title: Endocrine disturbances in depression.
abstract: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. For a long time, clinicians suspected a causal link between depression and the endocrine system. The most frequently occurring endocrine abnormality in depressed subjects is hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. CRH and AVP are likely to play a substantial role in the pathophysiology of this disorder, and their receptors appear to be a specific target for future antidepressant drugs. Depression also affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-GH (HPGH) and -thyroid (HPT) axes. Alterations in the reproductive system may also play a role in the pathology of depression. In addition, there is increasing evidence that leptin and neurosteroids, such as DHEA, are implicated in mood disorders.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany. tichomirowa@mpipsykl.mpg.de
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tichomirowa
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Keck
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paez-Pereda
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Holsboer
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Stalla
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones