Raised Plasma Cortisol Concentrations a Feature of Drug-Free Psychotics and not Specific for Depression

1986 ◽  
Vol 148 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice E. Christie ◽  
Lawrence J. Whalley ◽  
Heinz Dick ◽  
Douglas M. R. Blackwood ◽  
Ivy M. Blackburn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
High Plasma ◽  
Neuroleptic Drugs ◽  
Psychotic Illness ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Functional Psychoses ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Drug Free

To determine whether high plasma cortisol concentrations are a distinctive feature of depression or whether plasma cortisol is also elevated in other forms of psychosis, cortisol concentrations were measured in 59 patients with acute functional psychoses, six non-psychotic depressed patients and 37 control subjects, all free of antidepressant and neuroleptic drugs for at least three months. Patients with schizoaffective disorder, manic type, had the highest concentrations throughout the day and those with major depressive disorder, psychotic sub-type had higher concentrations than controls in the afternoon and evening. Manic and schizophrenic patients had cortisol concentrations above controls in the afternoon only. Elevated concentrations were not related to the presence of depressed mood or to duration of stay in hospital, and a return to normal occurred irrespective of the type of treatment used. Thus raised plasma cortisol concentrations are a feature of psychotic illness, but in drug-free patients are not specific for severe depression.

Disturbed Endocrine Function in the Psychoses

1989 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Whalley ◽  
J. E. Christie ◽  
D. H. R. Blackwood ◽  
J. Bennie ◽  
H. Dick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Endocrine Function ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Manic Disorder ◽  
Drug Free ◽  
Discriminant Function Analyses

Discriminant function analyses were performed on plasma concentrations of prolactin, growth hormone, Cortisol, TSH, and the neurophysins measured over 17 hours in 70 newly admitted drug-free psychiatric patients and 35 control subjects. The hormone data distinguished between patients with different classes of drug-free psychosis (26 schizophrenic, 12 with manic disorder, 10 with major depressive disorder, psychotic subtype, 9 with schizoaffective mania (SAM)). Higher plasma Cortisol and lower TSH concentrations separated eight of nine SAM patients from all others.

scholarly journals Predictors of Suicidal Ideation and Attempt among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder at a Tertiary Care Hospital, Puducherry

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (01) ◽  
pp. 122-128
Author(s):  
Ralte Lalthankimi ◽  
Padmavathi Nagarajan ◽  
Vikas Menon ◽  
Jeby Jose Olickal
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Severity Of Depression

Abstract Objectives Mental disorders have a large impact on death by suicide. Hence, this study aims to determine the prevalence of suicidal behaviors among major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and the associated factors. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among individuals aged 18 to 65 years, diagnosed with MDD in the Psychiatry Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Care Center, Puducherry during March to October 2019. Severity of depression was assessed using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale was used to find the suicidal behaviors. Results For 166 participants in the study, mean (standard deviation) age was 40 (11) years and majority were females (76%). More than one-third (37%) had severe or very severe depression, and the prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempts were 83, 24, and 35%, respectively. After adjusting the covariates, the severity of depression and unemployment were significantly associated with suicidal attempts (adjusted prevalence ratios [aPR] = 11.4 and 1.9), and very severe depression was associated with suicidal ideation (aPR = 1.6). Among 140 individuals with suicidal ideation, 45 (32%) had an ideation frequency of 2 to 3 times/week, 69 (50%) had ideation for 1 hour, 36 (26%) could control ideation with little difficulty, and 12% had suicidal ideation mostly to end or stop their pain. Conclusion Suicidal ideation and attempts were significantly high in MDD patients, and the severity of depression was significantly associated with it. Early identification of high-risk suicidal behavior and implementation of effective preventive interventions are necessary to reduce death by suicide in these groups.

Barbiturate Anticonvulsants as a Cause of Severe Depression

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-284
Author(s):  
GABOR BARABAS ◽  
WENDY S. MATTHEWS
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Recent Issue ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Seizure Disorders ◽  
Emotional Factors ◽  
Psychiatric Disturbances ◽  
Epileptic Children

To the Editor.— In a recent issue, Brent et al1 compared patients treated with phenobarbital with those treated with carbamazepine for seizure disorders. They noted that there was a much higher prevalence of major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation among those taking phenobarbital. They emphasized that the incidence of psychiatric disturbances is higher among epileptic children as compared with controls and that on occasion this may be due to iatrogenic effects of anticonvulsants and not only to factors intrinsic to epilepsy or secondary emotional factors.

The Effect of Desipramine upon Central Adrenergic Function in Depressed Patients

1982 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilana B. Glass ◽  
Stuart A. Checkley ◽  
Eric Shur ◽  
Sheila Dawling
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Adaptive Change ◽  
The Other ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Uptake Of Noradrenaline ◽  
Drug Free

SummaryEleven drug free patients meeting Research Diagnostic Criteria for Major Depressive Disorder have been treated with desipramine and given a clonidine infusion after 0, 1 and 3 weeks of treatment. The sedative and hypotensive effects of clonidine were significantly inhibited after three weeks of treatment with desipramine: a similar interaction was seen after one week of treatment although this just failed to reach statistical significance. The growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine was initially impaired, but increased significantly after one week of treatment. A significant reduction in the GH response occurred during the second and third weeks of treatment with desipramine. This last finding is interpreted as evidence of adaptive change of α2 adrenoceptors: the other changes can be explained by the known ability of desipramine to block the re-uptake of noradrenaline.

Escitalopram Versus SNRI Antidepressants in the Acute Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: Integrative Analysis of Four Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trials

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 326-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan G. Kornstein ◽  
Dayong Li ◽  
Yongcai Mao ◽  
Sara Larsson ◽  
Henning F. Andersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Madrs Score ◽  
Treatment Difference

AbstractIntroduction: Recent data suggest that escitalopram may be more effective in severe depression than other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.Methods: Individual patient data from four randomized, double-blind comparative trials of escitalopram versus a serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) (two trials with duloxetine and two with venlafaxine extended release) in outpatients (18–85 years of age) with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder were pooled. The primary efficacy parameter in all four trials was mean change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score.Results: Significantly fewer escitalopram (82/524) than SNRI (114/527) patients prematurely withdrew from treatment due to all causes (15.6% vs. 21.6%, Fisher Exact: P=.014) and adverse events (5.3% vs. 12.0%, Fisher Exact: P <.0001). Mean reduction in MADRS score from baseline to Week 8 was significantly greater for the escitalopram group versus the SNRI group using the last observation carried forward (LOCF) approach [mean treatment difference at Week 8 of 1.7 points (P <.01)]. Similar results were observed in the severely depressed (baseline MADRS score ≥30) patient subset (mean treatment difference at Week 8 of 2.9 points [P <.001, LOCF]). Observed cases analyses yielded no significant differences in efficacy parameters.Conclusion: This pooled analysis indicates that escitalopram is at least as effective as the SNRIs (venlafaxine XR and duloxetine), even in severe depression, and escitalopram treatment was better tolerated.

Cognitive Therapy versus Medication in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Depression

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Barron ◽  
Robert Ostroff
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Therapy ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Clinical Case ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Study Intervention ◽  
Landmark Study

This chapter provides a summary of a landmark study on major depressive disorder. Is paroxetine or cognitive therapy more effective in treating patients with moderate to severe major depressive disorder? Starting with that question, it describes the basics of the study, including funding, study location, who was studied, how many patients, study design, study intervention, follow-up, endpoints, results, and criticism and limitations. The chapter briefly reviews other relevant studies and information, discusses implications, and concludes with a relevant clinical case.

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