[The clomipramine test and subtypes of depression].

OBJECTIVE

Neuroendocrine challenge paradigms have been used to assess serotonergic system in depression but limitations in the specificity of many of these tests have been noted. In this study, the neuroendocrine responses to acute intravenous administration of the serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor clomipramine were assessed in patients with Major Depression with Melancholia (DMM) and matched subjects with Major Depression (DM) (without Melancholia) and Dysthimic disorder (TD).

METHOD

10 patients who met DSM III-R criteria of DMM, 10 patients with DM and 10 with DD matched for age and sex received 12.5 mg of intravenously administered clomipramine. Prl, Cortisol and GH were measured during the next 135 minutes.

RESULTS

The DMM patients had significant blunting prolactin responses to clomipramine compared with the other patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These data support the hypothesis that DMM patients have abnormal neuroendocrine responses to the intravenous administration of the 5-HT reuptake inhibitor clomipramine and that they are different from the DM and TD patients.