Adrenomedullary function in depressed patients.

ABSTRACT

In this paper from the Collaborative Depression Study (CDS)--Biological, a set of data analyses are presented which indicate that depressed states and perhaps depressed mood are associated with a greater activation of the adrenomedullary system than the sympathetic nervous system [as measured by norepinephrine (NE) and normetanephrine excretion]. For the most part this finding of predominant activation of the adrenomedullary system is seen in unipolar and not bipolar patients.