TY - JOUR
T1 - Cerebrospinal Fluid Monoamine and Monoamine Metabolite Levels and the Dexamethasone Suppression Test in Depression
T2 - Relationship to Life Events
AU - Roy, Alec
AU - Pickar, David
AU - Linnoila, Markku
AU - Doran, Allen R.
AU - Paul, Steven M.
PY - 1986/4
Y1 - 1986/4
N2 - The cerebrospinal fluid levels of norepinephrine and six monoamine metabolites were measured in 23 patients meeting DSM-III criteria for major depressive episode, 15 of whom also met criteria for melancholia. Life events during the six-month period before the onset of depression were recorded using Paykel's method. There was no difference in Hamilton depression ratings between patients with life events and those without. However, depressed patients who did not have a life event in the six months before the onset of depression had significantly lower levels of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid and the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid than those with life events. The incidence of nonsuppression on the dexamethasone suppression test was also greater in patients with a major depressive episode who did not have an undesirable life event than in those who did. Thus, the presence or absence of life events led to a separation into biologically distinct groups.
AB - The cerebrospinal fluid levels of norepinephrine and six monoamine metabolites were measured in 23 patients meeting DSM-III criteria for major depressive episode, 15 of whom also met criteria for melancholia. Life events during the six-month period before the onset of depression were recorded using Paykel's method. There was no difference in Hamilton depression ratings between patients with life events and those without. However, depressed patients who did not have a life event in the six months before the onset of depression had significantly lower levels of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid and the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid than those with life events. The incidence of nonsuppression on the dexamethasone suppression test was also greater in patients with a major depressive episode who did not have an undesirable life event than in those who did. Thus, the presence or absence of life events led to a separation into biologically distinct groups.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0022469444&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800040066010
DO - 10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800040066010
M3 - Article
C2 - 2420302
AN - SCOPUS:0022469444
SN - 0003-990X
VL - 43
SP - 356
EP - 360
JO - Archives of General Psychiatry
JF - Archives of General Psychiatry
IS - 4
ER -