CORTISOL AND BETA-ENDORPHIN RESPONSES TO SLEEP-DEPRIVATION IN MAJOR DEPRESSION - THE HYPERAROUSAL THEORIES OF SLEEP-DEPRIVATION

To test theories that response to sleep deprivation in depression is t he result of either stress reactions or down-regulation of hyperarousa l, the early morning cortisol and beta-endorphin levels of depressed s leep deprivation responders and nonresponders before and after sleep d eprivation were compared (areas under the curve of 8 blood samples bet ween 7.30 and 10 a.m.). The beta-endorphin response was significantly different in responders and nonresponders, whereas all other compariso ns remained nonsignificant. The results do not support theories that s leep deprivation acts as a stressor, but are not contradictory to the hyperarousal hypothesis of sleep deprivation.