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Hu P, Oomen C, van Dam AM, Wester J, Zhou JN, Joëls M, Lucassen PJ. A single-day treatment with mifepristone is sufficient to normalize chronic glucocorticoid induced suppression of hippocampal cell proliferation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46224. [PMID: 23049985 PMCID: PMC3458013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic stress or prolonged administration of glucocorticoids suppresses proliferation and/or survival of newborn cells in adult rat dentate gyrus. Earlier we showed that administration of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone during the final 4 days of a 21 days period of corticosterone treatment fully normalized the number of newborn cells. Here we aimed to better understand how mifepristone achieves this effect and questioned whether an even shorter (single day) mifepristone treatment (instead of 4 days) also suffices to normalize neurogenesis. Methods We investigated various steps of the neurogenic process, using the immunohistochemical markers BrdU, doublecortin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen as well as glial fibrillary acidic protein, after 17 or 21 days of corticosterone (versus vehicle) treatment. Results Corticosterone primarily attenuates the proliferation of cells which subsequently develop into neurons; this is fully reversed by mifepristone. Surprisingly, the corticosteroid effects on neurogenesis can even be fully re-set by a single-day treatment with mifepristone (on day 18), despite the continued corticosterone exposure on subsequent days. Conclusions Our results emphasize that studies into the therapeutical efficacy of new antidepressants, especially those targeting HPA-activity or the glucocorticoid receptor, should explore the possibility to reduce treatment duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Hu
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Charlotte Oomen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Marie van Dam
- VU University Medical Center, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jordi Wester
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jiang-Ning Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Marian Joëls
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J. Lucassen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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102
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Antidepressant-like effects of shuyusan in rats exposed to chronic stress: effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2012; 2012:940846. [PMID: 23008744 PMCID: PMC3449151 DOI: 10.1155/2012/940846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study was to investigate antidepressant activities of Shuyusan (a Chinese herb), using a rats model of depression induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). The administration groups were treated with Shuyusan decoction for 3 weeks and compared with fluoxetine treatment. In order to understand the potential antidepressant-like activities of Shuyusan, tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were used as behavioral despair study. The level of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone (CORT) and hippocampus glucocorticoid receptor expression were examined. After modeling, there was a significant prolongation of immobility time in administration groups with the TST and FST. High-dose Shuyusan could reduce the immobility time measured with the TST and FST. The immobility time in high-dose herbs group and fluoxetine group was increased significantly compared with the model group. After 3 weeks herbs fed, the serum contents level of CRH, ACTH, and CORT in high-dose herb group was significantly decreased compared to the model group. The result indicated that Shuyusan had antidepressant activity effects on UCMS model rats. The potential antidepressant effect may be related to decreasing glucocorticoid levels activity, regulating the function of HPA axis, and inhibiting glucocorticoid receptor expression in hippocampus.
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103
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Zhang H, Liu B, Wu J, Xu C, Tao J, Duan X, Cao Y, Dong J. Icariin inhibits corticosterone-induced apoptosis in hypothalamic neurons via the PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep 2012; 6:967-72. [PMID: 22923091 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2012.1041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2012] [Accepted: 08/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive corticosterone (CORT) is acknowledged to induce neuronal damage in a number of regions of the brain, particularly the hippocampus, the main area implicated in depression. However, little research has been conducted on alterations to hypothalamic neurons in depression and the cellular and molecular basis for these changes. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether CORT causes apoptosis in primary cultured hypothalamic neurons, and to investigate the protective effects of icariin, an active natural ingredient from the Chinese plant, Epimedium sagittatum Maxim. Our study demonstrates that exposure of hypothalamic neurons to CORT causes a significant loss in viability, a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, an increase in caspase-3 activity, an elevation in intracellular reactive oxygen species elevation and decreased superoxide dismutase activity. However, pretreatment of cells with icariin prior to CORT exposure was identified to noticeably suppress these CORT-induced events. Furthermore, icariin may prevent CORT-induced cell death via activation of the PI3-K/Akt pathway. In conclusion, icariin is able to prevent CORT-induced hypothalamic cell apoptosis via activation of the PI3-K/Akt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Zhang
- Laboratory of Lung, Inflammation and Cancers, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
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104
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Lok A, Mocking RJT, Ruhé HG, Visser I, Koeter MWJ, Assies J, Bockting CLH, Olff M, Schene AH. Longitudinal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis trait and state effects in recurrent depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:892-902. [PMID: 22094110 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2011] [Revised: 09/28/2011] [Accepted: 10/15/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis hyperactivity has been observed in (recurrent) major depressive disorder (MDD), although inconsistently and mainly cross-sectional. Longitudinal studies clarifying state-trait issues are lacking. We aimed to determine whether HPA-axis (hyper)activity in recurrent MDD is: (I) reflecting a persistent trait; (II) influenced by depressive state; (III) associated with stress or previous episodes; (IV) associated with recurrence; and (V) influenced by cognitive therapy. METHODS We included 187 remitted highly recurrent MDD-patients (mean number of previous episodes: 6.3), participating in a randomized-controlled-trial investigating the preventive effect of additional cognitive therapy on recurrence. In an add-on two-staged patient-control and prospective-cohort design, we first cross-sectionally compared patients' salivary morning and evening cortisol concentrations with 72 age- and sex-matched controls, and subsequently longitudinally followed-up the patients with repeated measures after three months and two years. RESULTS Patients had higher cortisol concentrations than controls (p<.001), which did not change by MDD-episodes during follow-up. HPA-axis activity had no relation with daily hassles or childhood life events. Cortisol concentrations were lower in patients with more previous episodes (p=.047), but not associated with recurrence(s) during follow-up. Finally, randomly assigned cognitive therapy at study-entry enhanced cortisol declines over the day throughout the two-year follow-up (p=.052). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that remitted recurrent MDD-patients have a persistent trait of increased cortisol concentrations, irrespective of stress. In combination with our finding that patients' cortisol concentrations do not change during new MDD-episodes (and thus not represent epiphenomenal or state-effects), our results support that hypercortisolemia fulfills the state-independence criterion for an endophenotype for recurrent depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Lok
- Program for Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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105
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Central glucocorticoid receptor-mediated effects of the antidepressant, citalopram, in humans: a study using EEG and cognitive testing. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:618-28. [PMID: 21958534 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Revised: 08/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Our previous work in cellular and animal models has shown that antidepressants activate glucocorticoid receptor (GR) translocation, induce GR down-regulation, and decrease GR-mediated effects in the presence of GR agonists. However, whether these effects can be extrapolated to the human brain is still unclear. In this study, the effects of four days of treatment with the antidepressant, citalopram (20 mg/day), or placebo, were assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Central GR-mediated effects were examined by the effects of a single dose of cortisol (30 mg, orally) on two measures known to be sensitive to glucocorticoid administration: EEG alpha power and working memory function. Twenty healthy male subjects aged between 18 and 33 years participated to the study. The results suggest that GR activation by antidepressants, and the subsequent decrease in GR-mediated effects in the presence of GR agonists, indeed occurs in the human brain. Specifically, pre-treatment with citalopram decreased the well-known ability of cortisol to increase EEG alpha power and to impair working memory: cortisol-induced increase in EEG alpha power was (anteriorly) +15 to +20% (p=0.01) after placebo and +5 to +8% (p>0.5) after citalopram; and cortisol-induced increase in working memory errors was (at level 12, on average) 2.50 vs. 4.55 (p<0.05) after placebo and 4.10 vs. 3.35 (p>0.05) after citalopram. No effects were detected on alerting. These results are consistent with the notion that citalopram treatment activates GR translocation and inhibits the functional consequences of the subsequent cortisol administration. Our study further emphasizes the importance of the GR as a target for antidepressant action in humans.
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106
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Donner NC, Montoya CD, Lukkes JL, Lowry CA. Chronic non-invasive corticosterone administration abolishes the diurnal pattern of tph2 expression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:645-61. [PMID: 21924839 PMCID: PMC3249349 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2011] [Revised: 07/20/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Both hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and serotonergic systems are commonly dysregulated in stress-related psychiatric disorders. We describe here a non-invasive rat model for hypercortisolism, as observed in major depression, and its effects on physiology, behavior, and the expression of tph2, the gene encoding tryptophan hydroxylase 2, the rate-limiting enzyme for brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) synthesis. We delivered corticosterone (40 μg/ml, 100 μg/ml or 400 μg/ml) or vehicle to adrenal-intact adult, male rats via the drinking water for 3 weeks. On days 15, 16, 17 and 18, respectively, the rats' emotionality was assessed in the open-field (OF), social interaction (SI), elevated plus-maze (EPM), and forced swim tests (FST). On day 21, half of the rats in each group were killed 2h into the dark phase of a 12/12 h reversed light/dark cycle; the other half were killed 2h into the light phase. We then measured indices of HPA axis activity, plasma glucose and interleukin-6 (IL-6) availability, and neuronal tph2 expression at each time point. Chronic corticosterone intake was sufficient to cause increased anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in a dose-dependent manner. It also disrupted the diurnal pattern of plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), corticosterone, and glucose concentrations, caused adrenal atrophy, and prevented regular weight gain. No diurnal or treatment-dependent changes were found for plasma concentrations of IL-6. Remarkably, all doses of corticosterone treatment abolished the diurnal variation of tph2 mRNA expression in the brainstem dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) by elevating the gene's expression during the animals' inactive (light) phase. Our data demonstrate that chronic elevation of corticosterone creates a vulnerability to a depression-like syndrome that is associated with increased tph2 expression, similar to that observed in depressed patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina C Donner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA.
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107
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Abercrombie HC, Wirth MM, Hoks RM. Inter-individual differences in trait negative affect moderate cortisol's effects on memory formation: preliminary findings from two studies. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:693-701. [PMID: 21955834 PMCID: PMC3310250 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2011] [Revised: 07/31/2011] [Accepted: 08/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Acute emotional arousal moderates the effects of cortisol on memory. However, it is currently unknown how stable inter-individual differences (i.e., traits) moderate cortisol's effects on memory. In two studies using within-subjects designs - 31 healthy males in Study 1 and 42 healthy subjects (22 female) in Study 2 - we measured trait negative affect (NA) and presented emotional and neutral pictures. In Study 1, we manipulated endogenous cortisol levels using a speech stressor following encoding. In Study 2, using a randomized placebo-controlled design, we pharmacologically manipulated cortisol levels prior to encoding (0.1mg/kg hydrocortisone vs. saline infused over 30min). Free recall for pictures was subsequently assessed. Trait NA repeatedly moderated the relationship between cortisol and memory formation. Findings suggested the speculative conclusion that the direction of effects may vary by sex. In males, cortisol was related to memory facilitation in subjects with lower Trait NA. Conversely, females with higher Trait NA showed greater cortisol-related increases in memory. Trait NA may be a stable inter-individual difference predicting neurocognitive effects of cortisol during stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather C. Abercrombie
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, Madison, WI, 53719, USA,Corresponding author. University of Wisconsin Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719 USA, Tel.: +1 608 263 6126; fax: +1 608 263 0265. (H.C. Abercrombie)
| | - Michelle M. Wirth
- University of Notre Dame, Department of Psychology, 1238 Haggar Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Roxanne M. Hoks
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, Madison, WI, 53719, USA
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108
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Dexamethasone stimulated gene expression in peripheral blood is a sensitive marker for glucocorticoid receptor resistance in depressed patients. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:1455-64. [PMID: 22237309 PMCID: PMC3327850 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although gene expression profiles in peripheral blood in major depression are not likely to identify genes directly involved in the pathomechanism of affective disorders, they may serve as biomarkers for this disorder. As previous studies using baseline gene expression profiles have provided mixed results, our approach was to use an in vivo dexamethasone challenge test and to compare glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-mediated changes in gene expression between depressed patients and healthy controls. Whole genome gene expression data (baseline and following GR-stimulation with 1.5 mg dexamethasone p.o.) from two independent cohorts were analyzed to identify gene expression pattern that would predict case and control status using a training (N=18 cases/18 controls) and a test cohort (N=11/13). Dexamethasone led to reproducible regulation of 2670 genes in controls and 1151 transcripts in cases. Several genes, including FKBP5 and DUSP1, previously associated with the pathophysiology of major depression, were found to be reliable markers of GR-activation. Using random forest analyses for classification, GR-stimulated gene expression outperformed baseline gene expression as a classifier for case and control status with a correct classification of 79.1 vs 41.6% in the test cohort. GR-stimulated gene expression performed best in dexamethasone non-suppressor patients (88.7% correctly classified with 100% sensitivity), but also correctly classified 77.3% of the suppressor patients (76.7% sensitivity), when using a refined set of 19 genes. Our study suggests that in vivo stimulated gene expression in peripheral blood cells could be a promising molecular marker of altered GR-functioning, an important component of the underlying pathology, in patients suffering from depressive episodes.
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109
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The effects of shift work on physical and mental health. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2012; 119:1121-32. [PMID: 22488445 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-012-0800-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Occupational engagement is a pre-requisite for continuous income opportunities. Among the changing social circumstances work-related conditions play an increasingly eminent role in psychological and mental well-being. The public discusses the question of a possible association between the demands of modern work life and the increases of psychological, psychosomatic and cardiovascular disorders. Given the socioeconomic implications of psychiatric and psychosomatic suffering in the general population, there is a need to further elucidate the causes of their increasing incidence. From a medical point of view, any organization of work disrupting the phased circadian rhythms for bio-psycho-social processes and functioning of the individual are interesting against the background of clock genes and certain biological functions that are organized in a circadian fashion. The authors review the influence of shift work as a form of systematic desynchronization of inner clock systems on the endocrine, the physical, and the mental level. The significance of the findings in the field is discussed along with future directions of conclusive research.
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110
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BDNF and glucocorticoids regulate corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) homeostasis in the hypothalamus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:1305-10. [PMID: 22232675 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1114122109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is critical for adaptation to environmental changes. The principle regulator of the HPA axis is corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), which is made in the parventricular nucleus and is an important target of negative feedback by glucocorticoids. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate CRH are not fully understood. Disruption of normal HPA axis activity is a major risk factor of neuropsychiatric disorders in which decreased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) has been documented. To investigate the role of the GR in CRH neurons, we have targeted the deletion of the GR, specifically in the parventricular nucleus. Impairment of GR function in the parventricular nucleus resulted in an enhancement of CRH expression and an up-regulation of hypothalamic levels of BDNF and disinhibition of the HPA axis. BDNF is a stress and activity-dependent factor involved in many activities modulated by the HPA axis. Significantly, ectopic expression of BDNF in vivo increased CRH, whereas reduced expression of BDNF, or its receptor TrkB, decreased CRH expression and normal HPA functions. We find the differential regulation of CRH relies upon the cAMP response-element binding protein coactivator CRTC2, which serves as a switch for BDNF and glucocorticoids to direct the expression of CRH.
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111
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Bschor T, Ising M, Erbe S, Winkelmann P, Ritter D, Uhr M, Lewitzka U. Impact of citalopram on the HPA system. A study of the combined DEX/CRH test in 30 unipolar depressed patients. J Psychiatr Res 2012; 46:111-7. [PMID: 22030468 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Revised: 09/16/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system is one of the best replicated pathophysiological findings in depression. However, studies on the influence of treatment on the HPA system have partly yielded inconsistent results. OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of citalopram monotherapy on the HPA system of mainly drug naïve patients with major depression by means of the combined DEX/CRH test. METHODS The DEX/CRH test was conducted twice in 30 patients (25 drug naïve for the index episode) with major depression (single episode or unipolar recurrent; SCID I- and II-confirmed): directly before the start of a citalopram monotherapy (day 0) and four weeks thereafter (day 28). RESULTS Twenty-three patients responded (≥50% reduction in the HDRS(21)-score), and 17 of them also reached criteria of remission (HDRS ≤ 7). Baseline (dexamethasone-suppressed) and CRH-stimulated ACTH concentrations significantly decreased from day 0 to day 28. CRH-stimulated cortisol concentrations also fell, although not significantly, but baseline cortisol concentrations exhibited a significant increase from day 0 to day 28. CONCLUSIONS The blunting of the ACTH response in the DEX/CRH test under citalopram is in line with what has been observed in most studies with antidepressants. However, the partial rise in cortisol concentrations indicates an increase in the sensitivity of the adrenal cortex to ACTH. State-dependent alterations in the volume and the ACTH responsiveness of the adrenal gland have repeatedly been reported in depressed subjects, which indicates the possibility that SSRIs such as citalopram might exhibit a direct or indirect effect on the adrenal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Bschor
- Schlosspark-Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Berlin, Germany.
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112
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Drug withdrawal-induced depression: Serotonergic and plasticity changes in animal models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2012; 36:696-726. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2011] [Revised: 10/06/2011] [Accepted: 10/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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113
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Homicide and associated steroid acute psychosis: a case report. Case Rep Med 2011; 2011:564521. [PMID: 22162701 PMCID: PMC3227410 DOI: 10.1155/2011/564521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2011] [Revised: 08/26/2011] [Accepted: 09/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the case of an old man treated with methylprednisolone for chronic lymphoid leukemia. After two months of treatment, he declared an acute steroid psychosis and beat his wife to death. Steroids were stopped and the psychotic symptoms subsided, but his condition declined very quickly. The clinical course was complicated by a major depressive disorder with suicidal ideas, due to the steroid stoppage, the leukemia progressed, and by a sudden onset of a fatal pulmonary embolism. This clinical case highlights the importance of early detection of steroid psychosis and proposes, should treatment not be stopped, a strategy of dose reduction combined with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic treatment. In addition have been revised the risks of the adverse psychiatric effects of steroids.
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114
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Bschor T, Ritter D, Winkelmann P, Erbe S, Uhr M, Ising M, Lewitzka U. Lithium monotherapy increases ACTH and cortisol response in the DEX/CRH test in unipolar depressed subjects. A study with 30 treatment-naive patients. PLoS One 2011; 6:e27613. [PMID: 22132117 PMCID: PMC3223180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Distorted activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system is one of the most robustly documented biological abnormalities in major depression. Lithium is central to the treatment of affective disorders, but little is known about its effects on the HPA system of depressed subjects. OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of lithium monotherapy on the HPA system of patients with major depression by means of the combined DEX/CRH test. METHOD Thirty drug-naive outpatients with major depression (single episode or unipolar recurrent; SCID I- and II-confirmed) were treated with lithium monotherapy for four weeks. The DEX/CRH test was conducted directly before intake of the first lithium tablet and four weeks thereafter. Weekly ratings with the HDRS(21) were used to determine response (≥50% symptom reduction) and remission (HDRS ≤7). RESULTS Lithium levels within the therapeutic range were achieved rapidly. Tolerability was good; no patient terminated the treatment prematurely. Response and remission rates were 50% and 33% respectively. Compared to the DEX/CRH test before the start of the treatment, a considerable and significant increase in all CRH-stimulated ACTH and cortisol parameters could be detected in the second DEX/CRH test. When analysed with particular regard to responders and non-responders, that significant increase was only present in the responders. CONCLUSIONS We were able to demonstrate that lithium leads to a significant activation of the HPA system. This is possibly connected to stimulation of hypothalamic arginine vasoporessin (AVP), to direct intracellular effects of lithium on pituitary cells and to an induction of gene expression. TRIAL REGISTRATION drks-nue.uniklinik-freiburg.de DRKS00003185.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Bschor
- Department of Psychiatry, Schlosspark-Clinic, Berlin, Germany.
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115
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Schmidt HD, Shelton RC, Duman RS. Functional biomarkers of depression: diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiology. Neuropsychopharmacology 2011; 36:2375-94. [PMID: 21814182 PMCID: PMC3194084 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 313] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous illness for which there are currently no effective methods to objectively assess severity, endophenotypes, or response to treatment. Increasing evidence suggests that circulating levels of peripheral/serum growth factors and cytokines are altered in patients with MDD, and that antidepressant treatments reverse or normalize these effects. Furthermore, there is a large body of literature demonstrating that MDD is associated with changes in endocrine and metabolic factors. Here we provide a brief overview of the evidence that peripheral growth factors, pro-inflammatory cytokines, endocrine factors, and metabolic markers contribute to the pathophysiology of MDD and antidepressant response. Recent preclinical studies demonstrating that peripheral growth factors and cytokines influence brain function and behavior are also discussed along with their implications for diagnosing and treating patients with MDD. Together, these studies highlight the need to develop a biomarker panel for depression that aims to profile diverse peripheral factors that together provide a biological signature of MDD subtypes as well as treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heath D Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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116
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Calabrese F, Molteni R, Riva MA. Antistress properties of antidepressant drugs and their clinical implications. Pharmacol Ther 2011; 132:39-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2011.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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117
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Mason BL, Thomas SA, Lightman SL, Pariante CM. Desipramine treatment has minimal effects on the brain accumulation of glucocorticoids in P-gp-deficient and wild-type mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:1351-60. [PMID: 21481537 PMCID: PMC3179986 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2010] [Revised: 03/15/2011] [Accepted: 03/16/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with depression can be reduced by antidepressants, which are thought to improve endogenous glucocorticoid-mediated negative feedback. A proportion of peripherally released glucocorticoids need to enter brain tissue, protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), in order to achieve this negative feedback effect at the level of the central nervous systems (CNS). The multidrug resistance transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has been shown to actively transport glucocorticoid hormones and has been implicated in the regulation of glucocorticoid access to the CNS. Using an in situ brain/choroid plexus perfusion method, we tested the hypothesis that the antidepressant desipramine increases glucocorticoid accumulation in the mouse brain by inhibiting P-gp, following either chronic treatment (8 days, 20 mg/kg/day, IP) or acute administration (20 min brain perfusion in the presence of either 0.9 μM or 10 μM desipramine). Contrary to our hypothesis, chronic treatment with desipramine did not affect the accumulation of [³H]dexamethasone in any sample compared to saline-treated mice. Acute desipramine had limited and variable effects on glucocorticoid accumulation in the CNS, with accumulation of [³H]dexamethasone increased in the cerebellum, accumulation of [³H]cortisol reduced in the frontal cortex, hypothalamus, and cerebellum, and accumulation of [³H]corticosterone (the endogenous glucocorticoid in rodents) not affected. Overall, under the conditions tested, these results do not support the hypothesis that treatment with desipramine can inhibit P-gp at the BBB and subsequently increase the accumulation of glucocorticoids in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany L Mason
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK.
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118
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Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD), a highly prevalent psychiatric condition, is encountered in 1 of every 10 to 20 patients seen in the primary care setting. While awareness of MDD has increased, timely and accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment remain formidable challenges. Treatment options for patients with MDD should be individualized according to each patient's clinical and medication history, pharmacologic tolerability profile, and personal preferences, to maximize long-term adherence. The most robust and consistently maintained positive outcomes occur in patients who are administered effective treatment with recommended antidepressant pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or a combination of these treatment modalities. This manuscript reviews the epidemiology, biologic and clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with MDD. A focus is placed on guidelines and strategies that target the achievement of MDD symptom remission. The article also includes details on individualizing treatment selection and novel and emerging therapies. Primary care physicians must be prepared to adjust, substitute, or augment antidepressant treatments to optimize patient response and enhance the chances of achieving remission. Considerations that strongly influence long-term patient adherence, including tolerability and cost, are also reviewed.
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119
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Taylor SB, Taylor AR, Markham JA, Geurts AM, Kanaskie BZ, Koenig JI. Disruption of the neuregulin 1 gene in the rat alters HPA axis activity and behavioral responses to environmental stimuli. Physiol Behav 2011; 104:205-14. [PMID: 21092742 PMCID: PMC3081908 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2010] [Revised: 11/03/2010] [Accepted: 11/10/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to stress can result in an increased risk for psychiatric disorders, especially among genetically predisposed individuals. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia and is also associated with psychotic bipolar disorder. In the rat, the neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus show strong expression of Nrg1 mRNA. In patients with schizophrenia, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5' region of NRG1 interacts with psychosocial stress to affect reactivity to expressed emotion. However, there is virtually no information on the role of NRG1 in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, and whether the protein is expressed in the paraventricular nucleus is unknown. The present studies utilize a unique line of Nrg1 hypomorphic rats (Nrg1(Tn)) generated by gene trapping with the Sleeping Beauty transposon. We first established that the Nrg1(Tn) rats displayed reduced expression of both the mRNA and protein corresponding to the Type II NRG1 isoform. After confirming, using wild type animals, that Type II NRG1 is expressed in the neurocircuitry involved in regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses to environmental stimuli, the Nrg1(Tn) rats were then used to test the hypothesis that altered expression of Type II NRG1 disrupts stress regulation and reactivity. In support of this hypothesis, Nrg1(Tn) rats have disrupted basal and acute stress recovery corticosterone secretion, differential changes in expression of glucocorticoid receptors in the pituitary, paraventricular nucleus and hippocampus, and a failure to habituate to an open field. Together, these findings point to NRG1 as a potential novel regulator of neuroendocrine responses to stress as well as behavioral reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S B Taylor
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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120
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Wang D, Lin W, Pan Y, Kuang X, Qi X, Sun H. Chronic blockade of glucocorticoid receptors by RU486 enhances lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behaviour and cytokine production in rats. Brain Behav Immun 2011; 25:706-14. [PMID: 21276847 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2010] [Revised: 01/19/2011] [Accepted: 01/20/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Although accumulating evidence supports a role for cytokines in the pathophysiology of depression, the cytokine hypothesis of depression is debatable. It has been suggested that neuroendocrine and immune systems acting in concert may have roles in the development and the maintenance of the disease. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is the key element which exerts both anti-inflammatory and cytokine-inhibiting effects. Whether functional changes of GR are involved in the pathophysiology of cytokine-induced depression remains elusive. In the present study, the effects of both acute and chronic GR blockade on depressive-like behaviour and cytokine production induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), cytokine inducer, were investigated in rats. Acute or chronic blockade of GR was achieved by a single administration or repeated administrations, respectively, of the GR antagonist RU486 (RU). Behavioural measurements, including saccharin preference, locomotor activity, and immobility time, were assessed. The serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, and IFNγ) were determined by ELISA. The results showed that LPS induced significant but transient depressive-like behaviour. Repeated, but not single, administration of RU significantly enhanced and prolonged LPS-induced depressive-like behaviour and an increase in the serum production of TNFα and IFNγ. These results indicate that the effective blockade of GR enhanced the depressive-like behaviour induced by cytokines. Findings from this study suggest that GR dysfunction may be an important contributing factor to the development of cytokine-related depression. These findings add to the growing evidence of mechanisms by which cytokines influence depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donglin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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121
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Anacker C, Zunszain PA, Carvalho LA, Pariante CM. The glucocorticoid receptor: pivot of depression and of antidepressant treatment? Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:415-25. [PMID: 20399565 PMCID: PMC3513407 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 414] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2010] [Revised: 03/11/2010] [Accepted: 03/18/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hyperactivity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and increased levels of glucocorticoid hormones in patients with depression have mostly been ascribed to impaired feedback regulation of the HPA axis, possibly caused by altered function of the receptor for glucocorticoid hormones, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Antidepressants, in turn, ameliorate many of the neurobiological disturbances in depression, including HPA axis hyperactivity, and thereby alleviate depressive symptoms. There is strong evidence for the notion that antidepressants exert these effects by modulating the GR. Such modulations, however, can be manifold and range from regulation of receptor expression to post-translational modifications, which may result in differences in GR nuclear translocation and GR-dependent gene transcription. The idea that the therapeutic action of antidepressants is mediated, at least in part, by restoring GR function, is consistent with studies showing that decreased GR function contributes to HPA axis hyperactivity and to the development of depressive symptoms. Conversely, excessive glucocorticoid signalling, which requires an active GR, is associated with functional impairments in the depressed brain, especially in the hippocampus, where it results in reduced neurogenesis and impaired neuroplasticity. In this review, we will focus on the GR as a key player in the precipitation, development and resolution of depression. We will discuss potential explanations for the apparent controversy between glucocorticoid resistance and the detrimental effects of excessive glucocorticoid signalling. We will review some of the evidence for modulation of the GR by antidepressants and we will provide further insight into how antidepressants may regulate the GR to overcome depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Anacker
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Centre for the Cellular Basis of Behaviour (CCBB), Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology (SPI-lab), 125 Coldharbour Lane, London SE5 9NU, UK.
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122
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McVicar A, Clancy J. Glucocorticoids and stress‐related depression: an evaluation of biological mechanisms and the potential for new therapeutics. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH 2011. [DOI: 10.1108/17465721111134529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PurposePrinciples of epigenesis that provide a foundation for research into chronic medical disorders are increasingly being applied in the context of mental health. The purpose of this paper is to consider recent research evidence for epigenetic influences in the pathogenesis of depression, and the putative links with stress biology during exposure to chronic stress, with the aim of placing this into a context of potential new therapeutics.Design/methodology/approachSubstantive reviews published during the last ten years were identified in a search of the Pubmed database in September 2010 using the terms “epigenetics” or “epigenesis” with “mental health”, “mood disorder”, “depression”, stress', “chronic stress” or “environment”, supplemented by hand‐searching of citations in the reviews.FindingsEpigenetic mechanisms are both heritable and acquired, and their impact on the underlying genome helps explain individual vulnerability and patterns of occurrence of depression.Originality/valueThe paper shows that this relatively new field of research is in its infancy, and the influence of adverse environments (i.e. stressors) on genetic/epigenetic predisposition has promise for the advent of novel therapeutics based on epigenetic manipulation.
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Abercrombie HC, Jahn AL, Davidson RJ, Kern S, Kirschbaum C, Halverson J. Cortisol's effects on hippocampal activation in depressed patients are related to alterations in memory formation. J Psychiatr Res 2011; 45:15-23. [PMID: 21220074 PMCID: PMC3050626 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2010] [Revised: 09/23/2010] [Accepted: 10/05/2010] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Many investigators have hypothesized that brain response to cortisol is altered in depression. However, neural activation in response to exogenously manipulated cortisol elevations has not yet been directly examined in depressed humans. Animal research shows that glucocorticoids have robust effects on hippocampal function, and can either enhance or suppress neuroplastic events in the hippocampus depending on a number of factors. We hypothesized that depressed individuals would show 1) altered hippocampal response to exogenous administration of cortisol, and 2) altered effects of cortisol on learning. In a repeated-measures design, 19 unmedicated depressed and 41 healthy individuals completed two fMRI scans. Fifteen mg oral hydrocortisone (i.e., cortisol) or placebo (order randomized and double-blind) was administered 1 h prior to encoding of emotional and neutral words during fMRI scans. Data analysis examined the effects of cortisol administration on 1) brain activation during encoding, and 2) subsequent free recall for words. Cortisol affected subsequent recall performance in depressed but not healthy individuals. We found alterations in hippocampal response to cortisol in depressed women, but not in depressed men (who showed altered response to cortisol in other regions, including subgenual prefrontal cortex). In both depressed men and women, cortisol's effects on hippocampal function were positively correlated with its effects on recall performance assessed days later. Our data provide evidence that in depressed compared to healthy women, cortisol's effects on hippocampal function are altered. Our data also show that in both depressed men and women, cortisol's effects on emotional memory formation and hippocampal function are related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather C. Abercrombie
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology,Corresponding author: Heather C. Abercrombie, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, WI 53719, USA, Phone: 608-263-6126, Fax: 608-263-0265,
| | - Allison L. Jahn
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center for Brain Imaging and Behavior
| | - Richard J. Davidson
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center for Brain Imaging and Behavior
| | - Simone Kern
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Dresden University of Technology, Department of Neurology
| | | | - Jerry Halverson
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, Rogers Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
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124
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Hamer M, Batty GD, Marmot MG, Singh-Manoux A, Kivimäki M. Anti-depressant medication use and C-reactive protein: results from two population-based studies. Brain Behav Immun 2011; 25:168-73. [PMID: 20863880 PMCID: PMC3014524 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2010.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2010] [Revised: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of anti-depressant medication has been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined the association between anti-depressant medication use and a marker of low grade systemic inflammation as a potential pathway linking anti-depressant use and CVD in two population based studies. Data were collected in a representative sample of 8131 community dwelling adults (aged 47.4±15.9 years, 46.7% male) from the Scottish Health Surveys (SHS). The use of anti-depressant medication was coded according to the British National Formulary and blood was drawn for the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP). In a second study, we attempted to replicate our findings using longitudinal data from the Whitehall II study (n=4584, aged 55.5±5.9 years, mean follow-up 5.5 years). Antidepressants were used in 5.6% of the SHS sample, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) being the most common. There was a higher risk of elevated CRP (>3 mg/L) in users of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) medication (multivariate adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.52, 95% CI, 1.07-2.15), but not in SSRI users (multivariate adjusted OR=1.07, 95% CI, 0.81-1.42). A longitudinal association between any antidepressant use and subsequent CRP was confirmed in the Whitehall cohort. In summary, the use of anti-depressants was associated with elevated levels of systemic inflammation independently from the symptoms of mental illness and cardiovascular co-morbidity. This might be a potential mechanism through which antidepressant medication increases CVD risk. Further data are required to explore the effects of dosage and duration of antidepressant treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Hamer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
| | - G. David Batty
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK, Medical Research Council Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow, UK, Centre for Cognitive Ageing & Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michael G. Marmot
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Archana Singh-Manoux
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK, INSERM, U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Villejuif, France
| | - Mika Kivimäki
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
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125
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Novelty-evoked activity in open field predicts susceptibility to helpless behavior. Physiol Behav 2010; 101:746-54. [PMID: 20804778 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2010] [Revised: 08/16/2010] [Accepted: 08/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Learned helplessness in animals has been used to model disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but there is a lack of knowledge concerning which individual behavioral characteristics at baseline can predict helpless behavior after exposure to inescapable stress. The first aim of this study was to determine behavioral predictors of helplessness using the novel and familiar open-field tests, sucrose consumption, and passive harm-avoidance tasks before learned helplessness training and testing. Individual differences in physiologic responses to restraint stress were also assessed. A cluster analysis of escape latencies from helplessness testing supported the division of the sample population of Holtzman rats into approximately 50% helpless and 50% non-helpless. Linear regression analyses further revealed that increased reactivity to the novel environment, but not general activity or habituation, predicted susceptibility to learned helplessness. During restraint stress there were no mean differences in heart rate, heart rate variability, and plasma corticosterone between helpless and non-helpless rats; however, a lower heart rate during stress was associated with higher activity levels during exploration. Our most important finding was that by using an innocuous screening tool such as the novel and familiar open-field tests, it was possible to identify subjects that were susceptible to learned helplessness.
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126
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Harada E, Yasue H, Mizuno Y, Morikawa Y, Nakagawa H, Semba F, Yoshimura M, Saito Y. Resistant hypertension in an aged woman presenting with clinical features simulating ectopic ACTH syndrome--response to spironolactone--. Intern Med 2010; 49:2235-9. [PMID: 20962442 DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.49.4089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A 91-year-old depressed woman had resistant hypertension despite a triple combination of anti-hypertensives, including a Ca-antagonist, an angiotensin receptor blocker, and a thiazide diuretic at optimal doses. She had hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, elevated plasma cortisol and ACTH, and elevated urinary cortisol. The high-dose dexamethasone did not suppress the elevated ACTH and cortisol. The addition of spironolactone to her previous medications controlled and normalized hypertension, hypokalemia, and hormonal abnormalities within 4 months. Her blood pressure, serum electrolytes, and the hormonal states remained normalized for more than a year thereafter. Her depressed mental state also improved after spironolactone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eisaku Harada
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kumamoto Kinoh Hospital, Kumamoto Aging Research Institute
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127
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Spijker AT, Van Rossum EFC. Glucocorticoid Receptor Polymorphisms in Major Depression. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1179:199-215. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04985.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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128
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Marques AH, Silverman MN, Sternberg EM. Glucocorticoid dysregulations and their clinical correlates. From receptors to therapeutics. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1179:1-18. [PMID: 19906229 PMCID: PMC2933142 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04987.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Clinicians have long known that a substantial proportion of patients treated with high-dose glucocorticoids experience a variety of serious side effects, including metabolic syndrome, bone loss, and mood shifts, such as depressive symptomatology, manic or hypomanic symptoms, and even suicide. The reason for individual variability in expression or severity of these side effects is not clear. However, recent emerging literature is beginning to shed light on possible mechanisms of these effects. As an introduction to this volume, this chapter will review the basic biology of glucocorticoid release and molecular mechanisms of glucocorticoid receptor function, and will discuss how dysregulation of glucocorticoid action at all levels could contribute to such side effects. At the molecular level, glucocorticoid receptor polymorphisms may be associated either with receptor hypofunction or hyperfunction and could thus contribute to differential individual sensitivity to the effects of glucocorticoid treatment. Numerous factors regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness, which could also contribute to individual differences in glucocorticoid side effects. One of these is sex hormone status and the influence of estrogen and progesterone on HPA axis function and mood. Another is immune system activity, in which immune molecules, such as interleukins and cytokines, activate the HPA axis and alter brain function, including memory, cognition, and mood. The effects of cytokines in inducing sickness behaviors, which overlap with depressive symptomatology, could also contribute to individual differences in such symptomatology. Taken together, this knowledge will have important relevance for identifying at-risk patients to avoid or minimize such side effects when they are treated with glucocorticoids. A framework for assessment of patients is proposed that incorporates functional, physiological, and molecular biomarkers to identify subgroups of patients at risk for depressive symptomatology associated with glucocorticoid treatment, and for prevention of side effects, which in many cases can be life-threatening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea H Marques
- Section on Neuroendocrine Immunology and Behavior, Integrative Neural Immune Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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129
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Sternberg EM, Judd LL. Conference summary and conclusions. A comprehensive approach to predicting and managing mood effects of glucocorticoids. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1179:229-33. [PMID: 19906243 PMCID: PMC2933141 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05059.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of glucocorticoids and their enormous therapeutic benefits led to the use of these compounds as valuable medications for a wide variety of diseases. In 1950 this effort was ushered in by a landmark event-the awarding of the 1950 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine to Drs. Phillip Hench, Edward Kendall, and Tadeus Reichstein. It was Hench who described and researched the successful use of the glucocorticoid, cortisone, and pituitary adrenocorticotrophic hormones to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Significant scientific discovery preceded Hench and colleagues' efforts, but the revolutionary accumulation of discovery in glucocorticoids since then is one of the unique scientific stories in the history of medicine. The scientific conference upon which this volume is based represents an attempt to convene a state-of-the-science meeting on the current understanding and scientific status of this fascinating, far-reaching, and fast-moving field. This last chapter will summarize the exciting presentations of this 2-day conference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther M. Sternberg
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lewis L. Judd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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