CORTISOL RESPONSES TO IMIPRAMINE COMBINED TREATMENTS

Cortisol was measured in 94 outpatients with primary non-agitated depr ession and 94 normal controls. The patients were treated with imiprami ne for eight weeks in combination with either dixyrazine, diazepam or placebo. The baseline cortisol levels were significantly enhanced in d epressed patients compared to controls. The cortisol levels were negat ively correlated to age in male controls, but not in female controls. Cortisol increased with age in depressed males. Cortisol secretion dec reased in responders, but not in nonresponders. The reduction in corti sol secretion was more pronounced in the treatment with imipramine+dix yrazine (a piperazinyl-phenothiazine) than imipramine+placebo. The pre sent results indicate that the levels of cortisol are state dependent, going back to normal levels with successful treatment, reflecting a p ossible down-regulation of post-synaptic receptor activity.