Higher HPA axis activity in healthy participants compared to depressed patients after MR blockade: Evidence for attenuated MR function in depression

SYNOPSISIn order to investigate the relationship between the immune apparatus and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis activity in depressed patients, we measured in vitro lymphocyte responses to the mitogens Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), Pokeweed (PWM) and Concanavalin A (Con A) and 8 a.m. baseline cortisol values in plasma, free cortisol excretion in 24 h urine (UFC), basal and post-dexamethasone βendorphin values. Major depressed patients with melancholia/psychotic features exhibited a significantly lower mitogen-induced blast transformation as compared to minor and simple major depressed patients. The lymphocyte responses to the three mitogens were significantly inversely related to baseline cortisol values and postdexamethasone β-endorphin values. The proliferative capacity of lymphocytes to stimulation with PHA and PWM was significantly and positively related to UFC excretion. Up to 45% of the variance in the immune responses to the mitogens was explained by the baseline cortisol, post-dexamethasone β-endorphin and UFC values.

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Effects of lithium on the HPA axis in patients with unipolar major depression

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)72319-7 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 612-612

Author(s):

T. Bschor ◽

D. Ritter ◽

U. Lewitzka ◽

M. Bauer ◽

M. Uhr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hpa Axis ◽

Antidepressant Treatment ◽

Challenge Test ◽

Tricyclic Antidepressant ◽

List Type ◽

Depressed Patients ◽

Design And Methods ◽

Hpa Axis Activity ◽

Drug Free ◽

Lithium Augmentation

Background(I)Profound alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis regulation were repeatedly shown in depressed patients. The most sensitive challenge test of the HPA axis, the combined dexamethasone/CRH test (DEX/CRH test), shows an overstimulation of ACTH and cortisol in depressed patients. Under tricyclic antidepressant treatment, a normalization of the HPA axis overdrive was found to precede the clinical improvement.(II)Lithium is a well established drug for the treatment of affective disorders. Yet, its exact mode of action and its effects on the HPA axis are still unknown.Design and methodsThree 4-week studies with each 30 acutely depressed patients (unipolar, SCID I confirmed) were conducted. In study 1, patients refractory to a treatment trial with an antidepressant of at least four weeks were treated with lithium augmentation. In study 2 and 3, drug free patients were treated with lithium monotherapy or citalopram monotherapy respectively. Weekly HAM-D ratings were performed. In each study, the DEX/CRH test was conducted right before and four weeks after initiation of the pharmacotherapy.ResultsAll three pharmacological strategies showed good antidepressive efficacy. Both lithium monotherapy and lithium augmentation led to a (for most parameters significant) increase in the HPA axis activity. In contrast, citalopram monotherapy resulted in a decrease of the hormone response to the DEX/CRH test.

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The relationships between the availability ofL-tryptophan to the brain, the spontaneous HPA-axis activity, and the HPA-axis responses to dexamethasone in depressed patients

Amino Acids ◽

10.1007/bf00808091 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 57-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

M. Maes ◽

B. Minner ◽

E. Suy

Keyword(s):

Hpa Axis ◽

Depressed Patients ◽

Hpa Axis Activity ◽

The Brain

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Smaller Cortisol Awakening Responses Are Associated with Greater Visual Dependence in Postural Control

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9060723 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 723

Author(s):

Nina Smyth ◽

Monica Milani ◽

Lisa Thorn ◽

Maria Flynn ◽

John F. Golding ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postural Control ◽

Home Environment ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Postural Sway ◽

Static Condition ◽

Mixed Regression ◽

Hpa Axis Activity ◽

First Time ◽

Visual Dependence ◽

Healthy Participants

There are known links between the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and systems responsible for regulating posture. Our aim was to explore directly, for the first time, whether an aspect of circadian HPA axis activity (the cortisol awakening response: CAR) was associated with greater visual dependency in postural control. For measurement of the CAR, electronically monitored saliva samples were collected by participants following morning awakening in their home environment. On the afternoons of the same days, postural sway was measured in the laboratory by exposing participants to static (control) and moving visual stimuli whilst standing still and upright on a force platform. Visual dependence was assessed as the increase in postural sway (path length) during exposure to the moving compared with the static condition. The 44 measurement days were derived from four days for each of eleven healthy participants (mean ± SD age: 51.18 ± 3.3 years). As expected, postural sway was greater when exposed to moving versus static cues. Mixed regression modelling showed that participants with smaller four day average CARs had greater deterioration in postural sway when presented with moving stimuli. These data are the first to document associations between the CAR and visual dependency in postural sway.

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Sleep deprivation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in depressed patients

Journal of Psychiatric Research ◽

10.1016/s0022-3956(01)00027-9 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 239-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Cornelius Schüle ◽

Thomas Baghai ◽

Peter Zwanzger ◽

Christo Minov ◽

Frank Padberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sleep Deprivation ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal ◽

Depressed Patients ◽

Hpa Axis Activity

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Plasma soluble interleukin-2-receptor in depression: relationships to plasma neopterin and serum IL-2 concentrations and HPA-axis activity

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/0924-9338(96)80345-2 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 397-403 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

M Maes ◽

E Bosmans ◽

S Scharpé ◽

P D'Hondt ◽

R Desnyder

Keyword(s):

Hpa Axis ◽

Interleukin 2 ◽

Severity Of Illness ◽

Normal Serum ◽

Cell Mediated Immunity ◽

Interleukin 2 Receptor ◽

Depressed Patients ◽

Measurable Serum ◽

Soluble Interleukin 2 Receptor ◽

Hpa Axis Activity

SummaryThe present study examined the plasma concentration of the soluble interleukin-2-receptor (sIL-2R) in depressed subjects in relation to hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function and plasma neopterin and serum IL-2 concentrations. Plasma sIL-2R concentration was significantly higher in depressed patients (n = 47) than in controls (n = 19). There were no significant correlations between plasma sIL-2R and severity of illness. In the depressed subjects, there was a highly significant relationship between plasma sIL-2R and neopterin concentrations. Depressed patients with pathologically increased plasma neopterin levels had significantly higher plasma sIL-2R values than those with normal serum neopterin. There were no significant relationships between plasma sIL-2R and indices of HPA-axis function in depression. There was no significant effect of dexamethasone administration on sIL-2R levels. Significantly more depressed subjects had measurable serum IL-2 levels than normal controls. Our data support the notion that a moderate activation of cell-mediated immunity may play a role in the pathophysiology of depression.

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