Buspirone/prolactin response in post head injury depression

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Mild head injuries can have long-term psychological consequences.
• Depression is a common sequela following head trauma.
• Serotonin system alterations are implicated in mood disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate depression in male patients with a history of mild head injury.
• To examine the prolactin response to buspirone as a potential biomarker for depression post-head injury.
• To explore the role of serotonin functioning in head injury-related depression.

Main Methods:

• Studied 55 male patients with mild head injury (11-13 months prior).
• Diagnosed depression using DSM-III criteria (major depressive disorder, melancholia).
• Measured prolactin response to buspirone in depressed patients, non-depressed head-injured patients, and healthy controls.

Main Results:

• Eleven patients met criteria for major depression; nine had melancholia.
• A significantly blunted prolactin response to buspirone was observed in depressed, head-injured patients.
• This blunted response was also evident compared to non-depressed head-injured and healthy control groups.

Conclusions:

• Depression following mild head injury is associated with a blunted prolactin response to buspirone.
• Altered serotonin functioning may underlie these neuroendocrine changes post-head injury.
• The prolactin-buspirone test may help identify depression in individuals with a history of head trauma.