Preservation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis fast-feedback responses in depression
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Updated: Nov 2, 2026

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice
Published on: May 15, 2019
1Department of Psychological Medicine, Medical College of St Bartholomew's London, UK.
Abstract:
Depression is associated with overactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may be attributable to defective negative feedback. Fast feedback is the earliest phase of this, and has previously been suggested to be abnormal. A total of 30 physically healthy volunteers, 15 patients with DSM-III-R major depression and an age- and sex-matched control group received a standardized challenge of hydrocortisone (5 micrograms kg-1 min-1) or placebo over a period of 1 h. ACTH1-39 responses to hydrocortisone challenge did not differ significantly between healthy volunteers and patients with major depression. The fast-feedback response to hydrocortisone challenge is preserved in major depression when ACTH is measured directly.
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