811
Views
37
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
REVIEW ARTICLE

Anna-Monika Award Lecture, DGPPN Kongress, 2013: The role of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in the pathogenesis of psychotic major depression

Pages 2-11 | Received 14 Apr 2014, Accepted 14 Apr 2014, Published online: 16 Jun 2014

References

  • Anton RF. 1987. Urinary free cortisol in psychotic depression. Biol Psychiatry 22:24–34.
  • Arana GW, Baldessarini RJ, Ornsteen M. 1985. The dexamethasone suppression test for diagnosis and prognosis in psychiatry. Commentary and review. Arch Gen Psychiatry 42:1193–1204.
  • Bachmann CG, Linthorst AC, Holsboer F, Reul JM. 2003. Effect of chronic administration of selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonists on the rat hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Neuropsychopharmacology 28:1056–1067.
  • Basso MR, Bornstein RA. 1999. Neuropsychological deficits in psychotic versus nonpsychotic unipolar depression. Neuropsychology 13:69–75.
  • Belanoff JK, Gross K, Yager A, Schatzberg AF. 2001a. Corticosteroids and cognition. J Psychiatr Res 35:127–145.
  • Belanoff JK, Kalehzan M, Sund B, Fleming Ficek SK, Schatzberg AF. 2001b. Cortisol activity and cognitive changes in psychotic major depression. Am J Psychiatry 158:1612–1616.
  • Belanoff JK, Flores BH, Kalezhan M, Sund B, Schatzberg AF. 2001c. Rapid reversal of psychotic depression using mifepristone. J Clin Psychopharmacol 21:516–521.
  • Belanoff JK, Rothschild AJ, Cassidy F, DeBattista C, Baulieu EE, Schold C, et al. 2002. An open label trial of C-1073 (mifepristone) for psychotic major depression. Biol Psychiatry 52:386–392.
  • Blasey CM, Block TS, Belanoff JK, Roe RL. 2011. Efficacy and safety of mifepristone for the treatment of psychotic depression. J Clin Psychopharmacol 31:436–440.
  • Blasey CM, Debattista C, Roe R, Block T, Belanoff JK. 2009. A multisite trial of mifepristone for the treatment of psychotic depression: a site-by-treatment interaction. Contemp Clin Trials 30:284–288.
  • Chrousos GP, Kino T. 2005.Intracellular glucocorticoid signaling: a formerly simple system turns stochastic. Sci STKE 2005(304):pe48.
  • DeBattista C, Belanoff J, Glass S, Khan A, Horne RL, Blasey C, et al. 2006. Mifepristone versus placebo in the treatment of psychosis in patients with psychotic major depression. Biol Psychiatry 60:1343–1349.
  • de Kloet ER, Joëls M, Holsboer F. 2005. Stress and the brain: from adaptation to disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 6(6):463–475.
  • Domschke K. 2013. Clinical and molecular genetics of psychotic depression. Schizophr Bull 39:766–775.
  • Evans DL, Burnett GB, Nemeroff CB. 1983. The dexamethasone suppression test in the clinical setting. Am J Psychiatry 140:586–589.
  • Flores BH, Kenna H, Keller J, Solvason HB, Schatzberg AF. 2006. Clinical and biological effects of mifepristone treatment for psychotic depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 31: 628–636.
  • Garrett A, Kelly R, Gomez R, Keller J, Schatzberg AF, Reiss AL. 2011. Aberrant brain activation during a working memory task in psychotic major depression. Am J Psychiatry 168: 173–182.
  • Gomez RG, Fleming SH, Keller J, Flores B, Kenna H, DeBattista C, et al. 2006. The neuropsychological profile of psychotic major depression and its relation to cortisol. Biol Psychiatry 60:472–478.
  • Gomez RG, Posener JA, Keller J, DeBattista C, Solvason B, Schatzberg AF. 2009. Effects of major depression diagnosis and cortisol levels on indices of neurocognitive function. Psychoneuroendocrinology 34:1012–1018.
  • Hauger RL, Risbrough V, Brauns O, Dautzenberg FM. 2006. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor signaling in the central nervous system: new molecular targets. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets 5:453–479.
  • Hill SK, Keshavan MS, Thase ME, Sweeney JA. 2004. Neuropsychological dysfunction in antipsychotic-naive first-episode unipolar psychotic depression. Am J Psychiatry 161:996–1003.
  • Hu P, Oomen C, van Dam AM, Wester J, Zhou JN, Joëls M, et al. 2012. A single-day treatment with mifepristone is sufficient to normalize chronic glucocorticoid induced suppression of hippocampal cell proliferation. PLoS One 7:e46224.
  • Jeste DV, Heaton SC, Paulsen JS, Ercoli L, Harris J, Heaton RK. 1996. Clinical and neuropsychological comparison of psychotic depression with nonpsychotic depression and schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 153:490–496.
  • Johnson J, Horwath E, Weissman MM. 1991. The validity of major depression with psychotic features based on a community study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 48:1075–1081.
  • Keller J, Gomez RG, Kenna HA, Poesner J, DeBattista C, Flores B, et al. 2006a. Detecting psychotic major depression using psychiatric rating scales. J Psychiatr Res 40:22–29.
  • Keller J, Flores B, Gomez RG, Solvason HB, Kenna H, Williams GH, et al. 2006b. Cortisol circadian rhythm alterations in psychotic major depression. Biol Psychiatry 60:275–281.
  • Keller J, Schatzberg AF, Maj M. 2007. Current issues in the classification of psychotic major depression. Schizophr Bull 33:877–885.
  • Kelley R, Garrett A, Cohen J, Gomez R, Lembke A, Keller J, et al. 2013. Altered brain function underlying verbal memory encoding and retrieval in psychotic major depression. Psychiatry Res 211:119–126.
  • Kim DK, Kim BL, Sohn SE, Lim SW, Na DG, Paik CH, et al. 1999. Candidate neuroanatomic substrates of psychosis in old-aged depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 23:793–807.
  • Kunik ME, Chapagne L, Harper RG, Chacko RC. 1994. Cognitive functioning in elderly depressed patients with and without psychosis. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 9:871–874.
  • Langlais PJ, Rothschild AJ, Schatzberg AF, Cole JO, Bird ED. 1984. Dexamethasone elevates dopamine in human plasma and rat brain. Psychopharmacol Bull 20:365–370.
  • Lembke A, Gomez R, Tenakoon L, Keller J, Cohen G, Williams GH, et al. 2013. The mineralocorticoid receptor agonist, fludrocortisone, differentially inhibits pituitary-adrenal activity in humans with psychotic major depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 38:115–121.
  • Lesser IM, Miller BL, Boone KB, Hill-Gutierrez E, Mehringer CM, Wong K, et al. 1991. Brain injury and cognitive function in late-onset psychotic depression. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 3:33–40.
  • Lindley SE, Bengoechea TG, Schatzberg AF, Wong DL. 1999a. Glucocorticoid effects on mesotelencephalic dopamine neurotransmission. Neuropsychopharmacology 21:399–407.
  • Lindley SE, Bengoechea TG, Wong DL, Schatzberg AF. 1999b. Strain differences in mesotelencephalic dopaminergic neuronal regulation between Fischer 344 and Lewis rats. Brain Res 832:152–158.
  • Lindley SE, Bengoechea TG, Wong DL, Schatzberg AF. 2002. Mesotelencephalic dopamine neurochemical responses to glucocorticoid administration and adrenalectomy in Fischer 344 and Lewis rats. Brain Res 958:414–422.
  • Lupien S, Richter R, Risch SC, Mirow A, Gillin JC, Hauger RL. 1995. Time course of the corticosteroid-dopaminergic interaction during metyrapone and dexamethasone administration. Psychiatry Res 58:23–35.
  • Lupien SJ, Wilkinson CW, Brière S, Ménard C, Ng Ying Kin NM, Nair NP. 2002. The modulatory effects of corticosteroids on cognition: studies in young human populations. Psychoneuroendocrinology 27:401–416.
  • Maj M, Pirozzi R, Magliano L, Fiorillo A, Bartoli L. 2007. Phenomenology and prognostic significance of delusions in major depressive disorder: a 10-year prospective follow-up study. J Clin Psychiatry 68:1411–1147.
  • Mayer JL, Klumpers L, Maslam S, de Kloet ER, Joëls M, Lucassen PJ. 2006. Brief treatment with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone normalises the corticosterone-induced reduction of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. J Neuroendocrinol 18:629–631.
  • Minton GO, Young AH, McQuade R, Fairchild G, Ingram CD, Gartside SE. 2009. Profound changes in dopaminergic neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex in response to flattening of the diurnal glucocorticoid rhythm: implications for bipolar disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 34:2265–2274.
  • Nelson JC, Davis JM. 1997. DST studies in psychotic depression: a meta-analysis. The dexamethasone suppression test for diagnosis and prognosis in psychiatry. Commentary and review. Am J Psychiatry 154:1497–1503.
  • Nelson EB, Sax KW, Strakowski SM. 1998. Attentional performance in patients with psychotic and nonpsychotic major depression and schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 155: 137–139.
  • Newcomer JW, Craft S, Hershey T, Askins K, Bardgett ME. 1994. Glucocorticoid-induced impairment in declarative memory performance in adult humans. J Neurosci 14:2047–2053.
  • Niwa M, Jaaro-Peled H, Tankou S, Seshadri S, Hikida T, Matsumoto Y, et al. 2013a. Adolescent stress-induced epigenetic control of dopaminergic neurons via glucocorticoids. Science 339:335–339.
  • Niwa M, Sawa A. 2013b. Roles of glucocorticoids in a treajectory from adolescent social stress to social behavior. Presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
  • Ohayon MM, Schatzberg AF. 2002. Prevalence of depressive episodes with psychotic features in the general population. Am J Psychiatry 159:1855–1861.
  • Oomen CA, Mayer JL, de Kloet ER, Joëls M, Lucassen PJ. 2007. Brief treatment with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone normalizes the reduction in neurogenesis after chronic stress. Eur J Neurosci 26:3395–3401.
  • Otte C, Jahn H, Yassouridis A, Arlt J, Stober N, Maass P, et al. 2003. The mineralocorticoid receptor agonist, fludrocortisone, inhibits pituitary-adrenal activity in humans after pre-treatment with metyrapone. Life Sci 73:1835–1845.
  • Patel PD, Lopez JF, Lyons DM, Burke S, Wallace M, Schatzberg AF. 2000. Glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in squirrel monkey brain. J Psychiatr Res 34:383–392.
  • Perälä J, Suvisaari J, Saarni SI, Kuoppasalmi K, Isometsä E, Pirkola S, et al. 2007. Lifetime prevalence of psychotic and bipolar I disorders in a general population. Arch Gen Psychiatry 64:19–28.
  • Posener JA, Schildkraut JJ, Williams GH, Gleason RE, Salomon MS, Mecheri G, et al. 1994. Acute and delayed effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone on dopamine activity in man. Biol Psychiatry 36:616–621.
  • Posener JA, Schildkraut JJ, Samson JA, Schatzberg AF. 1996. Diurnal variation of plasma cortisol and homovanillic acid in healthy subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 21:33–38.
  • Posener JA, Schatzberg AF, Williams GH, Samson JA, McHale NL, Bessette MP, et al. 1999. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis effects on plasma homovanillic acid in man. Biol Psychiatry 45:222–228.
  • Posener JA, DeBattista C, Williams GH, Chmura Kraemer H, Kalehzan BM, Schatzberg AF. 2000. 24-Hour monitoring of cortisol and corticotropin secretion in psychotic and nonpsychotic major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 57:755–760.
  • Prudic J, Olfson M, Marcus SC, Fuller RB, Sackeim HA. 2004.Effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy in community settings. Biol Psychiatry 55:301–312.
  • Rothschild AJ, Langlais PJ, Schatzberg AF, Walsh FX, Cole JO, Bird ED. 1984. Dexamethasone increases plasma free dopamine in man. J Psychiatr Res 18:217–223.
  • Rothschild AJ, Schatzberg AF, Langlais PJ, Lerbinger JE, Miller MM, Cole JO. 1987. Psychotic and nonpsychotic depressions: I. Comparison of plasma catecholamines and cortisol measures. Psychiatry Res 20:143–153.
  • Rothschild AJ, Benes F, Hebben N, Woods B, Luciana M, Bakanas E, et al. 1989. Relationships between brain CT scan findings and cortisol in psychotic and nonpsychotic depressed patients. Biol Psychiatry 26:565–575.
  • Rothschild AJ, Williamson DJ, Tohen MF, Schatzberg A, Andersen SW, Van Campen LE, et al. 2004. A double-blind, randomized study of olanzapine and olanzapine/fluoxetine combination for major depression with psychotic features. J Clin Psychopharmacol 24:365–373.
  • Schatzberg AF, Keller J, Tennakoon L, Lembke A, Williams G, Kraemer FB, et al. 2014. HPA axis genetic variation, cortisol and psychosis in major depression. Mol Psychiatry 19:220–227.
  • Schatzberg AF, Posener JA, DeBattista C, Kalehzan BM, Rothschild AJ, Shear PK. 2000. Neuropsychological deficits in psychotic versus nonpsychotic major depression and no mental illness. Am J Psychiatry 157:1095–1100.
  • Schatzberg AF, Rothschild AJ. 1992. Psychotic (delusional) major depression: should it be included as a distinct syndrome in DSM-IV?Am J Psychiatry 149:733–745.
  • Schatzberg AF, Rothschild AJ, Langlais PJ, Bird ED, Cole JO. 1985. A corticosteroid/dopamine hypothesis for psychotic depression and related states. J Psychiatr Res 19:57–64.
  • Schatzberg AF, Rothschild AJ, Stahl JB, Bond TC, Rosenbaum AH, Lofgren SB, et al. 1983. The dexamethasone suppression test: identification of subtypes of depression. Am J Psychiatry 140:88–91.
  • Simpson S, Baldwin RC, Jackson A, Burns A. 1999. The differentiation of DSM-III-R psychotic depression in later life from nonpsychotic depression: comparisons of brain changes measured by multispectral analysis of magnetic resonance brain images, neuropsychological findings, and clinical features. Biol Psychiatry 45:193–204.
  • Simpson GM, El Sheshai A, Loza N, Kingsbury SJ, Fayek M, Rady A, et al. 2005. An 8-week open-label trial of a 6-day course of mifepristone for the treatment of psychotic depression. J Clin Psychiatry 66:598–602.
  • Starkman MN, Giordani B, Berent S, Schork MA, Schteingart DE. 2001. Elevated cortisol levels in Cushing’s disease are associated with cognitive decrements. Psychosom Med 63:985–993.
  • Staufenbiel SM, Penninx BW, Spijker AT, Elzinga BM, van Rossum EF. 2013. Hair cortisol, stress exposure, and mental health in humans: a systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 38:1220–1235.
  • Stetler C, Miller GE. 2011. Depression and hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal activation: a quantitative summary of four decades of research. Psychosom Med 73:114–126.
  • van der Lely AJ, Foeken K, van der Mast RC, Lamberts SW. 1991. Rapid reversal of acute psychosis in the Cushing syndrome with the cortisol-receptor antagonist mifepristone (RU 486). Ann Intern Med 114:143–144.
  • Vendruscolo LF, Barbier E, Schlosburg JE, Misra KK, Whitfield TW Jr, Logrip ML, et al. 2012. Corticosteroid- dependent plasticity mediates compulsive alcohol drinking in rats. J Neurosci 32:7563–7571.
  • Watson S, Gallagher P, Porter RJ, Smith MS, Herron LJ, Bulmer S; North-East Mood Disorders Clinical Research Group, Young AH, Ferrier IN. 2012. A randomized trial to examine the effect of mifepristone on neuropsychological performance and mood in patients with bipolar depression. Biol Psychiatry 72:943–949.
  • Wolkowitz OM, Doran AR, Breier A, Roy A, Jimerson DC, Sutton ME, et al. 1987. The effects of dexamethasone on plasma homovanillic acid and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol. Evidence for abnormal corticosteroid-catecholamine interactions in major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 44:782–789.
  • Wolkowitz OM, Doran A, Breier A, Roy A, Pickar D. 1989. Specificity of plasma HVA response to dexamethasone in psychotic depression. Psychiatry Res 29:177–186.
  • Wolkowitz OM, Reus VI, Weingartner H, Thompson K, Breier A, Doran A, et al. 1990. Cognitive effects of corticosteroids. Am J Psychiatry 147:1297–1303.
  • Wolkowitz OM, Sutton ME, Doran AR, Labarca R, Roy A, Thomas JW, et al. 1985. Dexamethasone increases plasma HVA but not MHPG in normal humans. Psychiatry Res 16:101–109.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.