title: CSF thyrotropin-releasing hormone gender difference: implications for neurobiology and treatment of depression.
abstract: In light of the postulated role of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) as an endogenous anti-depressant, 56 refractory mood-disordered patients and 34 healthy adult control subjects underwent lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TRH analysis. By two-way analysis of variance, there was no difference between CSF TRH in patients (as a group or by diagnostic subtype) and control subjects (n = 90, F = 0.91, df = 2.84, P = 0.41). There was, however, a CSF TRH gender difference (females, 2.95 pg/ml; males, 3.98 pg/ml; n = 90, F = 4.11, df = 1.84, P < 0.05). A post hoc t-test revealed the greatest gender difference in the bipolar group (t = 2.52, P < 0.02). There was no significant difference in CSF TRH in "ill" vs. "well" state (n = 20, P = 0.41). The role of elevated levels of CSF TRH in affectively ill men--or the role of decreased levels of CSF TRH in affectively ill women--remains to be investigated but could be of pathophysiological relevance.
authors.affiliation: Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Frye
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gary
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Marangell
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Callahan
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huggins
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corá-Locatelli
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Osuch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winokur
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone