CHANGES IN THYROID-HORMONE LEVELS ASSOCIATED WITH DESIPRAMINE RESPONSE IN ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION

1. The authors recently reported that acutely ill depressed adolescent s have elevated plasma T4 and fT4 compared to controls. Studies in adu lt depression suggest antidepressant response is associated with decre ases in these elevated levels. The effect of antidepressant treatment on adolescent thyroid indices has not been examined. 2. Thyroid indice s were examined in 12 adolescent patients (4 male, 8 female; age 14-19 y) in the active treatment arm of a double-blind, placebo-controlled d esipramine trial (200 mg/day for 6 weeks). Antidepressant responders h ad higher pre-treatment levels of T4 and larger decreases were observe d responders vs. nonresponders. 3. These results replicate findings ob served in adult depressed patients and suggest similar alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis function in adolescent d epression.