Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice
Published on: May 15, 2019
Disordered adrenocorticotropin secretion in women with major depression
Elizabeth A Young1, Johannes D Veldhuis
1Department of Psychiatry and Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0720, USA. eayoung@umich.edu
Context:
Major depression is accompanied by activation of the hypothalamic pituitary axis and evidence of abnormalities in circadian and ultradian hormone rhythms. In addition, diminished negative feedback of cortisol on ACTH has been found.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to compare ACTH and cortisol hormonal patterns in women with major depression with normal control women.
Design:
This was a case control study.
Setting:
The study was conducted at a general clinical research center.
Patients And Other Participants:
Healthy, drug-free, premenopausal women with major depression and age and menstrual cycle day-matched healthy control women were included in the study.
Main Outcome Measure:
ACTH and cortisol data were measured every 10 min for 24 h analyzed with approximate entropy and cross-approximate entropy to determine orderliness of hormone secretion and relationship between ACTH and cortisol in terms of feedforward and feedback synchrony.
Results:
Depressed women manifested increased approximate entropy, indicating more disorderly secretion, of ACTH and elevated forward cross-approximate entropy of ACTH on cortisol, denoting unopposed ACTH drive.
Conclusions:
These data support other evidence of hormonal rhythm abnormalities in depression and are compatible with accentuated feedforward drive by ACTH.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cushing Syndrome II: Pathophysiology
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
Depression: Overview
Cushing Syndrome I: Introduction
Major Hormones and Their Functions
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

