Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice
Published on: May 15, 2019
The effect of treatment with ketoconazole on central CRH systems of depressed patients
Georgios Paslakis1, Olivera Lecei, Günther K Stalla
1Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. Georgios.Paslakis@zi-mannheim.de
Objectives:
Steroid-synthesis inhibitors are reported to reduce psychopathology in treatment-resistant depressed patients.
Methods:
We studied the effect of a 3-week treatment with ketoconazole on the evening plasma concentrations of cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and adrenocorticotrope hormone (ACTH) as well as morning cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of cortisol, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) in six elderly treatment-resistant depressed patients.
Results:
While we found plasma cortisol concentrations to be unchanged, a decline in plasma DHEA-S concentrations indicated effective steroid-synthesis inhibition. In morning CSF we found CRH concentrations that did not change.
Conclusions:
Our preliminary observations indicate that the treatment of depressed patients with the steroid-synthesis inhibitor ketoconazole does not lead to a major increase in CSF CRH secretion.
Related Concept Videos
Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs
Antidepressant Drugs: Overview
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Depression: Overview
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
