title: Corticotropin-releasing hormone induces depression-like changes of sleep electroencephalogram in healthy women.
abstract: We reported previously that repetitive intravenous injections of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) around sleep onset prompt depression-like changes in certain sleep and endocrine activity parameters (e.g. decrease of slow-wave sleep during the second half of the night, blunted growth hormone peak, elevated cortisol concentration during the first half of the night). Furthermore a sexual dimorphism of the sleep-endocrine effects of the hormones growth hormone-releasing hormone and ghrelin was observed. In the present placebo-controlled study we investigated the effect of pulsatile administration of 4×50μg CRH on sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) and nocturnal cortisol and GH concentration in young healthy women. After CRH compared to placebo, intermittent wakefulness increased during the total night and the sleep efficiency index decreased. During the first third of the night, REM sleep and stage 2 sleep increased and sleep stage 3 decreased. Cortisol concentration was elevated throughout the night and during the first and second third of the night. GH secretion remained unchanged. Our data suggest that after CRH some sleep and endocrine activity parameters show also depression-like changes in healthy women. These changes are more distinct in women than in men.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schüssler
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kluge
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gamringer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wetter
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yassouridis
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uhr
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: steiger@psych.mpg.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steiger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: CRH; Cortisol; GH; Sleep; Sleep EEG