[Endocrinological examination and its clinical significance in manic-depressive illness]

Neuro-endocrine test is one of the useful strategies in examining the pathophysiology of manic-depressive illness (MDI). Unfortunately, however, the pathophysiology of MDI has not yet been clarified and the specific biological markers of MDI have still not been found. In the present paper, a brief general survey as to main clinical points of endocrinological examination and its results towards the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, growth hormone, melatonin, etc. are given and some mentions of biological markers in MDI are made.