Abstract
We investigated the relationship between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity, as measured by 24-hour mean urinary free cortisol (MUFC), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opioid activity in patients with major affective disorder and normal volunteers. Among depressed patients, but not normal volunteers, mean 24-hour urinary cortisol values were significantly correlated with CSF opioid activity measured by radioreceptor assay, but were not significantly correlated with β-endorphin immunoreactivity measured by radioimmunoassay. MUFC, as expected, was significantly higher in depressed patients than in normal volunteers. Mean values of CSF opioid activity and β-endorphin immunoreactivity did not differ significantly in the two groups. The positive opioid-MUFC correlation found in the depressed group appeared to depend on patients who were cortisol hypersecretors. These data, using relatively crude measures of cortisol and opioid activity, are suggestive of a relationship between these two systems, particularly under "activated" conditions such as those observed in depression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 87-93 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Psychiatry Research |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1981 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- cerebrospinal fluid
- Cortisol
- depression
- opiates
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
- General Psychology