Biological studies in depressed children and adolescents

Abstract

The objective was to review the literature on the biological correlates of major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents. A computerized search for articles published during the last 20 years was done and selected studies presented. To date, examination of growth hormone (GH), prolactin, and cortisol levels after pharmacological stimulation have shown abnormalities in the secretion of these hormones (e.g. blunted GH secretion after the administration of growth hormone releasing hormone). Identical results have been found in never-depressed children at high risk to develop MDD due to high family loading for MDD suggesting that alteration in certain hormonal systems may be trait markers for MDD. Other biological studies (e.g. the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, sleep electroencephalogram) have yielded more inconsistent results with subjects with melancholic symptoms, severe depressions, and older age showing some abnormalities similar to the ones reported in adults with MDD. Factors such age, sex, maturation, psychiatric family history and exposure to stress need to be considered since they also affect the same biological systems associated with the aetiology of MDD. Considerable biological research has been done in youth with MDD. Further research is needed to investigate whether these markers predict the development of new episodes of MDD, recurrences, and treatment response. Also, these and other studies using more sophisticated methods (e.g. functional MRI) aimed at elucidating the interrelationship between biological and other risk factors are needed.

Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dysregulation in depressed children and adolescents: A meta-analysis

“…Our results indicate that such HPA-axis dysregulation can also be found in children and adolescents, a conclusion that is in line with, and extends previous reviews by Casat et al (1989) and Kaufman et al (2001). However, contrary to previous descriptive reviews, which proposed that age influences HPA axis response in depressed youngsters (Birmaher & Heydl, 2001), our analysis found no significant age differences. Likewise, we found no significant effects of time of sampling and type of control group (psychiatric vs. healthy peers).…”

“…Much of this work has involved the examination of cortisol response to biological and psychological probes or the assessment of basal cortisol levels. However, recent descriptive reviews of the pediatric literature have yielded inconsistent findings, with some reviewers concluding that the association between dysregulated HPA-axis and child depression is inconclusive at best (Birmaher et al, 1996; Birmaher & Heydl, 2001), while others suggesting that HPA-dysregulation in pediatric depression is consistent with that found in adults (Kaufman et al, 2001). …”

Polysomnographic assessment of patients with somatoform disorder in comparison with patients with major depressive disorder

“…In the present study, 38 out of 40 MDD (95%) complained of one or more type of insomnia [36 patients with initial insomnia (90%), 16 patients with middle insomnia (40%), and 16 patients with late insomnia (40%)], which is in agreement with Birmaher and Heydl [13], Doghramji [14], and Krahn [15].…”

Residential Treatment Centers for Child Abuse

“…[29] Ruhsal belirtilerden önemli bir diğeri olan depresif bozukluk erişkinlerde olduğu gibi sık görülen bir psikiyatrik bozukluktur. [30] Çocukluk çağı istismarında suçluluk ve değersizlik duyguları depresyona yol açabilmektedir. [31] Depresyon ve istismar arasın-daki bağlantının yapısal nedenlerini açıklayan deneysel çalışmalar olduğu bilinmektedir.…”