Study Report
Reference
| Citation | Weizman, 1988 PubMed |
| Full Info | Weizman, A., Mark, M., Gil-Ad, I., Tyano, S. and Laron, Z. (1988) Plasma cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone, and immunoreactive beta-endorphin response to fenfluramine challenge in depressed patients. Clin Neuropharmacol, 11, 250-256.
|
Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
|
| Sample Information | eight major depressed patients and eight controls |
|---|
| Method Detail | The effect of a single dose (60 mg p.o.) of the serotonin agonistic agent fenfluramine (FNF) on plasma cortisol, prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), and immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-EP) levels was assessed in eight major depressed patients and eight controls. |
| Method Keywords | blood analysis; dose administration |
| Result | The hormones were monitored at basal level (0') and hourly during 5 h following FNF administration. The pharmacological challenge caused an elevation of 80% in PRL secretion in the healthy controls and only 42% in the depressed patients. However, the actual prolactin response (delta max) failed to discriminate depressed patients from controls. A blunted response followed by a decrease (33%) in serum cortisol levels was observed in depressed patients 5 h after drug administration while an increase of 94% was obtained in controls after 3 h. FNF provocation did not affect GH and ir-beta-EP plasma levels. |
| Conclusions | The blunted cortisol responsiveness to FNF administration in depressed patients may reflect functional hypoactivity of central serotonergic system at least during the acute phase of major depression. It is not clear why the cortisol hyporesponsivity in depressed patients is not accompanied by a similar reduced PRL response to FNF challenge. |
Relationships reported by
Weizman, 1988
| Component A Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component A Type |
Component B Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component B Type |
Statistical Result |
Relationship Description |
Result Category (Positive/Negative)) |
|
Serotonergic system (serotonergic system)
|
neurobiological system |
Hydrocortisone (cortisol) |
molecule |
|
A blunted response followed by a decrease (33%) in serum cortisol levels was observed in depressed patients 5 h after drug (serotonin agonistic agent fenfluramine) administration while an increase of 94% was obtained in controls after 3 h. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Hydrocortisone (cortisol) |
molecule |
|
A blunted response followed by a decrease (33%) in serum cortisol levels was observed in depressed patients 5 h after drug (serotonin agonistic agent fenfluramine) administration while an increase of 94% was obtained in controls after 3 h. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Serotonergic system (serotonergic system) |
neurobiological system |
decrease (33%) in serum cortisol levels was observed in depressed patients |
The blunted cortisol responsiveness to fenfluramine (FNF) administration in depressed patients may reflect functional hypoactivity of central serotonergic system at least during the acute phase of major depression. |
Positive
|
