Depression and Hormones. An Outline and Some Perspectives

Psychoendocrinological aspects of affective disorders

Psychoendocrinological studies have opened a new approach to understanding affective disorders. In this study, the links of affective illnesses to changes in endocrine secretions--particularly adrenal, gonadal, growth, pineal, thyroidal, and prolactin--were reviewed with the object of adding to the number of depressed whose symptoms can be relieved.

Opposite effects of CRF and ACTH on reserpine-induced hypothermia

The effects of CRF, ACTH 1-24, alpha-MSH, and an ACTH 4-49 analog, at doses of 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg, were tested on temperature, ptosis, and sedation in mice pretreated 18 hr previously with reserpine. IP injection of CRF at doses of 1 and 10 mg/kg significantly potentiated the reserpine-induced hypothermia while ACTH 1-24 at the same two doses had the opposite effect of significantly reversing the hypothermia as compared to diluent. The highest dose of alpha-MSH exerted a similar action to that of ACTH 1-24, but none of the doses of the ACTH 4-9 analog changed body temperature. beta-endorphin also failed to cause a reliable effect even though naloxone blocked the action of CRF on body temperature. The results suggest that CRF, like other hypothalamic peptides, can exert extra-pituitary actions after peripheral administration.