The Growth Hormone Response to Baclofen in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Does the GABA-B Receptor Mediate Obsessive Anxiety?

Divalproex Sodium Attenuates Growth Hormone Response to Baclofen in Healthy Human Males

“…Our finding of an increase in GH release in healthy males after administration of 20 mg of baclofen is consistent with previous studies (Monteleone et al 1990a(Monteleone et al , 1990bO'Flynn and Dinan 1993;Lucey et al 1994;Davis et al 1996b) and further supports a role for GABA B receptors in modulating GH release in humans. One of our study subjects, however, failed to significantly increase GH response to baclofen.…”

“…One of our study subjects, however, failed to significantly increase GH response to baclofen. This was also reported in two previous studies, which showed some healthy subjects did not have an increased GH response to 20 mg dose of baclofen (Lucey et al 1994;Davis et al 1996b). It is unclear why some normal subjects have little or no GH response to baclofen (Davis et al 1996b).…”

The GABAB receptor as a target for antidepressant drug action

“…Thus, GABA levels in the cerebral cortex, plasma and CSF are lower than normal in depressed patients, as is the number of GABA neurons in layer II of the orbitofrontal cortex (Petty, 1995;Rajkowska et al, 1999;Sanacora et al, 2000;Krystal et al, 2002). A GABAB receptor involvement is suggested by the findings of some (Marchesi et al, 1991;O'Flynn and Dinan, 1993;Lucey et al, 1994), but not others (Davis et al, 1997), that the growth hormone response to baclofen is blunted in depressed individuals as compared with controls, suggesting altered GABAB receptor responsiveness in these patients. Also, an efficacy study with baclofen indicates that this GABAB receptor agonist worsens BJP S Ghose et al…”