Abstract
Thirty depressed patients were compared with 39 controls for their plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels in relation to a cold challenge (placing a hand in ice cold water for 1 minute). Depressed patients showed significantly higher plasma NE levels than controls. Unipolar, but not bipolar patients, had significantly higher plasma NE levels than age- and sex-matched controls. Unipolar melancholic patients who were nonsuppressors on the dexamethasone suppression test showed a strong trend to have higher plasma NE levels than suppressors. These results are further evidence that the NE system is dysregulated in depression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 161-168 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Psychiatry Research |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1987 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- cold challenge
- depression
- norepinephrine
- Plasma
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
- Psychology(all)