Neuroendocrine changes in affectively ill children and adolescents

Depression in children has signs and symptoms similar to those observed in depressed adults. Neuroendocrine abnormalities have been consistently observed in depressed adults. Now, neuroendocrine abnormalities are beginning to be studied in depressed children and adolescents. Results of these studies should help clarify the relationship between depression in adults and in children. Careful psychiatric diagnosis is required for studies of the neuroendocrine concomitants of depression. When establishing a diagnosis of depression in children and adolescents, one must pay attention to differences in such variables as cognitive development. Studies of neuroendocrine functioning in depressed children are at an earlier stage than those in depressed adults. To date, most studies have centered on cortisol secretion, the DST, and GH. In general, studies of cortisol secretion (most of which utilize the DST) indicate that a majority of depressed children and adolescents have positive DSTs (that is, dexamethasone fails to suppress their cortisol secretion) and cortisol secretion appears to be increased. These findings are similar to those observed in adults. Results of GH studies are more mixed. Some studies found hypersecretion of GH in depressed children, whereas others found hyposecretion of GH in depressed children. The few studies of TRH stimulation of TSH and melatonin secretion have involved a small number of subjects and results must be considered preliminary.