Monoamine function in anxiety and depression: Information from neuroendocrine challenge tests

✍ Scribed by D. J. Nutt; P. J. Cowen

• Book ID: 102860217
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 783 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6222
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.470020404

✦ Synopsis

Neuroendocrine challenge tests are being increasingly employed to assess brain monoamine function in man. This review describes some recent studies which have used neuroendocrine tests to investigate brain noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine function (5-HT) in patients suffering from anxiety and depression. A number of abnormalities, particularly in the noradrenergic system, have been identified, and some interesting similarities and contrasts have emerged between panic disorder and depression. Challenge tests can also be used to identify adaptive changes in monoamine pathways following administration of psychotropic drugs. Tolerance has been demonstrated to the ability of benzodiazepines to reduce brain 5-HT function, a finding which could underlie some of the symptoms of the withdrawal syndrome. In addition, it seems likely that long-term administration of tricyclic antidepressants stabilizes NA synaptic function.