MHPG excretion during sleep deprivation in endogenous depression

MHPG excretion of 14 endogenously depressive patients and 5 healthy controls was investigated before, during and after a night of sleep deprivation (SD). Patients having a minimum improvement of 40% in the Cronholm-Ottoson rating scale had shown a significantly higher MHPG excretion in the night before SD ( p less than 0.02) as compared to the non-improved group. The MHPG excretion of the night before SD shows a significant negative correlation, both with the depression score according to Cronholm-Ottoson (p less than 0.05) and with the self-rating score according to von Zerssen (p less than 0.005), on the day after SD. No correlation was found between the motor activity measured by pedometer and MHPG excretion. The results are discussed in connection with values found in controls.