Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0011570 (depression)
 172,036 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A polymorphism in the human serotonin transporter gene promoter (5-HTTLPR) is associated with anxiety and increased risk for developing depression in the face of adversity. Here, we report that among infant rhesus macaques, an orthologous polymorphism (rh5-HTTLPR) interacts with adversity in the form of peer rearing to influence adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) response to stress and, further, that this interaction is sexually dichotomous. ACTH responses to separation are higher in l/s than in l/l males. In females, however, it is only among those with a history of adversity that the s allele is associated with increased ACTH responses to stress. Of interest, peer-reared animals, in particular females carrying the s allele, also exhibit lower cortisol responses to stress, a pattern that has been recognized in association with certain stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. By extension, our findings suggest the intriguing possibility that human females carrying the 5-HTTLPR s allele could be more vulnerable to the effects of early adversity. This interactive effect may underlie the increased incidence of certain stress-related disorders in women.
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PMID:Sexual dichotomy of an interaction between early adversity and the serotonin transporter gene promoter variant in rhesus macaques. 1530 39

While depression is common in Cushing's syndrome from whatever cause (pituitary, adrenal, or ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting tumor or hyperplasia, or exogenous administration of glucocorticoids) and hypercortisolemia is prevalent in major depression, any association between seasonal affective disorder and Cushing's syndrome is unknown. We present a case of seasonal bipolar disorder, gradually worsening for more than 9 years (1985-1994), accompanied by increasing osteoporosis, mild weight gain, and slight truncal obesity in a middle-aged woman. In January 1991, her seasonal affective disorder was successfully treated with light therapy, but in the following year, bipolar mood swings with a seasonal pattern emerged, which were refractory to light therapy and antidepressants but responsive to lithium. In August 1992, she became depressed despite a 1500-mg lithium daily dosage along with light therapy, and, in 1993, a diagnosis of Cushing's disease (Cushing's syndrome as a result of a pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting tumor) was made. The pituitary tumor was removed in February 1994, and pituitary function was fully restored by 1996. While the symptoms of Cushing's syndrome subsided, her bipolar illness continued to require maintenance treatment with low doses of lithium but did not require light therapy.
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PMID:A case of seasonal bipolar disorder exacerbated by Cushing's disease. 1572 34

Domperidone, an upper gastrointestinal function regulatory medicine, has recently been evaluated for its clinical usefulness in the treatment of stress and depression. We examined the effects of domperidone on the plasma levels of motilin-immunoreactive substance (IS), somatostatin-IS, gastrin-IS, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-IS, and cortisol under stress conditions by repetitive blood sampling. After a single oral administration of domperidone (30 mg), the plasma domperidone level was highest (58.6+/-6.4 ng/ml) in the sample taken 40 min after administration, after which the plasma level fell. Peak plasma motilin-IS levels (23.1+/-1.4 pg/ml) were achieved 40 min after administration of domperidone (p < 0.01 vs. placebo), and returned to baseline levels within a further 40 min. Plasma somatostatin-IS levels (13.0+/-1.2 pg/ml) increased 60 min after administration of domperidone (p < 0.01 vs. placebo). Plasma gastrin-IS levels did not change significantly. These results suggest that the pharmacological effects of domperidone on gastrointestinal functions are closely related to changes in motilin-IS and somatostatin-IS levels. Domperidone significantly suppressed increases in plasma ACTH-IS and cortisol levels compared with the response to a placebo. These modulatory effects might be beneficial in stress-related diseases and suggest that this medicine has clinical pharmacological activity.
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PMID:Effects of domperidone on human plasma levels of motilin, somatostatin, gastrin, adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol. 1614 53

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among lactational status, naturalistic stress, mood, and levels of serum cortisol and prolactin and plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Eighty-four exclusively breastfeeding, 99 exclusively formula-feeding, and 33 nonpostpartum healthy control women were studied. The postpartum mothers were studied cross-sectionally once between 4 and 6 weeks after the birth. Stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, the Tennessee Postpartum Stress Scale, and the Inventory of Small Life Events. Mood was measured using the Profile of Mood States. Serum prolactin, plasma ACTH, and serum cortisol levels were measured by commercial ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kits. Results indicate that breastfeeding mothers had more positive moods, reported more positive events, and perceived less stress than formula-feeders. Reports of stressful life events were generally equivalent in the two groups. Serum prolactin was inversely related to stress and mood in formula-feeders. When breast and formula-feeders were compared to controls, they had higher serum cortisol, lower stress, and lower anxiety. Breastfeeders had lower perceived stress than controls. Breastfeeders had lower depression and anger and more positive life events reported than formula-feeders. However, there were few correlations among stress, mood, and the hormones in postpartum mothers, and those only in formula-feeders, whereas strong relationships were found between serum ACTH and a number of stress and mood variables in controls. Postpartum mothers reported a range of stress and negative moods at 4 to 6 weeks, and in formula-feeders, serum prolactin was related to some of the stress and mood variables. Breastfeeding appears to be somewhat protective of negative moods and stress.
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PMID:Differences between exclusive breastfeeders, formula-feeders, and controls: a study of stress, mood, and endocrine variables. 1626 72

Electroconvulsive therapy is considered to be an effective treatment for severe depression. We have already shown that the antidepressant-like effects of tricyclic antidepressants in the rat forced swim test are blocked by repeated treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). In the present study, we investigated the effect of repeated electroconvulsive stimuli on the forced swim test and on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels in ACTH-treated rats. Electroconvulsive stimuli (50 mA, 0.2 s) was administered 30 min after ACTH treatment (100 microg/rat, s.c.) once daily for 14 days. In both saline and ACTH-treated rats, repeated electroconvulsive stimuli for 6 or 14 days decreased the immobility time in the forced swim test and increased the BDNF protein levels in the hippocampus. However, repeated imipramine administration (10 mg/kg, i.p. for 14 days) had no effect on the hippocampus BDNF protein levels in ACTH-treated rats. These results suggest that electroconvulsive stimuli has decreasing effects of immobility time in the forced swim test in the tricyclic antidepressant-resistant depressive model of rats induced by repeated ACTH treatment, and that increased BDNF may be involved in this phenomenon.
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PMID:Repeated electroconvulsive stimuli increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor in ACTH-treated rats. 1633 21

Plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol and monoamines were examined in 23 depressed patients and 31 healthy subjects. Patients showed increased plasma cortisol levels, but not plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels. The plasma levels of a dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), were significantly decreased in the patients. In contrast, the plasma levels of a serotonin (5-HT) metabolite, hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and 5-HT turnover (5-HIAA/5-HT) were increased in the depressed patients. Therefore, plasma levels of HVA and 5-HIAA are proven to be dissociable. Furthermore, plasma levels of 5-HIAA and L-DOPA have positive relationships with severity of depression. On the basis of this and the previous studies, we speculate that an increase in the plasma 5-HIAA levels might be a compensatory mechanism for stress, whereas 5-HT turnover might reflect depressive state. Taken together, plasma levels of HVA and 5-HIAA, and 5-HT turnover (5-HIAA/5-HT) could be good markers for evaluating depression.
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PMID:Plasma levels of homovanillic acid, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and cortisol, and serotonin turnover in depressed patients. 1641 68

Stress during pregnancy has been associated with a number of adverse outcomes. This study compared and correlated neuroendocrine parameters in women (n=8) who self-reported battering during their pregnancy to those in women who did not (n=8). Women who identified themselves as having a violent relationship with an intimate partner were recruited from a rural midwestern community. They were matched on age, self-reported ethnicity, parity, gestational age, and personal and family income with nonbattered controls. Midgestational measures of self-reported stress levels showed that battered women reported markedly higher levels of anxiety and depression. Neuroendocrine levels were not different between groups (battered vs. nonbattered); however, the relationships among hormones were different between groups. In nonbattered women, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels were correlated but not in battered women. Beta endorphin and ACTH levels in battered women showed a significant linear relationship but not in nonbattered women. These results suggest that the maternal experience of stress alters the relationship of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-placental axis hormones despite the lack of absolute differences in blood levels.
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PMID:Male violence, stress, and neuroendocrine parameters in pregnancy: a pilot study. 1655 50

Withdrawal from repeated amphetamine (AMPH) administration leads to behavioral sensitization following a drug or a stress challenge and is commonly used to model anhedonia in rats, a core symptom of depression in humans. It is proposed that corticosteroids are involved in the mediation of sensitization and depression. The aim of the present study was to investigate stress and AMPH- induced release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) during withdrawal from an escalating dosage schedule of AMPH known to produce depression-like effects in rats. Wistar rats were given 3 injections (i.p.) per day over 3 days, escalating from 1 mg/kg to 9 mg/kg and a final injection of 10 mg/kg AMPH or saline on day 4. On day 2 of withdrawal, the animals were tested in the Porsolt swim test. HPA axis activity in response to restraint stress was tested on withdrawal day 14 and in response to AMPH challenge on withdrawal day 30. We found no effect of AMPH withdrawal in the Porsolt swim test and on the ACTH or CORT response following restraint stress. AMPH withdrawn animals expressed behavioral sensitization in terms of locomotion and reduced ACTH and CORT plasma levels following a 1 mg/kg AMPH challenge in comparison to the controls. We conclude that there is no critical involvement of a sensitized HPA axis stress response in the long-term expression of behavioral sensitization.
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PMID:Amphetamine withdrawal leads to behavioral sensitization and reduced HPA axis response following amphetamine challenge. 1656 58

The effects of the stress of dystocia on the adrenocortical function post partum in cows (n=6) requiring a cesarean section were assessed by an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test. Nine cows that calved normally were used as controls. The plasma glucocorticoid levels, before and 60 min after an intramuscular injection of 25 IU ACTH, were 4.4+/-0.5 (mean+/-SD) and 21.5+/-2.4 ng/ml 1 d post partum, 1.9+/-0.3 and 18.4+/-2.9 ng/ml 4 d post partum and 2.7+/-1.1 and 14.6+/-3.3 ng/ml 8 d post partum, respectively. Corresponding values of glucocorticoids in cows with normal calving were 4.5+/-3.6 and 18.1+/-5.2 ng/ml 1 d post partum, 1.7+/-1.3 and 13.2+/-5.5 ng/ml 4 d post partum and 1.9+/-1.7 and 14.6+/-3.3 ng/ml 8 d post partum. There were no statistically significant differences of the values between cows with dystocia requiring a cesarean section and cows with normal calving. The results indicate that dystocia requiring a cesarean section like normal calving does not lead to significant depression of the adrenocortical function post partum.
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PMID:Postpartum adrenocortical function in dairy cows with dystocia submitted to cesarean section. 1672 67

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis controls the secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH), and cortisol. The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) is the most frequently used test to assess HPA system function in psychiatric disorders. Patients who have failed to suppress plasma cortisol secretion, i.e., who escape from the suppressive effect of dexamethasone, have a blunted glucocorticoid receptor response. After CRH became available for clinical studies, the DST was combined with CRH administration. The resulting combined dexamethasone suppression-corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation (DST-CRH) test proved to be more sensitive in detecting HPA system changes than the DST. There is a growing interest in the use of the DEX-CRH test for psychiatric research. The DEX-CRH test has been used to study different psychiatric conditions. Major depression, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior are public health problems around the world. Considerable evidence suggests that HPA dysregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior. Over the past 2 decades, there has been a shift from viewing excessive HPA activity in depression as an epiphenomenon to its having specific effects on symptom formation and cognition. The study of HPA function in depression, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior may yield new understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions, and suggest new approaches for therapeutic interventions. The combined DEX-CRH test may become a useful neuroendocrinological tool for evaluating psychiatric patients.
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PMID:Combined dexamethasone suppression-corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test in studies of depression, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior. 1708 45


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