Anand A, Charney D S, Delgado P L, McDougle C J, Heninger G R, Price L H
Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven.
Am J Psychiatry. 1994 Nov;151(11):1626-30. doi: 10.1176/ajp.151.11.1626.
This double-blind study was undertaken to compare central serotonergic function in depressed patients and healthy comparison subjects by examining neuroendocrine and mood responses to intravenous infusion of the serotonin agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP).
The participants were 20 drug-free patients with DSM-III-R major depression and 18 healty comparison subjects. After an overnight fast, the subjects received an intravenous infusion of mCPP, 0.1 mg/kg, or placebo saline. Blood was obtained for measurement of serum prolactin, growth hormone (GH), and cortisol. Visual analogue scales were used to assess mood.
The depressed patients had a blunted GH response and felt less drowsy than the comparison subjects; prolactin, cortisol, and the remaining behavioral ratings showed no differences between the two groups.
In light of findings with other provocative agents, the blunted GH response to mCPP may reflect a defect in GH production in depression and could be a marker of the depressed state. The lack of differences in the other neuroendocrine variables suggests that the functioning of postsynaptic serotonergic receptors responsive to mCPP may be relatively intact in depression.
本双盲研究旨在通过检测对静脉输注5-羟色胺激动剂间氯苯哌嗪（mCPP）的神经内分泌和情绪反应，比较抑郁症患者与健康对照者的中枢5-羟色胺能功能。
参与者为20例未服用药物的DSM-III-R重度抑郁症患者和18例健康对照者。禁食过夜后，受试者接受0.1mg/kg的mCPP静脉输注或安慰剂生理盐水。采集血液以测定血清催乳素、生长激素（GH）和皮质醇。使用视觉模拟量表评估情绪。
抑郁症患者的GH反应迟钝，且比对照者感觉困倦程度更低；两组之间催乳素、皮质醇及其他行为评分无差异。
鉴于其他激发剂的研究结果，对mCPP的GH反应迟钝可能反映抑郁症患者GH分泌存在缺陷，并且可能是抑郁状态的一个标志物。其他神经内分泌变量无差异表明，在抑郁症中，对mCPP有反应的突触后5-羟色胺能受体功能可能相对完整。
