ARE BLUNTED DEXAMETHASONE-INDUCED GROWTH-HORMONE RESPONSES UNIQUE TO DEPRESSION

In health, acute administration of glucocorticoids, such as dexamethas one (DEX), leads to growth hormone (GH) secretion. Depression is chara cterized by blunted DEX/GH responses. In order to determine the specif icity of this test for depression we administered 4 mg of oral DEX, to patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of depression, schizophrenia, man ia and alcohol dependency syndrome. Samples for GH estimation were tak en at -15 min, 0 min, +60 min, +180 min, +240 min and +300 min. GH res ponses were attenuated to a similar degree in depression and mania. Le ss marked attenuation was seen in schizophrenia while those with alcoh ol dependency syndrome had GH responses indistinguishable from normal volunteers. Overall, we conclude that subnormal DEX/GH secretion is no t specific to depression.