Prediction of the DST results in depressives by means of urinary-free cortisol excretion, dexamethasone levels, and age

A relative resistance of T cells to dexamethasone in bipolar disorder

“…Apart from an activated immune system, there is also clear evidence for a disturbed activity of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, both in BD (25–27) and in MD (28–30). First, cortisol levels are increased in both disorders (28, 30, 31), which interestingly is not accompanied by obvious signs of Cushing's syndrome (32).…”

“…First, cortisol levels are increased in both disorders (28, 30, 31), which interestingly is not accompanied by obvious signs of Cushing's syndrome (32). Second, the dexamethasone (DEX) suppression test (29) and the DEX/corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) test (27, 33) are disturbed, indicating a relative steroid resistance. These findings led to the hypothesis that an impaired glucocorticoid (GC) receptor signaling may be one of the key factors in the pathogenesis of mood disorders (34).…”

A multivariate study of simultaneous escape from suppression by dexamethasone of urinary free cortisol, plasma cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone and β‐endorphin in melancholic patients

“…Comparatively fewer studies examined the baseline HPA axis activity, and those that did produced controversial results. Some (19)(20)(21)(22) but not all authors (23)(24)(25) have found a moderately elevated urinary free cortisol (UFC) excretion in melancholics. UFC excretion constitutes a useful index for the baseline adrenal cortical activation (19,(26)(27)(28).…”

“…Recently, we established that a large part of the variability in the postdexamethasone cortisol values (up to 50%) could be explained by the cumulative effects of: endogenous HPA axis functioning, DSM-I11 classification, age and the dexamethasone circu-lating levels (22,25). Several lines of evidence indicate the existence of an age-related increase in cortisol nonsuppression (35)(36)(37)(38).…”

Effect of Age on Platelet 5-HT Concentrations in Healthy Controls, Depressed and Schizophrenic Patients

“…In depressed patients agedependent variations were observed in plasma noradren aline [16] and its main metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol in urine [ 17], as well as 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid in CSF [ 17]. It was shown that increasing age is also a predisposition factor for increments in postdexamethasone cortisol values [18], A higher serum cholesterol level (suggested to be a biological marker for major depression) was shown in older depressed patients [19]. On the other hand, no significant effect of age on the platelet 3H-imipramine binding sites [20] or on the number and the affini ty of platelet 5-HT2 receptors [21] was found in depressed patients and healthy controls.…”