This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by WHALE, R.
Right arrow Articles by COWEN, PHILIP. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by WHALE, R.
Right arrow Articles by COWEN, PHILIP. J.
The British Journal of Psychiatry (2001) 178: 454-457
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Decreased sensitivity of 5-HT1D receptors in melancholic depression

RICHARD WHALE, MRCPsych, ELIZABETH M. CLIFFORD, MRCPsych, ZUBIN BHAGWAGAR, MRCPsych and PHILIP. J. COWEN, FRCPsych

University Department of Psychiatry, Oxford

Correspondence: Professor P.J. Cowen, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OC37JX

Declaration of interest None.

Background Brain serotonin (5-HT) function is abnormal in major depression, but the involvement of different 5-HT receptor subtypes has been little studied. The availability of selective ligands now makes it possible to test the sensitivity of 5-HT1D receptors in patients with depression.

Aims The aim of the study was to use the 5-HT1D receptor agonist, zolmitriptan, to test the sensitivity of 5-HT1D receptors in patients with depression before and after treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Method We measured the growth hormone response to zolmitriptan (5 mg orally) in patients with major depression before and after SSRI treatment. A matched sample of healthy subjects acted as a control group.

Results The growth hormone response to zolmitriptan was blunted in patients with a melancholic depressive syndrome. SSRI treatment produced a marked reduction in zolmitriptan-induced growth hormone release.

Conclusions Patients with melancholic depression have impaired sensitivity of the post-synaptic 5-HT1D receptors that mediate growth hormone release. The reduction in 5-HT1D receptor sensitivity following SSRI treatment is probably an adaptive response to increased levels of synaptic 5-HT.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch Pediatr Adolesc MedHome page
N. Weintrob, D. Cohen, Y. Klipper-Aurbach, Z. Zadik, and Z. Dickerman
Decreased Growth During Therapy With Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, July 1, 2002; 156(7): 696 - 701.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]