Increased Stress Hormone Released in Patients With Depression

In normal controls (NC), who were pretreated the day before with 1.5mg dexamethasone, an infusion of 100 µg hCRH induced only a modest elevation of plasma cortisol. In contrast, depressed patients (DEP) responded with a significantly increased cortisol secretion.

Reprinted from von Bardeleben U et al. Cortisol Response to a Combined Dexamethasone-Human Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone Challenge in Patients with Depression. J Neuroendocrinol. 1989; 1: 485-488. Copyright (1989) Oxford University Press.