Technique for Serial Blood Sampling during Sleep Recording

The Association between Ethanol Elimination Rate and Hangover Severity

Assessments in blood and saliva suggests that the amount of ethanol present in the first hours after alcohol consumption and into the following morning is associated with hangover severity. The current analysis determines how ethanol elimination rate is related to hangover severity reported throughout the day. n = 8 subjects participated in two studies. The first was a naturalistic study comprising an evening of alcohol consumption. Hangover severity was assessed hourly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., using a 1-item hangover severity scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 10 (extreme). The second study comprised a highly controlled alcohol challenge to reach a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 0.05%. Breathalyzer tests were conducted every 5 min until BrAC reached zero. The ethanol elimination rate, expressed in BrAC%/hour, was computed by dividing the peak BrAC (%) by the time to BrAC of zero (h). At 11:00, 13:00, and 14:00, there were significant negative partial correlations, controlling for estimated BrAC, between ethanol elimination rate and hangover severity. The findings suggest that drinkers with a faster ethanol elimination rate experience less severe hangovers. The observations should be confirmed in a larger sample of subjects who participate in a single study that assesses both hangover severity and ethanol elimination rate.

Neuroendocrine aspects of primary endogenous depression. X: Serum growth hormone measures in patients and matched control subjects

To determine the extent of dysregulation of growth hormone (GH) secretion in endogenous depression, we measured nocturnal serum GH concentrations and GH responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (LHRH), and dexamethasone administration in 40 Research Diagnostic Criteria primary, definite endogenous depressives and 40 individually matched normal control subjects. Compared with their controls, the patients showed no difference in basal nocturnal GH concentrations or in GH responses to TRH or LHRH. The GH measures were not significantly related to the other endocrine measures reported previously, including dexamethasone suppression test status. None of the diagnostic schemes for endogenous/melancholic depression which we studied was significantly related to the GH measures in the patients. Of the other subject and symptom variables, the mood depression factor of the Hamilton depression scale and the performance difficulty factor of the Beck depression inventory were moderately negatively correlated with the nocturnal GH measures. These findings suggest that, in contrast to the previously reported hypothalamopituitary-adrenal cortical and thyroid axis abnormalities in our patients, GH secretion was relatively normal. Patients with more severe depressed mood and greater difficulty accomplishing tasks did have moderately lower nocturnal GH values.

Neuroendocrine aspects of primary endogenous depression. V. Serum prolactin measures in patients and matched control subjects

To ascertain the extent of dysregulation of prolactin (PRL) secretion in endogenous depression, we determined nocturnal serum PRL concentrations and PRL responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (LHRH), and dexamethasone administration in 40 Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) primary, definite endogenous depressives and 40 individually matched normal control subjects. Compared to their matched controls, the patients showed no difference in basal nocturnal PRL concentrations, a marginally significant 20%-25% increase in the PRL response to TRH, and no differences in post-LHRH or postdexamethasone PRL concentrations. In the patients, there was a weak, negative correlation between age and PRL (r = -0.30), but none of the other subject characteristics or specific dimensions of depressive symptomatology were significantly related to the PRL measures. The PRL measures also were unrelated to pre- and postdexamethasone cortisol concentrations and to the thyrotropin (TSH) responses to TRH in both groups of subjects. In contrast to the previously reported hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal cortical and thyroid axis abnormalities in these patients, our findings suggest that PRL secretion was relatively normal.

Neuroendocrine aspects of primary endogenous depression VIII. Pituitary-gonadal axis activity in male patients and matched control subjects

To determine the extent of hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis dysfunction in endogenous depressed men, we measured nocturnal and diurnal serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2) concentrations, and their responses to gonadotropin releasing hormone (LHRH) and dexamethasone administration, in 16 Research Diagnostic Criteria primary, definite endogenous male depressives and 16 individually matched male normal controls. Compared to their controls, the patients showed no differences in basal nocturnal or diurnal gonadotropin or gonadal steroid hormone concentrations, and no differences in hormone concentrations either post-LHRH or post-dexamethasone. Age was negatively correlated with baseline serum T in the patients but not in the controls, and it was modestly positively correlated with baseline serum LH in both groups of subjects. In the patients, the presence of DSM-III melancholia was modestly negatively correlated with baseline and post-LHRH concentrations of both LH and FSH and was positively correlated with baseline serum T, but it bore no relation to serum E2. None of the other subject characteristics or specific dimensions of depressive symptomatology were significantly related to the HPG axis measures. The HPG axis measures also were unrelated to pre- and post-dexamethasone cortisol concentrations in both groups of subjects. The results of this study suggest that, in contrast to the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal cortical and thyroid axis abnormalities frequently found in endogenous depressives, HPG axis function in male depressives is relatively normal.

Neuroendocrine aspects of primary endogenous depression--IV. Pituitary-thyroid axis activity in patients and matched control subjects

In order to ascertain the extent of hypothalamo--pituitary--thyroid (HPT) axis dysfunction in endogenous depression, we determined nocturnal serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations, TSH responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) administration, and serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations in 40 Research Diagnostic Criteria primary, definite endogenous depressives and 40 individually matched normal control subjects. We also examined the relationships of the HPT measures to pre- and post-dexamethasone (DEX) serum and urine cortisol measures and, in the patients, to subject characteristics, the diagnosis of endogenous/melancholic depression by different systems, and the overall severity and specific dimensions of depressive symptomatology. Compared to their matched controls, the patients showed significant reductions in nocturnal serum TSH and serum T3 concentrations. Neither the TSH responses to TRH nor serum T4 concentrations were significantly different between the two groups of subjects. In the patients, none of the subject characteristics, diagnostic schemes for endogenous/melancholic depression or specific aspects of depressive symptomatology were significantly related to HPT activity. The measures of HPT activity were unrelated to measures of hypothalamo--pituitary--adrenal cortical (HPA) axis activity in both groups of subjects.

Human prolactin: 24-hour pattern with increased release during sleep

Human prolactin was measured in plasma by radioimmunoassay at 20 minute intervals for a 24-hour period in each of six normal adults, whose sleep-wake cycles were monitored polygraphically. A marked diurnal variation in plasma concentrations was demonstrated, with highest values during sleep; periods of episodic release occurred throughout the 24 hours.

Gonadotropin secretion during sleep in normal adult men

Release of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone during sleep in young adult men occurred in unrelated, random, arrhythmic peaks, with no consistency from night to night in the same subject. Release of luteinizing hormone was modestly but significantly larger (14 perecnt) during rapid-eye-movement sleep than it was in non-REM sleep, but release of follicle stimulating hormone was not clearly related to stages of sleep.