Lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptor binding in depression: normal values following recovery

The number of glucocorticoid receptor sites in lymphocytes and plasma cortisol concentrations were measured in 20 patients who had recovered from major depressive disorder and 20 healthy control subjects. The number of glucocorticoid receptor sites in lymphocytes from the recovered depressed group was not significantly different from that of the control group. Although the mean plasma cortisol concentration in recovered depressives was higher than in control subjects, the difference only just reached significance. This study shows that the reduction in glucocorticoid receptor numbers which occurs during acute depressive illness does not persist on recovery and is, therefore, state-dependent.