DIURNAL NEUROENDOCRINE AND AUTONOMIC FUNCTION IN ACUTE AND REMITTED DEPRESSED MALE-PATIENTS

This study evaluated diurnal data gathered hourly (1000 to 1800 hours) in males during acute depression and during remission of depression a nd in age-range/gender-matched normal controls. Mean, peak, variabilit y, and time-course of the noradrenergic metabolite, plasma 3-methoxy, 4-hydroxphenylglycol [MHPG]), plasma cortisol, and autonomic (mean art erial blood pressure [MAP] and heart rate) variables were examined. Co mpared to controls, acutely depressed but not remitted depressed patie nts had 1) an earlier plasma MHPG peak 2) a greater intragroup variabi lity of plasma MHPG, 3) a higher plasma cortisol concentration, 4) a l ower MAP, and 5) tended to increase MAP more slowly than did the norma l controls, The time course of diurnal heart rate also differed in acu tely depressed patients from controls: acutely depressed patients star ted higher and converged by midday to normal levels. These diurnal dat a lend limited support to the dysregulation hypotheses of depression t hat suggest normal circadian rhythmicities are altered or disrupted in acute depression and that peripheral manifestations of central dysreg ulation normalize in remission of depression.