Thyroid releasing hormone test in schizophrenic patients with post-psychotic depression

1. TSH response to TRH was assessed in 25 patients meeting operationalized criteria for the post-psychotic depression syndrome and in an age and sex matched control group of 34 primary depressed patients. 2. A blunted TSH response was observed in 36% of the patients with post-psychotic depression. 3. The rate of blunted TSH response was similar for patients with secondary post-psychotic depression to those patients with primary depressions. 4. Demographic and clinical parameters did not distinguish those post-psychotic depressed patients who had a blunted response from those who did not. 5. A blunted TSH response to TRH did not predict which patients were more likely to have a favorable response when adjunctive imipramine was added to their on-going fluphenazine decanoate and benztropine regimen.