These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing hormone in depression.
    Author: Lesch KP, Laux G, Pfüller H, Erb A, Beckmann H.
    Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab; 1987 Dec; 65(6):1278-81. PubMed ID: 3119657.
    Abstract:
    To explore the GHRH-GH-somatomedin axis integrity in major depressive disorder, 11 drug-free patients and normal subjects matched for age, sex, ovarian status, and body weight received 1 microgram/kg synthetic human GHRH-44 amide as an iv bolus dose. Compared to the normal subjects, the depressed patients had reduced mean basal serum GH levels [2.2 +/- 0.5 (+/- SE) vs. 1.1 +/- 0.2 ng/mL (micrograms/L); P less than 0.05] and a significant attenuation of the net GH response to GHRH [1346 +/- 499 vs. 217 +/- 46 ng.min/mL (micrograms.min/L); P less than 0.01]. The blunted GH responses occurred in the face of significantly increased plasma somatomedin C (Sm-C) levels [1.1 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.1 U/mL; P less than 0.05]. The magnitude of GH responses to GHRH did not differ between men and women and was not significantly correlated with age, body weight, baseline serum GH levels, or plasma Sm-C levels in either individual groups or both groups combined. The increased plasma Sm-C levels in the depressed patients could have resulted from diurnal hypersecretion of GH, and the diminished GH responses to GHRH may reflect normal Sm-C-mediated feedback at the level of the pituitary. The presumed GH hypersecretion may be due to decreased hypothalamic somatostatin release and/or hyperactivity of GHRH-containing neurons. Thus, the pathological process resulting in abnormal GH secretory patterns associated with depression may occur primarily at a suprapituitary site.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]