Recurrent Depression Is Associated With a Persistent Reduction in Sleep-Related Growth Hormone Secretion

Effects of the Neuropeptide Substance P on Sleep, Mood, and Neuroendocrine Measures in Healthy Young Men

“…This result could again be due to the different application time points (during the night in our study and in the morning in the study of Coiro et al 1992b). Our result of a sleep-associated blunting of GH-secretion by SP, however, is similar to the finding of disturbed GHsecretion in depressed patients (Jarrett et al 1990;Steiger et al 1993;Voderholzer et al 1993). However, because we found a trend but not a significant effect of SP on GH-secretion, further studies in healthy subjects and in depressive patients are necessary to prove whether SP influences the growth hormone axis.…”

“…Following the hypothesis of SP as a "depressiogenic agent", our hypotheses were the following: (1) SP induces changes in sleep parameters which are similar to those found in depressed patients, i.e. disturbed sleep continuity, reduced slow wave sleep, shortening of REM-latency and increase in REM density (for overview see Berger and Riemann (1993) and Riemann et al (2001)); and (2) SP leads to an increased cortisol-and a decreased sleep-associated growth hormone (GH)-secretion, which is also found in depressed patients (Steiger et al 1993;Jarrett et al 1990;Voderholzer et al 1993).…”

Age-Dependent Suppression of Nocturnal Growth Hormone Levels during Sleep Deprivation

“…For example, in nonsuicidal forms of adult major depression, GH shows a nocturnal blunting [39] whereas in adolescence, this blunting is not seen [40].…”

Electroencephalographic Sleep Profiles Before and After Cognitive Behavior Therapy of Depression

“…The type 1 profile also is associated with blunted nocturnal growth hormone secretion, another stateindependent correlate of depression. 4,52 Decreased slow wave activity during the first non-REM period also could serve as a faulty "barrier" against intrusion of the more neurophysiologically arousing REM sleep. 2 Thus, people with type 1 sleep disturbances may have increased vulnerability to depression because of persistent information processing deficits or difficulties modulating affect in response to significant stressors.…”