A Comparison of the Growth Hormone Responses to Clonidine and Apomorphine in the Same Patients with Endogenous Depression

Abstract

The growth hormone responses to clonidine (1.3 micrograms/kgm) and apomorphine (0.005 mg/kgm) have been measured in 8 drug free patients with endogenous depression. In these patients the growth hormone responses to clonidine were significantly smaller than to apomorphine. As these doses of clonidine and apomorphine have previously been reported to cause similar growth hormone responses in normal subjects, these findings support the hypothesis of a defect in the adrenergic but not the dopaminergic regulation of growth hormone in patients with endogenous depression.

Dysfunctional Attitudes and 5-HT2 Receptors During Depression and Self-Harm

“…Fifteen subjects received 0.3 mg/kg of intravenous d-fenfluramine, and 13 subjects received 1.4 µg/kg of intravenous clonidine (control group). These doses are typical for agonist challenge studies examining behavioral and neuroendocrine effects (28)(29)(30)(31). Assessment measures were done 1 hour before and 1 hour after the agonist challenge.…”

The clonidine test in patients with dementia disorders: Relation to clinical status and cerebrospinal fluid metabolite levels

“…If it is so it would, however, link this disorder even closer t o depression, a t least from a neuroendocrinological point of view (Corn et al, 1984).…”

Growth hormone response to low-dose apomorphine in restless legs syndrome

“…According to the protocol described by Corn et al [15], all patients and controls received 0.005 mg/kg of body weight subcutaneous apomorphine hydrochloride (Teclapharm GmbH, Lü neburg, Germany) after an overnight fast. All participants were studied around 8:30 AM after they had been lying supine for 30 min, and all RLS patients were free of symptoms during the testing period.…”

“…Blood samples were taken from a cannulated antecubital vein. GH and cortisol were analyzed at baseline as well as 45 and 60 min after subcutaneous apomorphine injection (see [12,15]). …”