Figure 1. 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.