Depression: a major, unrecognized risk factor for osteoporosis?

Existing studies of the relationship between depression and osteoporosis ha ve been heterogeneous in their design and use of diagnostic instruments for depression, which might have contributed to the different results on the c omorbidity of these two conditions. Nevertheless, these studies reveal a st rong association between depression and osteoporosis. Endocrine factors suc h as depression-induced hypersecretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone a nd hypercortisolism, hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency and increased concentration of circulating interleukin 6, might play a crucial role in th e bone loss observed in subjects suffering from major depression.