TY - JOUR
T1 - CSF thyrotropin-releasing hormone gender difference
T2 - Implications for neurobiology and treatment of depression
AU - Frye, Mark A.
AU - Gary, Keith A.
AU - Marangell, Lauren B.
AU - George, Mark S.
AU - Callahan, Ann M.
AU - Little, John T.
AU - Huggins, Teresa
AU - Corá-Locatelli, Gabriela
AU - Osuch, Elizabeth A.
AU - Winokur, Andrew
AU - Post, Robert M.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - In light of the postulated role of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) as an endogenous anti-depressant, 56 refractory mood-disordered patients and 34 healthy adult control subjects underwent lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TRH analysis. By two-way analysis of variance, there was no difference between CSF TRH in patients (as a group or by diagnostic subtype) and control subjects (n = 90, F = 0.91, df = 2,84, P = 0.41). There was, however, a CSF TRH gender difference (females, 2.95 pg/ml; males, 3.98 pg/ml; n = 90, F = 4.11, df = 1,84, P < 0.05). A post hoc t-test revealed the greatest gender difference in the bipolar group (t = 2.52, P < 0.02). There was no significant difference in CSF TRH in 'ill' vs. 'well' state (n = 20, P = 0.41). The role of elevated levels of CSF TRH in affectively ill men - or the role of decreased levels of CSF TRH in affectively ill women - remains to be investigated but could be of pathophysiological relevance.
AB - In light of the postulated role of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) as an endogenous anti-depressant, 56 refractory mood-disordered patients and 34 healthy adult control subjects underwent lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TRH analysis. By two-way analysis of variance, there was no difference between CSF TRH in patients (as a group or by diagnostic subtype) and control subjects (n = 90, F = 0.91, df = 2,84, P = 0.41). There was, however, a CSF TRH gender difference (females, 2.95 pg/ml; males, 3.98 pg/ml; n = 90, F = 4.11, df = 1,84, P < 0.05). A post hoc t-test revealed the greatest gender difference in the bipolar group (t = 2.52, P < 0.02). There was no significant difference in CSF TRH in 'ill' vs. 'well' state (n = 20, P = 0.41). The role of elevated levels of CSF TRH in affectively ill men - or the role of decreased levels of CSF TRH in affectively ill women - remains to be investigated but could be of pathophysiological relevance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032838807&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0032838807&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1176/jnp.11.3.349
DO - 10.1176/jnp.11.3.349
M3 - Article
C2 - 10440011
AN - SCOPUS:0032838807
SN - 0895-0172
VL - 11
SP - 349
EP - 353
JO - Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
JF - Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
IS - 3
ER -