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The interrelationship of beta endorphin, ACTH and cortisol in depressive illness: a controlled study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Rosemary Ball ,
Trevor Howlett ,
Trevor Silverstone  and
Lesley Rees
Rosemary Ball*
Affiliation:
Academic Unit of Human Psychopharmacology, Chemical Endocrinology, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Trevor Howlett
Affiliation:
Departments of Endocrinology and Chemical Endocrinology, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Trevor Silverstone
Affiliation:
Academic Unit of Human Psychopharmacology, Chemical Endocrinology, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Lesley Rees
Affiliation:
Academic Unit of Human Psychopharmacology, Chemical Endocrinology, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr R. Ball, Academic Department of Psychiatry, Middlesex Hospital, Mortimer Street, London WI.
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Synopsis

Plasma cortisol, ACTH and beta endorphin were measured before and after dexamethasone in 8 severely depressed patients and 8 age- and sex-matched controls to examine the relationship of ACTH and endogenous opioids to cortisol in depression. Despite having significantly higher plasma levels of cortisol than the controls, the depressed patients did not have correspondingly elevated plasma levels of ACTH. Beta-endorphin levels were also similar in the two groups. All three hormones suppressed to some degree after dexamethasone, but cortisol suppressed less in patients than controls. Our findings suggest that in severe depressive illness abnormalities exist in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis peripherally as well as centrally.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 31 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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