Characterization and functional significance of glucocorticoid receptors in patients with major depression: modulation by antidepressant treatment.

CALFA G, KADEMIAN S, CESCHIN D, VEGA G, RABINOVICH GA, VOLOSIN M

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2003 vol. 28 p. 687 - 687

yperactivity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with major depression is one of the most consistent findings in biological psychiatry. Experimental data support the idea that glucocorticoid-mediated feedback via glucocorticoid receptors (GR) is impaired in major depression. The aim of the present work was to assess the putative changes in GR density of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a group of patients with major depression and to determine modulation of these GR sites by antidepressant treatment. In addition, susceptibility of PBMCs to glucocorticoid effects was also studied using a functional end-point analysis in vitro, such as cortisol inhibition of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. Cortisol levels were also measured before and after dexamethasone suppression test (DST). The results showed a decrease in GR density in depressed patients compared with healthy subjects, mainly in those patients that showed bas