Lack of effect of a single dose of hydrocortisone on serotonin(1A) receptors in recovered depressed patients measured by positron emission tomography with [11C]WAY-100635.

Journal article

BACKGROUND: Elevated cortisol levels might account for the reduction in central serotonin 1A (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT](1A)) receptor binding and function observed in patients with major depression. We tested this hypothesis by studying the effect of acute administration of hydrocortisone on 5-HT(1A) receptor binding potential (BP) in subjects recovered from depression. METHODS: We studied 14 subjects (8 male, 6 female) who had recovered from at least two episodes of major depression and had been euthymic and drug free for at least 6 months. Serotonin 1A receptor BP was measured by [(11)C]WAY-100635 in conjunction with positron emission tomography. Subjects were tested on two occasions in a double-blind, random-order, crossover design after administration of either hydrocortisone (100 mg orally) or placebo 12 hours previously. Positron emission tomography scans were analyzed with a region of interest analysis. RESULTS: Hydrocortisone treatment did not decrease 5-HT(1A) receptor BP either in the hippocampus, which was our a priori hypothesis, or in other cortical 5-HT(1A) regions; however, female subjects had a higher 5-HT(1A) receptor BP in certain brain areas compared with male subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These data are consistent with an earlier study in healthy volunteers and do not support the proposal that decreased 5-HT(1A) receptor BP in patients with acute major depression is a consequence of cortisol hypersecretion.

Authors: Bhagwagar, Z; Montgomery, A; Grasby, P; Cowen, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Biological psychiatry
• Volume: 54
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 890-895
• Publication date: 2003-11-01
• DOI: 10.1016/s0006-3223(03)00466-9
• EISSN: 1873-2402
• ISSN: 0006-3223
• Language: English
• Keywords: Brain; Hydrocortisone; Male; Carbon Radioisotopes; Pyridines; Adult; Piperazines; Humans; Female; Serotonin Antagonists; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; Depressive Disorder, Major; Hippocampus; Middle Aged; Tomography, Emission-Computed