic than in non-psychotic patients. Platelet 5-HT and plasma cortisol concentrations were decreased in patients with pronounced suicidal behaviour. Our results suggest that plasma cortisol and platelet 5-HT concentrations might serve as independent biological markers for different subtypes of depression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Neuropharmacology, Rud'er Bosković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pivac
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jakovljević
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mück-Seler
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brzović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone