Biological markers of depression: WHO multi-center studies and future perspective

Dexamethasone suppression test (DST), imipramine platelet binding and sleep EEG in depressed patients were studied by the network of WHO Collaborating Centers. DST and sleep EEG indicated abnormalities characteristic to depression, but imipramine platelet binding failed to show difference between depressed and normal subjects. 20 papers related to markers of depression were presented at the 17th Congress of CINP, Kyoto, 1990. They were introduced under 5 headings: 1) DST and its modifications, 2) serotonergic functions, 3) platelet studies, 4) ocular potentials and melatonin, and 5) brain imaging. There are reviewed here.