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Suicidal behavior and growth hormone response to apomorphine test
W Pitchot1, M Hansenne, A G Moreno
1Psychiatric Unit, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium.
Biological Psychiatry
|June 15, 1992
Summary
Depression patients with suicidal behavior showed a reduced growth hormone (GH) release after apomorphine injection. This blunted GH response may serve as a biological marker for suicidal behavior in major depressive disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies suggest the dopaminergic system's involvement in suicidal behavior.
- Low homovanillic acid (HVA) levels, a dopamine metabolite, are observed in depressed patients with suicide attempts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate dopamine receptor sensitivity in relation to suicidal behavior.
- To compare growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine in depressed patients with and without a history of suicide attempts.
Main Methods:
- Assessed GH response to 0.5 mg subcutaneous apomorphine in 15 major depressive inpatients with a history of suicide attempts.
- Compared GH response to a control group of age- and gender-matched major depressive inpatients without suicide history.
Main Results:
- Patients with a history of suicidal behavior exhibited a significantly lower GH response to apomorphine.
- The difference in GH response was statistically significant (t = 3.60, df = 1.28, p = 0.0012).
Conclusions:
- A blunted GH response to apomorphine may indicate heightened dopamine receptor sensitivity.
- This blunted GH response could serve as a potential biological marker for suicidal behavior in major depressive disorder.