Ll. Davis et al., GROWTH-HORMONE RESPONSE TO THE GABA(B) AGONIST BACLOFEN IN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 22(3), 1997, pp. 129-140
Growth hormone (GH) response to the gamma-aminobutyric acid B receptor
agonist, baclofen, was measured in 16 male patients with major depres
sive disorder and in 16 age-matched healthy male controls. No signific
ant differences were found in the GH response to baclofen between the
depressed patients and controls. On repeat testing, the GH response to
baclofen showed significant retest reliability in both groups. There
was no significant correlation between serum baclofen levels and the G
H response to baclofen. Age significantly correlated with GH response,
with older subjects having lower GH response to baclofen. These data
do not suggest that a blunted GK response to baclofen represents a spe
cific neuroendocrine feature of major depression.