CSF thyrotropin-releasing hormone gender difference: implications for neurobiology and treatment of depression.
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.
Frye
M A
MA
Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Gary
K A
KA
Marangell
L B
LB
George
M S
MS
Callahan
A M
AM
Little
J T
JT
Huggins
T
T
Corá-Locatelli
G
G
Osuch
E A
EA
Winokur
A
A
Post
R M
RM
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*
D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone