Citation

Ryan ND, Puig-Antich J, Rabinovich H, Ambrosini PJ, Robinson D, Nelson B, Novacenko H. J. Affect. Disord. 1988; 15(3): 323-337.

Affiliation

New York Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2975304

Abstract

Desipramine 75 mg i.m. was given in the morning to 20 adolescents with major depressive disorder and 23 normal controls. Depressed adolescents secreted significantly less growth hormone (GH) over the next 2 h than did normal adolescents, although a substantial proportion of the differences were accounted for by the depressed adolescents who had a specific suicidal plan or attempt during the episode. Severity of depression or the presence of other depressive symptoms did not predict GH secretion within the depressed group. Age, sex and maturational factors in the control of GH are discussed. It is concluded that these differences in GH secretion probably reflect differences in CNS beta-adrenergic and/or serotonergic function. Suicidality and depression may have different psychobiological correlates in adolescents.

Language: en