The British Journal of Psychiatry 137: 229-232 (1980)
© 1980 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Growth hormone after TRH in women with depressive illness
P Linkowski, H Brauman and J Mendlewicz
Plasma growth hormone (GH) release after TRH injection was investigated in
27 unipolar and 23 bipolar depressive women, and in 39 normal female
controls matched for age, sex and menopausal status. Peaks of GH secretion
after TRH were observed in some depressive patients as well as in some
normal controls, but there were no significant differences in GH response
after TRH administration between patients and controls. The implications of
these findings are discussed in reference to such factors as non-specific
stress responses and abnormal neuroendocrine circadian rhythms in
affectively ill patients.