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Biomedical subjects

U Halbreich

Publications and source records attributed to U Halbreich.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Cortisol secretion in endogenous depression. II. Time-related functions.

Plasma levels of cortisol were sampled for 24 hours in 32 endogenously depressed (ED) patients and 72 controls to examine mean 24-hour plasma levels of cortisol, intervention in the feedback mechanism of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (the dexamethasone suppression test), the circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion and its magnitude, and the ultradian rhythm of cortisol secretion. The main difference in the pattern of cortisol secretion in ED patients, as compared with controls, was in the ultradian rhythm. No acrophase or nadir advance of cortisol secretion in endogenous depression was found when age was controlled, but there was an earlier timing of first secretory episode of cortisol (during night). Only some ED patients have abnormalities in each of the functions studied, and they only partially overlap each other. The results suggest that abnormal cortisol secretion in depression should not be viewed as a monolithic malfunction characteristic of endogenous depression.

Circadian Rhythm↗
PubMed1985

The cortisol response to desipramine in endogenous depressives and normal controls: preliminary findings.

Plasma cortisol levels were monitored for 2 hours after an intramuscular injection of 75 mg desipramine in 13 endogenous depressives and 20 normal controls. Endogenous depressives had a significantly reduced cortisol response in comparison to normal controls, not explained by sex, age, or baseline cortisol differences between groups. A lack of a cortisol rise of 1.5 micrograms/dl above baseline by 45 minutes discriminated best, with 7 of 13 depressives (55%) being identified in contrast to only 1 of 20 normals (5%). The results suggest that this may be a useful biological test with acceptable sensitivity (55%) and excellent specificity (95%). Furthermore, these data suggest that norepinephrine may be stimulatory to cortisol in man.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Different pattern of association of beta-endorphin and cortisol responses to dextroamphetamine in postmenopausal women and young men.

A negative correlation between plasma beta-endorphin and cortisol responses to 0.15 mg/kg dextroamphetamine i.v. was found in a group of seven normal postmenopausal women, while the responses of the two hormones were positively correlated in nine normal young men. These results suggest that even though the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-cortisol and beta-endorphin are usually regulated by the same mechanism (both ACTH and beta-endorphin are derived from proopiocortin), there are situations in which these systems can be associated in a different pattern. The elucidation of these situations may contribute to the understanding of regulatory mechanisms of the two systems.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Methodological issues in studies of premenstrual changes.

The main methodological issues that should be considered in studies of premenstrual changes are discussed. They include: the selection of well-defined groups of subjects who reflect the diversity of subtypes of premenstrual changes (PMC); the confirmation of retrospective reports through daily monitoring of changes by ratings, or by objective procedures when possible; the need to consider the diversity of premenstrual biological changes instead of comparing average levels, since there is a likelihood that different pathophysiological changes are connected with diverse behavioral and mood changes; application of a multivariate, time-related approach to explore the pathophysiology of PMC; the need to exclude placebo responders prior to the active drug phase in treatment trials and the need for such trials to be double-blind, placebo-controlled and, if possible, of a cross-over design. Attention to such issues should lead to increased consistency of findings across studies and eventually to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of PMC and to a rational, effective treatment.

20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone↗
PubMed1985

Relationship of dysphoric premenstrual changes to depressive disorders.

An association between premenstrual dysphoric changes and depressive disorders is demonstrated in 170 women. Each woman underwent an evaluation for current and life-time diagnosis using the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC). Premenstrual dysphoric changes were evaluated with the Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF). Criteria for PAF Full Depressive Syndrome were met by 57% of women with a life-time diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder. Only 14% of the Never Mentally Ill women met these PAF criteria. Eighty-four percent of those who had PAF Full Depressive Syndrome also had RDC Major Depressive Disorder while only 9% were Never Mentally Ill.

Depression↗
PubMed1985

The clinical diagnosis and classification of premenstrual changes.

Recent interest in premenstrual changes and increasing referrals for treatment when such is warranted, bring to focus the need for accurate definition of the problem and a reliable procedure for clinical and research assessments of premenstrual phenomena. A definition is suggested and the steps taken to establish the diagnosis of the various premenstrual subtypes are described. The suggested classification may contribute to differential treatment modalities for each subtype.

Depression↗
PubMed1984

Modification of beta-adrenergic receptor binding in rat brain following thyroxine administration.

The effect of repeated administration of thyroxine on beta-adrenergic receptor binding was studied in several brain regions in the rat using [3H]dihydroalprenolol as a ligand. Thyroxine treatment resulted in an increased density of beta-adrenergic receptors in the cerebral cortex while a decreased binding was found in subcortical tissue representing the thalamus, striatum and parts of the limbic system. There was no change in binding in the cerebellum or in the brainstem. The results indicate that thyroxine may regulate beta-adrenergic receptors in certain brain areas.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Sex differences in biological factors putatively related to depression.

Gender differences in the prevalence of affective disorders were suggested by several authorities in the field. Such differences may be attributed to sex-related differences in levels or activity of monoamine transmitters, especially since some of these variables have been shown to be altered by gonadal hormones. The reported association of perimenstrual and postpartum dysphoria, with affective disorders may contribute to further elucidation of pathophysiology of depression in women--in light of the hormonal-behavioral dynamics of these periods. Several factors associated with monoamines biosynthesis, availability, uptake and metabolism were found to be more abnormal in normal and depressed women compared to men. Age-sex differences in some biological markers for depression are reported as well. Their relevance to the underlying pathophysiology of depression is unclear but they may provide clues for further research.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1984

Effect of age and sex on cortisol secretion in depressives and normals.

The mean 24-hour plasma level of cortisol with plasma sampling every 20-30 minutes was determined in 32 normal women aged 12-73, 40 normal men aged 10-55, 21 depressed women aged 20-61, and 11 depressed men aged 22-66. The mean levels of cortisol were higher in the group of depressives compared with the controls. Cortisol levels showed a significant linear correlation with age in normal women but not in normal men. Both depressed women and men had a significant linear increase of cortisol levels with age. The finding that age substantially contributes to increased levels of cortisol calls for cautious interpretation of any data concerning that hormone when the variable of age is not adequately controlled. Furthermore, aging and depression may have some underlying mechanisms whose elucidation may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of vulnerability to affective disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Premenstrual depressive changes. Value of differentiation.

Premenstrual depressive changes and differential correlates of specific subtypes of premenstrual dysphoria vary. Our data support two basic assumptions: (1) Premenstrual changes should be studied as diversified subtypes rather than as a single premenstrual tension syndrome; such an approach might lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of specific types of premenstrual changes. (2) Some specific subtypes of premenstrual changes of a depressive nature resemble some subtypes of affective disorder and, hence, may serve as a model for the study of these disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

A preliminary study of sex-related differences in prolactin responses to dopamine blockade and insulin hypoglycemia and in penfluridol plasma levels in schizophrenic patients.

Twelve healthy chronic schizophrenic patients were treated with the long-acting oral dopamine (DA) receptor blocker penfluridol (100 mg orally) for 6 weeks. Plasma prolactin (PRL) levels were measured during insulin-tolerance tests (ITT) performed at the end of the drug-free period (7-10 days) and during weeks 1 and 6 of penfluridol treatment. Simultaneous PRL and penfluridol plasma levels were determined just prior to, and at 8, 72 and 120 h after penfluridol administration during weeks 1, 5, and 6. During penfluridol treatment women (N = 4) had a greater increase in their maximal PRL increments after ITT as compared to the men (N = 8). Analyses of (peak) plasma penfluridol and PRL concentrations 8 h after penfluridol administration revealed a trend towards lower plasma penfluridol levels during weeks 5 and 6 and significantly higher PRL levels in women compared to men during weeks 1 (P less than 0.01), 5 (P less than 0.02), and 6 (P less than 0.02). The consistent sex-related differences in the PRL responses to DA blockade, and to insulin-induced hypoglycemia and in the penfluridol plasma levels in our study support the view that sex-related changes need to be considered not only in the hormonal responses to various pharmacological agents, but also in the assessment of the plasma levels of these drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Plasma cortisol secretion and REM period latency in adult endogenous depression.

The authors studied the relationship of plasma cortisol secretion and REM period latency in 25 patients with endogenous depression. The 8 patients (32%) with cortisol hypersecretion had a significantly shortened REM period latency in comparison with the 17 with normal cortisol secretion. Furthermore, an extremely short REM latency (20 minutes or less) occurred almost exclusively in those with cortisol hypersecretion. The authors discuss possible neurotransmitter disturbances responsible for these abnormalities and the clinical implications of these findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Growth hormone response to dextroamphetamine in depressed patients and normal subjects.

The human growth hormone (HGH) response to dextroamphetamine sulfate (doses, 0.1 and 0.15 mg/kg) was determined in both the morning and evening in patients with endogenous and atypical depression and in normal young men and normal postmenopausal women. Although the HGH response was found to be reduced in endogenously depressed postmenopausal women, it was equally reduced in normal postmenopausal women and in patients with atypical depression. Depressed and normal men had larger HGH responses, but there were no differences between depressed and normal men. These results do not confirm an earlier report that the reduced HGH response to dextroamphetamine is specific to endogenous depression. The results do suggest the importance to control for other variables in studies of HGH responses in psychiatric patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Diurnal hormonal responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in normal men.

Bolus injections of synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) were administered to five young normal men in the morning (0900 hr) and the evening (1800 hr) on different days. Frequent blood samples for prolactin (PRL) and TSH analyses were collected before and after TRH infusion. Although there were no differences between the morning and the evening basal PRL levels, a significantly greater PRL response to TRH in the evening was observed (delta PRL, a.m. vs p.m., p less than 0.025). Since TRH stimulates PRL through a direct effect on the pituitary, our data suggest that there is a diurnal variation in the pituitary lactotroph responsiveness to TRH. On the other hand, a.m. and p.m. basal and TRH-stimulated TSH responses were virtually identical.

Adult↗