[Usefulness of neuroendocrine function tests in the differential diagnosis of depression]

In order to find the correlation between dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and TSH response to TRH in the differential diagnosis of subtypes of depression, and to evaluate the possible relationship between Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adreno-cortisol axis, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid axis function, psychopathological symptoms, and the possible influence of age and sex, 107 depressed patients were studied. The relationship between both tests (DST and THS response to TRH) and the subtypes of depression was unspecific. The results did not show psychopathologic differences between depression subgroups. DST appeared to be a good marker for the "state" of illness, whereas TSH was better as a predictor for the outcome.