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The Effect of Desipramine upon Melatonin and Cortisol Secretion in Depressed and Normal Subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Christopher Thompson ,
Gillian Mezey ,
Timothy Corn ,
Christine Franey ,
Judith English ,
Josephine Arendt  and
Stuart Checkley
Christopher Thompson
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry. Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, London
Gillian Mezey
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, London
Timothy Corn
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London
Christine Franey
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Department, University of Surrey
Judith English
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Department, University of Surrey
Josephine Arendt
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Department, University of Surrey
Stuart Checkley*
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

Melatonin and Cortisol values in plasma were measured hourly over 24 hours in six depressed patients and six normal volunteers before treatment and after one and three weeks of treatment with desipramine. The normal volunteers were further tested one week after withdrawal of desipramine. The mydriatic effects of tyramine and phenylephrine eye drops were also recorded in the normal volunteers.

In neither group of subjects did desipramine treatment reduce melatonin secretion, suggesting that functionally significant down-regulation of beta andrenoceptors was not caused by this treatment. Melatonin secretion was significantly increased after three weeks of treatment in depressed patients. This increase was not found in normal subjects.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 147 , Issue 4 , October 1985 , pp. 389 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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