Abstract
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity measured with the dexamethasone suppression test and the dexamethesone/CRH test may have some predictive power for suicidal behavior in patients with mood disorders. Increased prolactin (PRL) levels may be related both to physiological and pathological conditions. HPA-axis abnormalities and increased levels of PRL may coexist, and common neuroendocrine changes may activate both HPA axis and PRL release. HPA-axis hyperactivity is presumably present in a large subpopulation of depressed subjects. Suicidal behavior is considered to be a form of inward-directed aggression, and aggressive behavior has been connected to high androgen levels. However, lower plasma total testosterone levels have also been reported in subjects with depression and higher suicidality. Lipid/immune dysregulations, the increased ratio of blood fatty acids, and increased PRL levels may each be associated with the increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been reported in patients with major depression and patients engaging in suicidal behavior. Although no studies have been done to determine whether ante-mortem physical stress may be detected by raised post-mortem PRL, this would be of great interest for physicians.
Keywords: Suicidal behavior, stress, prolactin, HPA axis.
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets
Title:Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis and Prolactin Abnormalities in Suicidal Behavior
Volume: 12 Issue: 7
Author(s): Maurizio Pompili, Gianluca Serafini, Mario Palermo, Maria Elena Seretti, Henry Stefani, Gloria Angeletti, David Lester, Mario Amore and Paolo Girardi
Affiliation:
Keywords: Suicidal behavior, stress, prolactin, HPA axis.
Abstract: Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity measured with the dexamethasone suppression test and the dexamethesone/CRH test may have some predictive power for suicidal behavior in patients with mood disorders. Increased prolactin (PRL) levels may be related both to physiological and pathological conditions. HPA-axis abnormalities and increased levels of PRL may coexist, and common neuroendocrine changes may activate both HPA axis and PRL release. HPA-axis hyperactivity is presumably present in a large subpopulation of depressed subjects. Suicidal behavior is considered to be a form of inward-directed aggression, and aggressive behavior has been connected to high androgen levels. However, lower plasma total testosterone levels have also been reported in subjects with depression and higher suicidality. Lipid/immune dysregulations, the increased ratio of blood fatty acids, and increased PRL levels may each be associated with the increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been reported in patients with major depression and patients engaging in suicidal behavior. Although no studies have been done to determine whether ante-mortem physical stress may be detected by raised post-mortem PRL, this would be of great interest for physicians.
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Cite this article as:
Pompili Maurizio, Serafini Gianluca, Palermo Mario, Seretti Elena Maria, Stefani Henry, Angeletti Gloria, Lester David, Amore Mario and Girardi Paolo, Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis and Prolactin Abnormalities in Suicidal Behavior, CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 2013; 12 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/18715273113129990098
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/18715273113129990098 |
Print ISSN 1871-5273 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1996-3181 |
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