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Hough CM, Lindqvist D, Epel ES, Denis MS, Reus VI, Bersani FS, Rosser R, Mahan L, Burke HM, Wolkowitz OM, Mellon SH. Higher serum DHEA concentrations before and after SSRI treatment are associated with remission of major depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 77:122-130. [PMID: 28038403 PMCID: PMC5336487 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated ester DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S), (together DHEA[S]), are the most abundant adrenal steroids in humans and are found in blood and the brain, where they function as neurosteroids with direct receptor affinities. Preclinical studies suggest that DHEA(S) has antidepressant/neuroprotective properties, and exogenously administered DHEA has shown antidepressant efficacy in humans. Nonetheless, the role of endogenous DHEA(S) levels in major depressive disorder (MDD) and antidepressant outcomes remains unclear. METHODS Morning fasting serum DHEA(S) concentrations were determined in 36 healthy, unmedicated MDD adults with Hamilton Depression (HDRS) ratings ≥17, and 75 healthy controls. MDD participants then completed eight weeks of open-label SSRI treatment before DHEA(S) levels were re-sampled; those with post-treatment HDRS ratings ≤7 were classified as "Remitters." Pre- and post-treatment DHEA(S) levels of Remitters and Non-remitters were compared, controlling for age, sex, and BMI. RESULTS Pre-treatment HDRS ratings did not differ between Remitters and Non-remitters (p=0.179). Baseline DHEA levels of Remitters were significantly higher than both Non-remitters (p=0.008) and controls (p=0.004); baseline DHEA-S levels of Remitters were also higher than Non-remitters (p=0.040) but did not significantly differ from controls (p=0.096). Non-remitters did not significantly differ from controls. Post-treatment DHEA(S) levels remained higher in Remitters compared to Non-remitters (DHEA: p=0.013; DHEA-S: p=0.040). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that higher circulating DHEA(S) levels (while unmedicated and after eight weeks of SSRI treatment) predict SSRI-associated remission in MDD. This raises the possibility that endogenous DHEA(S) abundance is a physiological adjunct to SSRI efficacy, as suggested by prior preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Hough
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Lindqvist
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Clinical Sciences, Section for Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Molly St Denis
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Victor I Reus
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - F Saverio Bersani
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rebecca Rosser
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Laura Mahan
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Heather M Burke
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Owen M Wolkowitz
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Synthia H Mellon
- Department of OB/GYN and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, CA 94143-0556, USA.
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Zatelli MC, Ambrosio MR, Bondanelli M, Degli Uberti E. Pituitary side effects of old and new drugs. J Endocrinol Invest 2014; 37:917-23. [PMID: 25070042 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-014-0133-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pituitary function is influenced by several drugs, including anti-depressant, opioids, glucocorticoids, chemotherapeutic agents, immunomodulators and the newly developed tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In most instances, treatment with these drugs negatively affects pituitary function, but in rare cases an activation of specific hypothalamic-pituitary axes may be observed. Several of the observed pituitary side effects are reversible after drug withdrawal, but pituitary function deficiency may persist long-term. In addition to the well known drugs, recent evidence shows that also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs impair gonadal axis at pituitary level, while antipsychotic phenothiazines alter TSH response to TRH and TSH levels. Atypical antipsychotics may decrease TRH-stimulated TSH. Tricyclic antidepressant drugs interfere with the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis by decreasing TSH response to TRH. Anabolic-androgenic steroids, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and opioid narcotics negatively impact fertility, also acting at hypothalamic-pituitary level. CONCLUSIONS Many of the drugs administered routinely in the intensive care unit significantly impact the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Therefore, an increased awareness on pituitary side effects of drugs commonly used in clinical practice is necessary in order to rule out possible pharmacological interference when assessing patients with pituitary deficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Zatelli
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Endocrinology, University of Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44100, Ferrara, Italy,
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Veldhuis JD, Sharma A, Roelfsema F. Age-dependent and gender-dependent regulation of hypothalamic-adrenocorticotropic-adrenal axis. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2013; 42:201-25. [PMID: 23702398 PMCID: PMC3675779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecl.2013.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tightly regulated output of glucocorticoids is critical to maintaining immune competence, the structure of neurons, muscle, and bone, blood pressure, glucose homeostasis, work capacity, and vitality in the human and experimental animal. Age, sex steroids, gender, stress, body composition, and disease govern glucocorticoid availability through incompletely understood mechanisms. According to an ensemble concept of neuroendocrine regulation, successful stress adaptations require repeated incremental signaling adjustments among hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone and arginine vasopressin, pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone, and adrenal corticosteroids. Signals are transduced via (positive) feedforward and (negative) feedback effects. Age and gonadal steroids strongly modulate stress-adaptive glucocorticoid secretion by such interlinked pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes D Veldhuis
- Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Center for Translational Science Activities, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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