title: Influence of sleep deprivation on neuroactive steroids in major depression.
abstract: There is evidence from preclinical and clinical studies that concentrations of neuroactive steroids are altered in depression and normalize after antidepressant pharmacotherapy. However, no data are available concerning the impact of sleep deprivation on the concentrations of neuroactive steroids. A total of 29 drug-free patients (12 men, 17 women) suffering from major depression according to DSM-IV criteria were treated with partial sleep deprivation (PSD). Response to PSD was defined as a reduction of at least 30% according to the six-item version of the Hamilton depression scale (6-HAMD). Plasma samples were taken the day before and after PSD (days 0 and 1) and after one night of recovery sleep (day 2) at 8:00 am. The samples were quantified for neuroactive steroids by means of a highly sensitive and specific combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. There was no influence of PSD on the concentrations of neuroactive steroids either in PSD responders (n=20) or in nonresponders (n=9). However, nonresponders showed significantly higher concentrations of 3alpha,5alpha-tetrahydroprogesterone (3alpha,5alpha-THP), 3alpha,5beta-tetrahydroprogesterone (3alpha,5beta-THP), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) before or after PSD compared to responders. In contrast to antidepressant drugs, which correct the dysequilibrium of neuroactive steroids in major depression within several weeks, PSD does not affect the concentrations of neuroactive steroids either in responders or in nonresponders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schüle
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: di Michele
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baghai
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zwanzger
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Padberg
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasini
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000097:blood*; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone