Serotonergic functioning in depressed abused children: clinical and familial correlates.
BACKGROUND
The goal of this study was to examine serotonergic functioning and concomitant clinical and familial correlates in depressed abused children.


METHODS
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP) (0.8 mg/kg) was administered intravenously to 10 depressed abused (MDD-AB), 10 depressed nonabused (MDD-NA), and 10 normal control nonabused (NC-NA) children. The children in the two nonabused cohorts represent a small matched subset of children from a larger interlocking study of the psychobiology of depression. Blood samples for prolactin and cortisol were collected from 30 min before to 2.5 hours after L-5-HTP infusion.


RESULTS
The MDD-AB children secreted significantly more prolactin post-L-5-HTP than the children in the other two groups. There were no differences in baseline prolactin or any of the cortisol measures. Total prolactin post-L-5-HTP was significantly correlated with clinical ratings of aggressive behavior (rho = .48). In addition, children with a family history positive for suicide attempt (MDD-AB: n = 7; MDD-NA: n = 5; NC-NA: n = 2) secreted significantly more prolactin post-L-5-HTP than children with no family history of suicide.


CONCLUSIONS
Dysregulation in the serotonergic system in abused children appears to be related to both familial and experiential factors.
Kaufman
J
J
Yale University, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
Birmaher
B
B
Perel
J
J
Dahl
R E
RE
Stull
S
S
Brent
D
D
Trubnick
L
L
al-Shabbout
M
M
Ryan
N D
ND
D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
D012701:Serotonin; D011388:Prolactin; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D006854:Hydrocortisone