Skip to main content
Log in

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and serotonin abnormalities: a selective overview for the implications of suicide prevention

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Suicidal behavior and mood disorders are one of the world’s largest public health problems. The biological vulnerability for these problems includes genetic factors involved in the regulation of the serotonergic system and stress system. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a neuroendocrine system that regulates the body’s response to stress and has complex interactions with brain serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems. Corticotropin-releasing hormone and vasopressin act synergistically to stimulate the secretion of ACTH that stimulates the biosynthesis of corticosteroids such as cortisol from cholesterol. Cortisol is a major stress hormone and has effects on many tissues, including on mineralocorticoid receptors and glucocorticoid receptors in the brain. Glucocorticoids produce behavioral changes, and one important target of glucocorticoids is the hypothalamus, which is a major controlling center of the HPA axis. Stress plays a major role in the various pathophysiological processes associated with mood disorders and suicidal behavior. Serotonergic dysfunction is a well-established substrate for mood disorders and suicidal behavior. Corticosteroids may play an important role in the relationship between stress, mood changes and perhaps suicidal behavior by interacting with 5-HT1A receptors. Abnormalities in the HPA axis in response to increased levels of stress are found to be associated with a dysregulation in the serotonergic system, both in subjects with mood disorders and those who engage in suicidal behavior. HPA over-activity may be a good predictor of mood disorders and perhaps suicidal behavior via abnormalities in the serotonergic system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Isolated cells from different tissues, kept in cultures, maintain a cyclical pattern of their biochemical activities.

References

  1. Aguilera G, Rabadan-Diehl C (2000) Vasopressinergic regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: implications for stress adaptation. Regul Pept 96:23–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ahrens B, Grof P, Moller HJ, Muller-Oerlinghausen B, Wolf T (1995) Extended survival of patients on long-term lithium treatment. Can J Psychiatry 40:241–246

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ahrens B, Muller-Oerlinghausen B, Schou M, Wolf T, Alda M, Grof E, Grof P, Lenz G, Simhandl C, Thau K, Vestergaard P, Wolfd R, Möller HJ (1995) Excess cardiovascular and suicide mortality of affective disorders may be reduced by lithium prophylaxis. J Affect Disord 33:67–75

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ajdacic-Gross V, Bopp M, Sansossio R, Lauber C, Gostynski M, Eich D, Gutzwiller F, Rossler W (2005) Diversity and change in suicide seasonality over 125 years. J Epidemiol Community Health 59:967–972

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Antonijevic IA (2006) Depressive disorders—is it time to endorse different pathophysiologies? Psychoneuroendocrinology 31:1–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Appelhof BC, Huyser J, Verweij M, Brouwer JP, van Dyck R, Fliers E, Hoogendijk WJ, Tijssen JG, Wiersinga WM, Schene AH (2006) Glucocorticoids and relapse of major depression (dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test in relation to relapse of major depression). Biol Psychiatry 59:696–701

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Arato M, Rihmer Z, Szadoczky E (1986) Seasonal influence on the dexamethasone suppression test results in unipolar depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 43:813

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Arato M, Banki CM, Bissette G, Nemeroff CB (1989) Elevated CSF CRF in suicide victims. Biol Psychiatry 25:355–359

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Asberg M, Thoren P, Traskman L, Bertilsson L, Ringberger V (1976) “Serotonin depression”—a biochemical subgroup within the affective disorders? Science 191:478–480

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Asberg M, Nordstrom P, Traskman-Bendz L (1986) Cerebrospinal fluid studies in suicide. An overview. Ann N Y Acad Sci 487:243–255

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Austin MC, Janosky JE, Murphy HA (2003) Increased corticotropin-releasing hormone immunoreactivity in monoamine-containing pontine nuclei of depressed suicide men. Mol Psychiatry 8:324–332

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Avishai-Eliner S, Hatalski CG, Tabachnik E, Eghbal-Ahmadi M, Baram TZ (1999) Differential regulation of glucocorticoid receptor messenger RNA (GR-mRNA) by maternal deprivation in immature rat hypothalamus and limbic regions. Brain Res Dev Brain Res 114:265–268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Axelson DA, Doraiswamy PM, Boyko OB, Rodrigo Escalona P, McDonald WM, Ritchie JC, Patterson LJ, Ellinwood EH Jr, Nemeroff CB, Krishnan KR (1992) In vivo assessment of pituitary volume with magnetic resonance imaging and systematic stereology: relationship to dexamethasone suppression test results in patients. Psychiatry Res 44:63–70

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bale TL, Vale WW (2004) CRF and CRF receptors: role in stress responsivity and other behaviors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 44:525–557

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bale TL, Contarino A, Smith GW, Chan R, Gold LH, Sawchenko PE, Koob GF, Vale WW, Lee KF (2000) Mice deficient for corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor-2 display anxiety-like behaviour and are hypersensitive to stress. Nat Genet 24:410–414

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Banki CM, Arato M (1983) Amine metabolites and neuroendocrine responses related to depression and suicide. J Affect Disord 5:223–232

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Banki CM, Arato M, Papp Z, Kurcz M (1983) The effect of dexamethasone on cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites and cortisol in psychiatric patients. Pharmacopsychiatria 16:77–81

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Banki CM, Karmacsi L, Bissette G, Nemeroff CB (1992) Cerebrospinal fluid neuropeptides in mood disorder and dementia. J Affect Disord 25:39–45

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bao AM, Swaab DF (2007) Gender difference in age-related number of corticotropin-releasing hormone-expressing neurons in the human hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and the role of sex hormones. Neuroendocrinology 85:27–36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Bao AM, Hestiantoro A, Van Someren EJ, Swaab DF, Zhou JN (2005) Colocalization of corticotropin-releasing hormone and oestrogen receptor-alpha in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in mood disorders. Brain 128:1301–1313

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Bao AM, Meynen G, Swaab DF (2008) The stress system in depression and neurodegeneration: focus on the human hypothalamus. Brain Res Rev 57:531–553

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Barradas MA, Fonseca VA, Gill DS, Jeremy JY, Varghese Z, Balliod R, Moorhead J, Dandona P (1991) Intraplatelet serotonin, beta-thromboglobulin, and histamine concentrations and thromboxane A2 synthesis in renal disease. Am J Clin Pathol 96:504–511

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Beautrais AL, Joyce PR, Mulder RT, Fergusson DM, Deavoll BJ, Nightingale SK (1996) Prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders in persons making serious suicide attempts: a case-control study. Am J Psychiatry 153:1009–1014

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Belanoff JK, Rothschild AJ, Cassidy F, DeBattista C, Baulieu EE, Schold C, Schatzberg AF (2002) An open label trial of C-1073 (mifepristone) for psychotic major depression. Biol Psychiatry 52:386–392

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Bernard S, Gonze D, Cajavec B, Herzel H, Kramer A (2007) Synchronization-induced rhythmicity of circadian oscillators in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. PLoS Comput Biol 3:e68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Birmaher B, Ryan ND, Williamson DE, Brent DA, Kaufman J, Dahl RE, Perel J, Nelson B (1996) Childhood and adolescent depression: a review of the past 10 years. Part I. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 35:1427–1439

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Bissette G, Klimek V, Pan J, Stockmeier C, Ordway G (2003) Elevated concentrations of CRF in the locus coeruleus of depressed subjects. Neuropsychopharmacology 28:1328–1335

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Boza RA, Milanes FJ, Llorente M, Reisch J, Slater VL, Garrigo L (1988) The DST and suicide among depressed alcoholic patients. Am J Psychiatry 145:266–267

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Brady LS, Whitfield HJ Jr, Fox RJ, Gold PW, Herkenham M (1991) Long-term antidepressant administration alters corticotropin-releasing hormone, tyrosine hydroxylase, and mineralocorticoid receptor gene expression in rat brain. Therapeutic implications. J Clin Invest 87:831–837

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Bridges FS, Yip PS, Yang KC (2005) Seasonal changes in suicide in the United States, 1971 to 2000. Percept Mot Skills 100:920–924

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Brouwer JP, Appelhof BC, van Rossum EF, Koper JW, Fliers E, Huyser J, Schene AH, Tijssen JG, Van Dyck R, Lamberts SW, Wiersinga WM, Hoogendijk WJ (2006) Prediction of treatment response by HPA-axis and glucocorticoid receptor polymorphisms in major depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 31:1154–1163

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Brown RP, Stoll PM, Stokes PE, Frances A, Sweeney J, Kocsis JH, Mann JJ (1988) Adrenocortical hyperactivity in depression: effects of agitation, delusions, melancholia, and other illness variables. Psychiatry Res 23:167–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Brunetti M, Maugeri M, Monti F, Nanni T (2006) Temperature and precipitation variability in Italy in the last two centuries from homogenized instrumental time series. Int J Climatol 26:345–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Brunson KL, Grigoriadis DE, Lorang MT, Baram TZ (2002) Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) downregulates the function of its receptor (CRF1) and induces CRF1 expression in hippocampal and cortical regions of the immature rat brain. Exp Neurol 176:75–86

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Buijs RM, Scheer FA, Kreier F, Yi C, Bos N, Goncharuk VD, Kalsbeek A (2006) Organization of circadian functions: interaction with the body. Prog Brain Res 153:341–360

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Carroll BJ, Curtis GC (1976) Neuroendocrine identification of depressed patients. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 10:13–20

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Carroll BJ, Greden JF, Feinberg M (1980) Suicide, neuroendocrine dysfunction and CSF 5-HIAA concentrations in depression. In: Angrist M (ed) Recent advances in neuropsychopharmacology. Pergoman Press, Oxford, pp 307–313

    Google Scholar 

  38. Caspi A, Sugden K, Moffitt TE, Taylor A, Craig IW, Harrington H, McClay J, Mill J, Martin J, Braithwaite A, Poulton R (2003) Influence of life stress on depression: moderation by a polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene. Science 301:386–389

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Chalmers DT, Kwak SP, Mansour A, Akil H, Watson SJ (1993) Corticosteroids regulate brain hippocampal 5-HT1A receptor mRNA expression. J Neurosci 13:914–923

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Chrousos GP, Gold PW (1992) The concepts of stress and stress system disorders. Overview of physical and behavioral homeostasis. JAMA 267:1244–1252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Claes SJ (2004) CRH, stress, and major depression: a psychobiological interplay. Vitam Horm 69:117–150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Coccaro EF (1989) Central serotonin and impulsive aggression. Br J Psychiatry 155:52–62

    Google Scholar 

  43. Cortellazzo S, Viero P, Buczko W, Barbui T, de Gaetano G (1985) Platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine transport and storage in myeloproliferative disorders. Scand J Haematol 34:146–151

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Coryell WH (2006) Clinical assessment of suicide risk in depressive disorder. CNS Spectr 11:455–461

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Coryell W, Schlesser MA (1981) Suicide and the dexamethasone suppression test in unipolar depression. Am J Psychiatry 138:1120–1121

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Coryell W, Schlesser M (2001) The dexamethasone suppression test and suicide prediction. Am J Psychiatry 158:748–753

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Coryell W, Schlesser M (2007) Combined biological tests for suicide prediction. Psychiatry Res 150:187–191

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Coryell W, Young E, Carroll B (2006) Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and mortality in major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Res 142:99–104

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Coryell W, Fiedorowicz J, Zimmerman M, Young E (2008) HPA-axis hyperactivity and mortality in psychotic depressive disorder: preliminary findings. Psychoneuroendocrinology 33:654–658

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Coste SC, Kesterson RA, Heldwein KA, Stevens SL, Heard AD, Hollis JH, Murray SE, Hill JK, Pantely GA, Hohimer AR, Hatton DC, Phillips TJ, Finn DA, Low MJ, Rittenberg MB, Stenzel P, Stenzel-Poore MP (2000) Abnormal adaptations to stress and impaired cardiovascular function in mice lacking corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor-2. Nat Genet 24:403–409

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Currier D, Mann JJ (2008) Stress, genes and the biology of suicidal behavior. Psychiatr Clin North Am 31:247–269

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Dai J, Swaab DF, Buijs RM (1997) Distribution of vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) fibers in the human hypothalamus with special emphasis on suprachiasmatic nucleus efferent projections. J Comp Neurol 383:397–414

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Dai J, Swaab DF, Van der Vliet J, Buijs RM (1998) Postmortem tracing reveals the organization of hypothalamic projections of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the human brain. J Comp Neurol 400:87–102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Dai J, Van der Vliet J, Swaab DF, Buijs RM (1998) Human retinohypothalamic tract as revealed by in vitro postmortem tracing. J Comp Neurol 397:357–370

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. de Kloet ER, Joels M, Holsboer F (2005) Stress and the brain: from adaptation to disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 6:463–475

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. De Luca V, Tharmalingam S, Kennedy JL (2007) Association study between the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 gene and suicidality in bipolar disorder. Eur Psychiatry 22:282–287

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Deisenhammer EA (2003) Weather and suicide: the present state of knowledge on the association of meteorological factors with suicidal behaviour. Acta Psychiatr Scand 108:402–409

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Dening TR (2004) Lithium and motor vehicle crashes: perhaps bipolar disorder is the risk, not its treatment. BMJ 328:895–896 author reply 896

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Deshauer D, Grof E, Alda M, Grof P (1999) Patterns of DST positivity in remitted affective disorders. Biol Psychiatry 45:1023–1029

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Diorio D, Viau V, Meaney MJ (1993) The role of the medial prefrontal cortex (cingulate gyrus) in the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses to stress. J Neurosci 13:3839–3847

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Dorn LD, Burgess ES, Dubbert B, Simpson SE, Friedman T, Kling M, Gold PW, Chrousos GP (1995) Psychopathology in patients with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome: ‘atypical’ or melancholic features. Clin Endocrinol 43:433–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Drevets WC, Thase ME, Moses-Kolko EL, Price J, Frank E, Kupfer DJ, Mathis C (2007) Serotonin-1A receptor imaging in recurrent depression: replication and literature review. Nucl Med Biol 34:865–877

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Durkheim E (1897) Le suicide. Felix Alcan, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  64. Ehnvall A, Sjogren M, Zachrisson OC, Agren H (2004) HPA axis activation determined by the CRH challenge test in patients with few versus multiple episodes of treatment-refractory depression. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 254:349–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Emslie GJ, Mayes TL, Laptook RS, Batt M (2003) Predictors of response to treatment in children and adolescents with mood disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am 26:435–456

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Evans S, Newton R, Higgins S (2005) Nutritional intervention to prevent weight gain in patients commenced on olanzapine: a randomized controlled trial. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 39:479–486

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Fawcett J, Busch KA, Jacobs D, Kravitz HM, Fogg L (1997) Suicide: a four-pathway clinical-biochemical model. Ann N Y Acad Sci 836:288–301

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Fountoulakis KN, Gonda X, Rihmer Z, Fokas C, Iacovides A (2008) Revisiting the Dexamethasone Suppression Test in unipolar major depression: an exploratory study. Ann Gen Psychiatry 7:22

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Freitas GV, Cais CF, Stefanello S, Botega NJ (2008) Psychosocial conditions and suicidal behavior in pregnant teenagers : a case-control study in Brazil. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 17:336–342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Fuchs E, Czeh B, Kole MH, Michaelis T, Lucassen PJ (2004) Alterations of neuroplasticity in depression: the hippocampus and beyond. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 14(Suppl 5):S481–S490

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Furgal-Borzych A, Lis GJ, Litwin JA, Rzepecka-Wozniak E, Trela F, Cichocki T (2007) Increased incidence of pituitary microadenomas in suicide victims. Neuropsychobiology 55:163–166

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Garland MR, Hallahan B, McNamara M, Carney PA, Grimes H, Hibbeln JR, Harkin A, Conroy RM (2007) Lipids and essential fatty acids in patients presenting with self-harm. Br J Psychiatry 190:112–117

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Garner B, Pariante CM, Wood SJ, Velakoulis D, Phillips L, Soulsby B, Brewer WJ, Smith DJ, Dazzan P, Berger GE, Yung AR, van den Buuse M, Murray R, McGorry PD, Pantelis C (2005) Pituitary volume predicts future transition to psychosis in individuals at ultra-high risk of developing psychosis. Biol Psychiatry 58:417–423

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Gass P, Kretz O, Wolfer DP, Berger S, Tronche F, Reichardt HM, Kellendonk C, Lipp HP, Schmid W, Schutz G (2000) Genetic disruption of mineralocorticoid receptor leads to impaired neurogenesis and granule cell degeneration in the hippocampus of adult mice. EMBO Rep 1:447–451

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Gertz BJ, Contreras LN, McComb DJ, Kovacs K, Tyrrell JB, Dallman MF (1987) Chronic administration of corticotropin-releasing factor increases pituitary corticotroph number. Endocrinology 120:381–388

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Gold PW, Chrousos GP (2002) Organization of the stress system and its dysregulation in melancholic and atypical depression: high vs low CRH/NE states. Mol Psychiatry 7:254–275

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Gold PW, Licinio J, Wong ML, Chrousos GP (1995) Corticotropin releasing hormone in the pathophysiology of melancholic and atypical depression and in the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. Ann N Y Acad Sci 771:716–729

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Golden RN, Gilmore JH, Corrigan MH, Ekstrom RD, Knight BT, Garbutt JC (1991) Serotonin, suicide, and aggression: clinical studies. J Clin Psychiatry 52(Suppl):61–69

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Goldstein RB, Black DW, Nasrallah A, Winokur G (1991) The prediction of suicide. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a multivariate model applied to suicide among 1906 patients with affective disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry 48:418–422

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Golomb BA (1998) Cholesterol and violence: is there a connection? Ann Intern Med 128:478–487

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Goodwin FK, Jamison KR (2007) Manic-depressive illness. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  82. Goodyer IM, Herbert J, Tamplin A, Altham PM (2000) Recent life events, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone and the onset of major depression in high-risk adolescents. Br J Psychiatry 177:499–504

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. Grino M, Guillaume V, Castanas E, Boudouresque F, Conte-Devolx B, Oliver C (1987) Effect of passive immunization against corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) on the postadrenalectomy changes of CRF binding sites in the rat anterior pituitary gland. Neuroendocrinology 45:492–497

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  84. Guicheney P, Baudouin-Legros M, Meyer P (1987) In vivo platelet activation in mild arterial hypertension. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 80:808–811

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  85. Hajat S, Kovats RS, Atkinson RW, Haines A (2002) Impact of hot temperatures on death in London: a time series approach. J Epidemiol Community Health 56:367–372

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  86. Harris TO, Borsanyi S, Messari S, Stanford K, Cleary SE, Shiers HM, Brown GW, Herbert J (2000) Morning cortisol as a risk factor for subsequent major depressive disorder in adult women. Br J Psychiatry 177:505–510

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  87. 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

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  88. Heim C, Nemeroff CB (2001) The role of childhood trauma in the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders: preclinical and clinical studies. Biol Psychiatry 49:1023–1039

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  89. Heim C, Ehlert U, Hellhammer DH (2000) The potential role of hypocortisolism in the pathophysiology of stress-related bodily disorders. Psychoneuroendocrinology 25:1–35

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  90. Herman JP, Schafer MK, Young EA, Thompson R, Douglass J, Akil H, Watson SJ (1989) Evidence for hippocampal regulation of neuroendocrine neurons of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. J Neurosci 9:3072–3082

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  91. Heuser IJ, Gotthardt U, Schweiger U, Schmider J, Lammers CH, Dettling M, Holsboer F (1994) Age-associated changes of pituitary-adrenocortical hormone regulation in humans: importance of gender. Neurobiol Aging 15:227–231

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  92. Heuser I, Bissette G, Dettling M, Schweiger U, Gotthardt U, Schmider J, Lammers CH, Nemeroff CB, Holsboer F (1998) Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of corticotropin-releasing hormone, vasopressin, and somatostatin in depressed patients and healthy controls: response to amitriptyline treatment. Depress Anxiety 8:71–79

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  93. Holsboer F (2000) The corticosteroid receptor hypothesis of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 23:477–501

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  94. Holsboer F (2001) Stress, hypercortisolism and corticosteroid receptors in depression: implications for therapy. J Affect Disord 62:77–91

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  95. Holsboer F, von Bardeleben U, Wiedemann K, Muller OA, Stalla GK (1987) Serial assessment of corticotropin-releasing hormone response after dexamethasone in depression. Implications for pathophysiology of DST nonsuppression. Biol Psychiatry 22:228–234

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  96. Holsboer F, Lauer CJ, Schreiber W, Krieg JC (1995) Altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical regulation in healthy subjects at high familial risk for affective disorders. Neuroendocrinology 62:340–347

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  97. Hucks D, Lowther S, Crompton MR, Katona CL, Horton RW (1997) Corticotropin-releasing factor binding sites in cortex of depressed suicides. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 134:174–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  98. Ising M, Horstmann S, Kloiber S, Lucae S, Binder EB, Kern N, Kunzel HE, Pfennig A, Uhr M, Holsboer F (2007) Combined dexamethasone/corticotropin releasing hormone test predicts treatment response in major depression—a potential biomarker? Biol Psychiatry 62:47–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  99. Jessen G, Steffensen P, Jensen B (1998) Seasons and meteorological factors in suicidal behaviour: findings and methodological considerations from a Danish study. Arch Suicide Res 4:263–280

    Google Scholar 

  100. Jokinen J, Nordstrom P (2008) HPA axis hyperactivity as suicide predictor in elderly mood disorder inpatients. Psychoneuroendocrinology 33:1387–1393

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  101. Jokinen J, Nordstrom P (2009) HPA axis hyperactivity and attempted suicide in young adult mood disorder inpatients. J Affect Disord 116:117–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  102. Jokinen J, Carlborg A, Martensson B, Forslund K, Nordstrom AL, Nordstrom P (2007) DST non-suppression predicts suicide after attempted suicide. Psychiatry Res 150:297–303

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  103. Jokinen J, Martensson B, Nordstrom AL, Nordstrom P (2008) CSF 5-HIAA and DST non-suppression-independent biomarkers in suicide attempters? J Affect Disord 105:241–245

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  104. Jokinen J, Nordstrom AL, Nordstrom P (2008) ROC analysis of dexamethasone suppression test threshold in suicide prediction after attempted suicide. J Affect Disord 106:145–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  105. Jokinen J, Nordstrom AL, Nordstrom P (2009) CSF 5-HIAA and DST non-suppression—orthogonal biologic risk factors for suicide in male mood disorder inpatients. Psychiatry Res 165:96–102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  106. Jovev M, Garner B, Phillips L, Velakoulis D, Wood SJ, Jackson HJ, Pantelis C, McGorry PD, Chanen AM (2008) An MRI study of pituitary volume and parasuicidal behavior in teenagers with first-presentation borderline personality disorder. Psychiatry Res 162:273–277

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  107. Kathol RG (1985) Persistent elevation of urinary free cortisol and loss of circannual periodicity in recovered depressive patients. A trait finding. J Affect Disord 8:137–145

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  108. Keck ME, Holsboer F (2001) Hyperactivity of CRH neuronal circuits as a target for therapeutic interventions in affective disorders. Peptides 22:835–844

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  109. Kendler KS, Karkowski LM, Prescott CA (1999) Causal relationship between stressful life events and the onset of major depression. Am J Psychiatry 156:837–841

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  110. Kevan SM (1980) Perspectives on season of suicide: a review. Soc Sci Med [Med Geogr] 14:369–378

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  111. Kim JJ, Diamond DM (2002) The stressed hippocampus, synaptic plasticity and lost memories. Nat Rev Neurosci 3:453–462

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  112. Krishnan KR, Doraiswamy PM, Lurie SN, Figiel GS, Husain MM, Boyko OB, Ellinwood EH Jr, Nemeroff CB (1991) Pituitary size in depression. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 72:256–259

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  113. Ladd CO, Huot RL, Thrivikraman KV, Nemeroff CB, Plotsky PM (2004) Long-term adaptations in glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA and negative feedback on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis following neonatal maternal separation. Biol Psychiatry 55:367–375

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  114. Lamolet B, Pulichino AM, Lamonerie T, Gauthier Y, Brue T, Enjalbert A, Drouin J (2001) A pituitary cell-restricted T box factor, Tpit, activates POMC transcription in cooperation with Pitx homeoproteins. Cell 104:849–859

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  115. Landfield PW, Blalock EM, Chen KC, Porter NM (2007) A new glucocorticoid hypothesis of brain aging: implications for Alzheimer’s disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 4:205–212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  116. Lee HC, Lin HC, Tsai SY, Li CY, Chen CC, Huang CC (2006) Suicide rates and the association with climate: a population-based study. J Affect Disord 92:221–226

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  117. Lester D (1983) Monthly variation of suicidal and accidental poisoning deaths. Br J Psychiatry 143:204–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  118. Lester D (1988) Geophysical variables and behavior: XLVIII. Climate and personal violence (suicide and homicide): a cross-cultural study. Percept Mot Skills 66:602

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  119. Lester D (1992) The dexamethasone suppression test as an indicator of suicide: a meta-analysis. Pharmacopsychiatry 25:265–270

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  120. Lester D (1995) The concentration of neurotransmitter metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid of suicidal individuals: a meta-analysis. Pharmacopsychiatry 28:45–50

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  121. Liaw CW, Lovenberg TW, Barry G, Oltersdorf T, Grigoriadis DE, de Souza EB (1996) Cloning and characterization of the human corticotropin-releasing factor-2 receptor complementary deoxyribonucleic acid. Endocrinology 137:72–77

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  122. Lindqvist D, Isaksson A, Traskman-Bendz L, Brundin L (2008) Salivary cortisol and suicidal behavior—a follow-up study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 33:1061–1068

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  123. Liu J, Lin C, Gleiberman A, Ohgi KA, Herman T, Huang HP, Tsai MJ, Rosenfeld MG (2001) Tbx19, a tissue-selective regulator of POMC gene expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:8674–8679

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  124. Liu Z, Zhu F, Wang G, Xiao Z, Wang H, Tang J, Wang X, Qiu D, Liu W, Cao Z, Li W (2006) Association of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor1 gene SNP and haplotype with major depression. Neurosci Lett 404:358–362

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  125. Lolait SJ, Stewart LQ, Jessop DS, Young WS III, O’Carroll AM (2007) The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to stress in mice lacking functional vasopressin V1b receptors. Endocrinology 148:849–856

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  126. Lopez JF, Palkovits M, Arato M, Mansour A, Akil H, Watson SJ (1992) Localization and quantification of pro-opiomelanocortin mRNA and glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in pituitaries of suicide victims. Neuroendocrinology 56:491–501

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  127. Lopez JF, Chalmers DT, Little KY, Watson SJ (1998) A.E. Bennett Research Award. Regulation of serotonin1A, glucocorticoid, and mineralocorticoid receptor in rat and human hippocampus: implications for the neurobiology of depression. Biol Psychiatry 43:547–573

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  128. Lopez-Ibor JJ Jr, Saiz-Ruiz J, Perez de los Cobos JC (1985) Biological correlations of suicide and aggressivity in major depressions (with melancholia): 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and cortisol in cerebral spinal fluid, dexamethasone suppression test and therapeutic response to 5-hydroxytryptophan. Neuropsychobiology 14:67–74

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  129. Lupien SJ, McEwen BS (1997) The acute effects of corticosteroids on cognition: integration of animal and human model studies. Brain Res Brain Res Rev 24:1–27

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  130. Macfarlane A (1978) Daily mortality and environment in English conurbations. II. Deaths during summer hot spells in greater London. Environ Res 15:332–341

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  131. MacMaster FP, Russell A, Mirza Y, Keshavan MS, Banerjee SP, Bhandari R, Boyd C, Lynch M, Rose M, Ivey J, Moore GJ, Rosenberg DR (2006) Pituitary volume in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Biol Psychiatry 59:252–257

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  132. Maes M, Meltzer HY, Suy E, De Meyer F (1993) Seasonality in severity of depression: relationships to suicide and homicide occurrence. Acta Psychiatr Scand 88:156–161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  133. Maes M, Scharpe S, Verkerk R, D’Hondt P, Peeters D, Cosyns P, Thompson P, De Meyer F, Wauters A, Neels H (1995) Seasonal variation in plasma l-tryptophan availability in healthy volunteers. Relationships to violent suicide occurrence. Arch Gen Psychiatry 52:937–946

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  134. Maes M, Lin A, Bonaccorso S, van Hunsel F, Van Gastel A, Delmeire L, Biondi M, Bosmans E, Kenis G, Scharpe S (1998) Increased 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and patients with major depression, but not in patients with fibromyalgia. Acta Psychiatr Scand 98:328–335

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  135. Maira M, Couture C, Le Martelot G, Pulichino AM, Bilodeau S, Drouin J (2003) The T-box factor Tpit recruits SRC/p160 co-activators and mediates hormone action. J Biol Chem 278:46523–46532

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  136. Malhotra S, Das PP (2007) Understanding childhood depression. Indian J Med Res 125:115–128

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  137. Malison RT, Price LH, Berman R, van Dyck CH, Pelton GH, Carpenter L, Sanacora G, Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB, Rajeevan N, Baldwin RM, Seibyl JP, Innis RB, Charney DS (1998) Reduced brain serotonin transporter availability in major depression as measured by [123I]-2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane and single photon emission computed tomography. Biol Psychiatry 44:1090–1098

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  138. Mann JJ (2003) Neurobiology of suicidal behaviour. Nat Rev Neurosci 4:819–828

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  139. Mann JJ, Currier D (2007) A review of prospective studies of biologic predictors of suicidal behavior in mood disorders. Arch Suicide Res 11:3–16

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  140. Mann JJ, Waternaux C, Haas GL, Malone KM (1999) Toward a clinical model of suicidal behavior in psychiatric patients. Am J Psychiatry 156:181–189

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  141. Mann JJ, Brent DA, Arango V (2001) The neurobiology and genetics of suicide and attempted suicide: a focus on the serotonergic system. Neuropsychopharmacology 24:467–477

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  142. Mann JJ, Currier D, Stanley B, Oquendo MA, Amsel LV, Ellis SP (2006) Can biological tests assist prediction of suicide in mood disorders? Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 9:465–474

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  143. Massing W, Angermeyer MC (1985) The monthly and weekly distribution of suicide. Soc Sci Med 21:433–441

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  144. McCullers DL, Herman JP (1998) Mineralocorticoid receptors regulate bcl-2 and p53 mRNA expression in hippocampus. Neuroreport 9:3085–3089

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  145. McKay MS, Zakzanis KK (2010) The impact of treatment on HPA axis activity in unipolar major depression. J Psychiatr Res 44(3):183–192

    Google Scholar 

  146. McMichael AJ, Woodruff RE, Hales S (2006) Climate change and human health: present and future risks. Lancet 367:859–869

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  147. Meijer OC, de Kloet ER (1998) Corticosterone and serotonergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus: functional implications of central corticosteroid receptor diversity. Crit Rev Neurobiol 12:1–20

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  148. Meijer OC, Williamson A, Dallman MF, Pearce D (2000) Transcriptional repression of the 5-HT1A receptor promoter by corticosterone via mineralocorticoid receptors depends on the cellular context. J Neuroendocrinol 12:245–254

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  149. Meltzer H (1989) Serotonergic dysfunction in depression. Br J Psychiatry Suppl (8):25–31

  150. Merali Z, Du L, Hrdina P, Palkovits M, Faludi G, Poulter MO, Anisman H (2004) Dysregulation in the suicide brain: mRNA expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors and GABA(A) receptor subunits in frontal cortical brain region. J Neurosci 24:1478–1485

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  151. Mergl R, Havers I, Althaus D, Rihmer Z, Schmidtke A, Lehfeld H, Niklewski G, Hegerl U (2009) Seasonality of suicide attempts: association with gender. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. doi:10.1007/s00406-009-0086-1

  152. Micciolo R, Zimmermann-Tansella C, Williams P, Tansella M (1989) Seasonal variation in suicide: is there a sex difference? Psychol Med 19:199–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  153. Mitchell AJ (1998) The role of corticotropin releasing factor in depressive illness: a critical review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 22:635–651

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  154. Mitchell A, O’Keane V (1998) Steroids and depression. BMJ 316:244–245

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  155. Mizoguchi K, Ishige A, Aburada M, Tabira T (2003) Chronic stress attenuates glucocorticoid negative feedback: involvement of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Neuroscience 119:887–897

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  156. Modell S, Yassouridis A, Huber J, Holsboer F (1997) Corticosteroid receptor function is decreased in depressed patients. Neuroendocrinology 65:216–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  157. Morselli E (1881) Suicide. An essay on comparative moral statistic. C. Kegan Paul & C, London

    Google Scholar 

  158. Morsink MC, Steenbergen PJ, Vos JB, Karst H, Joels M, De Kloet ER, Datson NA (2006) Acute activation of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors results in different waves of gene expression throughout time. J Neuroendocrinol 18:239–252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  159. Muldoon MF, Kaplan JR, Manuck SB, Mann JJ (1992) Effects of a low-fat diet on brain serotonergic responsivity in cynomolgus monkeys. Biol Psychiatry 31:739–742

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  160. Murphy BE (1997) Antiglucocorticoid therapies in major depression: a review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 22(Suppl 1):S125–S132

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  161. Murphy GM Jr, Hollander SB, Rodrigues HE, Kremer C, Schatzberg AF (2004) Effects of the serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism on mirtazapine and paroxetine efficacy and adverse events in geriatric major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 61:1163–1169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  162. Nakaji S, Parodi S, Fontana V, Umeda T, Suzuki K, Sakamoto J, Fukuda S, Wada S, Sugawara K (2004) Seasonal changes in mortality rates from main causes of death in Japan (1970–1999). Eur J Epidemiol 19:905–913

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  163. Nayha S (1982) Autumn incidence of suicides re-examined: data from Finland by sex, age and occupation. Br J Psychiatry 141:512–517

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  164. Nayha S (1983) The bi-seasonal incidence of some suicides. Experience from Finland by marital status, 1961–1976. Acta Psychiatr Scand 67:32–42

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  165. Nemeroff CB (1996) The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) hypothesis of depression: new findings and new directions. Mol Psychiatry 1:336–342

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  166. Nemeroff CB, Owens MJ, Bissette G, Andorn AC, Stanley M (1988) Reduced corticotropin releasing factor binding sites in the frontal cortex of suicide victims. Arch Gen Psychiatry 45:577–579

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  167. Nielsen J, Bostwick JM (2004) The dexamethasone suppression test as a predictor of suicide risk. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine: proceedings from the 50th annual meeting 20–23 Nov 2003, Coronado (San Diego), California. Psychosomatics 45:2, 157

  168. Norman WH, Brown WA, Miller IW, Keitner GI, Overholser JC (1990) The dexamethasone suppression test and completed suicide. Acta Psychiatr Scand 81:120–125

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  169. O’Brien JT, Ames D, Schweitzer I, Colman P, Desmond P, Tress B (1996) Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging correlates of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Br J Psychiatry 168:679–687

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  170. O’Brien D, Skelton KH, Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB (2001) Are CRF receptor antagonists potential antidepressants? Hum Psychopharmacol 16:81–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  171. Oldehinkel AJ, van den Berg MD, Flentge F, Bouhuys AL, ter Horst GJ, Ormel J (2001) Urinary free cortisol excretion in elderly persons with minor and major depression. Psychiatry Res 104:39–47

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  172. Oquendo MA, Placidi GP, Malone KM, Campbell C, Keilp J, Brodsky B, Kegeles LS, Cooper TB, Parsey RV, van Heertum RL, Mann JJ (2003) Positron emission tomography of regional brain metabolic responses to a serotonergic challenge and lethality of suicide attempts in major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60:14–22

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  173. Oquendo MA, Russo SA, Underwood MD, Kassir SA, Ellis SP, Mann JJ, Arango V (2006) Higher postmortem prefrontal 5-HT2A receptor binding correlates with lifetime aggression in suicide. Biol Psychiatry 59:235–243

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  174. Oravecz R, Czigler B, Leskosek F (2003) Correlation between suicide rate and antidepressant use in Slovenia. Arch Suicide Res 7:279–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  175. Oravecz R, Rocchi MB, Sisti D, Zorko M, Marusic A, Preti A (2006) Changes in the seasonality of suicides over time in Slovenia, 1971 to 2002. J Affect Disord 95:135–140

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  176. Otte C, Hart S, Neylan TC, Marmar CR, Yaffe K, Mohr DC (2005) A meta-analysis of cortisol response to challenge in human aging: importance of gender. Psychoneuroendocrinology 30:80–91

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  177. Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB (1991) Physiology and pharmacology of corticotropin-releasing factor. Pharmacol Rev 43:425–473

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  178. Ozalp E (2009) The genetics of suicidal behavior. Turk Psikiyatri Derg 20:85–93

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  179. Pariante CM (2003) Depression, stress and the adrenal axis. J Neuroendocrinol 15:811–812

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  180. Pariante CM, Miller AH (2001) Glucocorticoid receptors in major depression: relevance to pathophysiology and treatment. Biol Psychiatry 49:391–404

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  181. Pariante CM, Vassilopoulou K, Velakoulis D, Phillips L, Soulsby B, Wood SJ, Brewer W, Smith DJ, Dazzan P, Yung AR, Zervas IM, Christodoulou GN, Murray R, McGorry PD, Pantelis C (2004) Pituitary volume in psychosis. Br J Psychiatry 185:5–10

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  182. Parsey RV, Hastings RS, Oquendo MA, Huang YY, Simpson N, Arcement J, Huang Y, Ogden RT, Van Heertum RL, Arango V, Mann JJ (2006) Lower serotonin transporter binding potential in the human brain during major depressive episodes. Am J Psychiatry 163:52–58

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  183. 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

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  184. Patel PD, Katz M, Karssen AM, Lyons DM (2008) Stress-induced changes in corticosteroid receptor expression in primate hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Psychoneuroendocrinology 33:360–367

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  185. Paykel ES (2001) Stress and affective disorders in humans. Semin Clin Neuropsychiatry 6:4–11

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  186. Pfennig A, Kunzel HE, Kern N, Ising M, Majer M, Fuchs B, Ernst G, Holsboer F, Binder EB (2005) Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system regulation and suicidal behavior in depression. Biol Psychiatry 57:336–342

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  187. Plotsky PM, Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB (1998) Psychoneuroendocrinology of depression. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Psychiatr Clin North Am 21:293–307

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  188. Pompili M, Ehrlich S, De Pisa E, Mann JJ, Innamorati M, Cittadini A, Montagna B, Iliceto P, Romano A, Amore M, Tatarelli R, Girardi P (2007) White matter hyperintensities and their associations with suicidality in patients with major affective disorders. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 257:494–499

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  189. Porter RJ, Gallagher P, Watson S, Young AH (2004) Corticosteroid-serotonin interactions in depression: a review of the human evidence. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 173:1–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  190. Potter E, Behan DP, Fischer WH, Linton EA, Lowry PJ, Vale WW (1991) Cloning and characterization of the cDNAs for human and rat corticotropin releasing factor-binding proteins. Nature 349:423–426

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  191. Praschak-Rieder N, Willeit M, Wilson AA, Houle S, Meyer JH (2008) Seasonal variation in human brain serotonin transporter binding. Arch Gen Psychiatry 65:1072–1078

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  192. Preti A (1997) The influence of seasonal change on suicidal behaviour in Italy. J Affect Disord 44:123–130

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  193. Preti A, Lentini G, Maugeri M (2007) Global warming possibly linked to an enhanced risk of suicide: data from Italy, 1974–2003. J Affect Disord 102:19–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  194. Pryce CR, Feldon J, Fuchs E, Knuesel I, Oertle T, Sengstag C, Spengler M, Weber E, Weston A, Jongen-Relo A (2005) Postnatal ontogeny of hippocampal expression of the mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors in the common marmoset monkey. Eur J Neurosci 21:1521–1535

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  195. Quirarte GL, Roozendaal B, McGaugh JL (1997) Glucocorticoid enhancement of memory storage involves noradrenergic activation in the basolateral amygdala. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:14048–14053

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  196. Raadsheer FC, Hoogendijk WJ, Stam FC, Tilders FJ, Swaab DF (1994) Increased numbers of corticotropin-releasing hormone expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of depressed patients. Neuroendocrinology 60:436–444

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  197. Raadsheer FC, van Heerikhuize JJ, Lucassen PJ, Hoogendijk WJ, Tilders FJ, Swaab DF (1995) Corticotropin-releasing hormone mRNA levels in the paraventricular nucleus of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Am J Psychiatry 152:1372–1376

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  198. Rao VP, Krishnan KR, Goli V, Saunders WB, Ellinwood EH Jr, Blazer DG, Nemeroff CB (1989) Neuroanatomical changes and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis abnormalities. Biol Psychiatry 26:729–732

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  199. Rene P, Lenne F, Ventura MA, Bertagna X, de Keyzer Y (2000) Nucleotide sequence and structural organization of the human vasopressin pituitary receptor (V3) gene. Gene 241:57–64

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  200. Reppert SM, Weaver DR (2002) Coordination of circadian timing in mammals. Nature 418:935–941

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  201. Reus VI, Wolkowitz OM, Frederick S (1997) Antiglucocorticoid treatments in psychiatry. Psychoneuroendocrinology 22(Suppl 1):S121–S124

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  202. Reutfors J, Osby U, Ekbom A, Nordstrom P, Jokinen J, Papadopoulos FC (2009) Seasonality of suicide in Sweden: relationship with psychiatric disorder. J Affect Disord 119:59–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  203. Ribeiro SC, Tandon R, Grunhaus L, Greden JF (1993) The DST as a predictor of outcome in depression: a meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry 150:1618–1629

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  204. Rihmer Z (1987) The geography of DST. Biol Psychiatry 22:1044–1045

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  205. Rihmer Z, Rutz W, Pihlgren H, Pestality P (1998) Decreasing tendency of seasonality in suicide may indicate lowering rate of depressive suicides in the population. Psychiatry Res 81:233–240

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  206. Rocchi MB, Sisti D, Cascio MT, Preti A (2007) Seasonality and suicide in Italy: amplitude is positively related to suicide rates. J Affect Disord 100:129–136

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  207. Rock D, Greenberg DM, Hallmayer JF (2003) Increasing seasonality of suicide in Australia 1970–1999. Psychiatry Res 120:43–51

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  208. Roozendaal B (2002) Stress and memory: opposing effects of glucocorticoids on memory consolidation and memory retrieval. Neurobiol Learn Mem 78:578–595

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  209. Rosenthal NE, Lewy AJ, Wehr TA, Kern HE, Goodwin FK (1983) Seasonal cycling in a bipolar patient. Psychiatry Res 8:25–31

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  210. Roy A (1992) Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and suicidal behavior in depression. Biol Psychiatry 32:812–816

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  211. Roy A, Jimerson DC, Pickar D (1986) Plasma MHPG in depressive disorders and relationship to the dexamethasone suppression test. Am J Psychiatry 143:846–851

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  212. Roy A, Lamparski D, De Jong J, Adinoff B, Ravitz B, George DT, Nutt D, Linnoila M (1990) Cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites in alcoholic patients who attempt suicide. Acta Psychiatr Scand 81:58–61

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  213. Rozeboom AM, Akil H, Seasholtz AF (2007) Mineralocorticoid receptor overexpression in forebrain decreases anxiety-like behavior and alters the stress response in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:4688–4693

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  214. Rubin RT, Phillips JJ, McCracken JT, Sadow TF (1996) Adrenal gland volume in major depression: relationship to basal and stimulated pituitary-adrenal cortical axis function. Biol Psychiatry 40:89–97

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  215. Rybakowski JK, Twardowska K (1999) The dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test in depression in bipolar and unipolar affective illness. J Psychiatr Res 33:363–370

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  216. Sanchez MM, Young LJ, Plotsky PM, Insel TR (2000) Distribution of corticosteroid receptors in the rhesus brain: relative absence of glucocorticoid receptors in the hippocampal formation. J Neurosci 20:4657–4668

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  217. Sassi RB, Nicoletti M, Brambilla P, Harenski K, Mallinger AG, Frank E, Kupfer DJ, Keshavan MS, Soares JC (2001) Decreased pituitary volume in patients with bipolar disorder. Biol Psychiatry 50:271–280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  218. Schar C, Vidale PL, Luthi D, Frei C, Haberli C, Liniger MA, Appenzeller C (2004) The role of increasing temperature variability in European summer heatwaves. Nature 427:332–336

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  219. Schule C, Baghai T, Zwanzger P, Ella R, Eser D, Padberg F, Moller HJ, Rupprecht R (2003) Attenuation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical hyperactivity in depressed patients by mirtazapine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 166:271–275

    Google Scholar 

  220. Schule C, Baghai TC, Eser D, Zwanzger P, Jordan M, Buechs R, Rupprecht R (2006) Time course of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis activity during treatment with reboxetine and mirtazapine in depressed patients. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 186:601–611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  221. Schule C, Baghai TC, Eser D, Hafner S, Born C, Herrmann S, Rupprecht R (2009) The combined dexamethasone/CRH Test (DEX/CRH test) and prediction of acute treatment response in major depression. PLoS One 4:e4324

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  222. Scott LV, Dinan TG (1998) Vasopressin and the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function: implications for the pathophysiology of depression. Life Sci 62:1985–1998

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  223. Secunda SK, Cross CK, Koslow S, Katz MM, Kocsis J, Maas JW, Landis H (1986) Biochemistry and suicidal behavior in depressed patients. Biol Psychiatry 21:756–767

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  224. Shaffer D, Gould MS, Fisher P, Trautman P, Moreau D, Kleinman M, Flory M (1996) Psychiatric diagnosis in child and adolescent suicide. Arch Gen Psychiatry 53:339–348

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  225. Shah PJ, Ebmeier KP, Glabus MF, Goodwin GM (1998) Cortical grey matter reductions associated with treatment-resistant chronic unipolar depression. Controlled magnetic resonance imaging study. Br J Psychiatry 172:527–532

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  226. Sharma R, Markar HR (1994) Mortality in affective disorder. J Affect Disord 31:91–96

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  227. Sher L (2006) Combined dexamethasone suppression-corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test in studies of depression, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior. Sci World J 6:1398–1404

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  228. Sher L, Cooper TB, Mann JJ, Oquendo MA (2006) Modified dexamethasone suppression-corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test: A pilot study of young healthy volunteers and implications for alcoholism research in adolescents and young adults. Int J Adolesc Med Health 18:133–137

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  229. Smith CC, Betteridge DJ (1997) Reduced platelet serotonin content and release in familial hypercholesterolaemia. Atherosclerosis 130:87–92

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  230. Smith SM, Vale WW (2006) The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in neuroendocrine responses to stress. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 8:383–395

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  231. Smith GW, Aubry JM, Dellu F, Contarino A, Bilezikjian LM, Gold LH, Chen R, Marchuk Y, Hauser C, Bentley CA, Sawchenko PE, Koob GF, Vale W, Lee KF (1998) Corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1-deficient mice display decreased anxiety, impaired stress response, and aberrant neuroendocrine development. Neuron 20:1093–1102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  232. Sousa N, Almeida OF (2002) Corticosteroids: sculptors of the hippocampal formation. Rev Neurosci 13:59–84

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  233. Stanley B, Molcho A, Stanley M, Winchel R, Gameroff MJ, Parsons B, Mann JJ (2000) Association of aggressive behavior with altered serotonergic function in patients who are not suicidal. Am J Psychiatry 157:609–614

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  234. Stenzel-Poore MP, Heinrichs SC, Rivest S, Koob GF, Vale WW (1994) Overproduction of corticotropin-releasing factor in transgenic mice: a genetic model of anxiogenic behavior. J Neurosci 14:2579–2584

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  235. Sunnqvist C, Westrin A, Traskman-Bendz L (2008) Suicide attempters: biological stressmarkers and adverse life events. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 258:456–462

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  236. Swaab DF, Bao AM, Lucassen PJ (2005) The stress system in the human brain in depression and neurodegeneration. Ageing Res Rev 4:141–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  237. Szigethy E, Conwell Y, Forbes NT, Cox C, Caine ED (1994) Adrenal weight and morphology in victims of completed suicide. Biol Psychiatry 36:374–380

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  238. Szymanska M, Budziszewska B, Jaworska-Feil L, Basta-Kaim A, Kubera M, Leskiewicz M, Regulska M, Lason W (2009) The effect of antidepressant drugs on the HPA axis activity, glucocorticoid receptor level and FKBP51 concentration in prenatally stressed rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 34:822–832

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  239. Tanney BL (1992) Mental disorders, psychiatric patients and suicide. In: Maris RW, Berman AL, Maltsberger JT, Yufit RI (eds) Assessment and prediction of suicide. Guilford Press, New York, pp 277–320

    Google Scholar 

  240. Targum SD, Rosen L, Capodanno AE (1983) The dexamethasone suppression test in suicidal patients with unipolar depression. Am J Psychiatry 140:877–879

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  241. Tarullo AR, Gunnar MR (2006) Child maltreatment and the developing HPA axis. Horm Behav 50:632–639

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  242. Temoche A, Pugh TF, Macmahon B (1964) Suicide rates among current and former mental institution patients. J Nerv Ment Dis 138:124–130

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  243. Terao T, Yoshimura R, Ohmori O, Takano T, Takahashi N, Iwata N, Suzuki T, Abe K (1997) Effect of serum cholesterol levels on meta-chlorophenylpiperazine-evoked neuroendocrine responses in healthy subjects. Biol Psychiatry 41:974–978

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  244. Timpl P, Spanagel R, Sillaber I, Kresse A, Reul JM, Stalla GK, Blanquet V, Steckler T, Holsboer F, Wurst W (1998) Impaired stress response and reduced anxiety in mice lacking a functional corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1. Nat Genet 19:162–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  245. Traskman-Bendz L, Asberg M, Nordstrom P, Stanley M (1989) Biochemical aspects of suicidal behavior. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 13(Suppl):S35–S44

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  246. Traskman-Bendz L, Ekman R, Regnell G, Ohman R (1992) HPA-related CSF neuropeptides in suicide attempters. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2:99–106

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  247. Trivedi MH, Hollander E, Nutt D, Blier P (2008) Clinical evidence and potential neurobiological underpinnings of unresolved symptoms of depression. J Clin Psychiatry 69:246–258

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  248. Tsuang MT, Woolson RF (1977) Mortality in patients with schizophrenia, mania, depression and surgical conditions. A comparison with general population mortality. Br J Psychiatry 130:162–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  249. Turek FW, Van Reeth O (1995) Circadian rhythms. In: Freegly MJ, Blatteis CM (eds) Handbook of physiology: adaptation to the environment. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 1329–1359

    Google Scholar 

  250. van Bemmel AL, van Diest R, Smeets EH, van Dongen PH, Hilgersom AJ (1988) Seasonal variation of cortisol plasma levels in depressives. J Affect Disord 15:191–193

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  251. van Praag HM (1986) Affective disorders and aggression disorders: evidence for a common biological mechanism. Suicide Life Threat Behav 16:103–132

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  252. van Praag HM, Kahn RS, Asnis GM, Wetzler S, Brown SL, Bleich A, Korn ML (1987) Denosologization of biological psychiatry or the specificity of 5-HT disturbances in psychiatric disorders. J Affect Disord 13:1–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  253. Van Reeth O, Mennuni G, Maccari S (2006) Implication of melatonergic and serotonergic receptors in depression: pharmacologic treatment outcomes. In: Kasper S (ed) A new pharmacological approach to the treatment of major depression. Elsevier, Paris, pp 129–138

    Google Scholar 

  254. van West D, Van Den Eede F, Del-Favero J, Souery D, Norrback KF, Van Duijn C, Sluijs S, Adolfsson R, Mendlewicz J, Deboutte D, Van Broeckhoven C, Claes S (2006) Glucocorticoid receptor gene-based SNP analysis in patients with recurrent major depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 31:620–627

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  255. Virkkunen M (1985) Urinary free cortisol secretion in habitually violent offenders. Acta Psychiatr Scand 72:40–44

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  256. Voracek M, Vintila M, Fisher ML, Yip PS (2002) Evidence for lack of change in seasonality of suicide from Timis County, Romania. Percept Mot Skills 94:1071–1078

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  257. Warren CW, Smith JC, Tyler CW (1983) Seasonal variation in suicide and homicide: a question of consistency. J Biosoc Sci 15:349–356

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  258. Wasserman D (2001) Suicide - an unnecessary death. Martin Dunitz Publishers, London

    Google Scholar 

  259. Wasserman D, Geijer T, Sokolowski M, Rozanov V, Wasserman J (2007) Genetic variation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis regulatory factor, T-box 19, and the angry/hostility personality trait. Genes Brain Behav 6:321–328

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  260. Wasserman D, Geijer T, Sokolowski M, Rozanov V, Wasserman J (2007) Nature and nurture in suicidal behavior, the role of genetics: some novel findings concerning personality traits and neural conduction. Physiol Behav 92:245–249

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  261. Wasserman D, Sokolowski M, Rozanov V, Wasserman J (2008) The CRHR1 gene: a marker for suicidality in depressed males exposed to low stress. Genes Brain Behav 7:14–19

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  262. Watson S, Gallagher P, Del-Estal D, Hearn A, Ferrier IN, Young AH (2002) Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in patients with chronic depression. Psychol Med 32:1021–1028

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  263. Watzka M, Bidlingmaier F, Beyenburg S, Henke RT, Clusmann H, Elger CE, Schramm J, Klingmuller D, Stoffel-Wagner B (2000) Corticosteroid receptor mRNA expression in the brains of patients with epilepsy. Steroids 65:895–901

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  264. Weber B, Lewicka S, Deuschle M, Colla M, Vecsei P, Heuser I (2000) Increased diurnal plasma concentrations of cortisone in depressed patients. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85:1133–1136

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  265. Weber-Hamann B, Werner M, Hentschel F, Bindeballe N, Lederbogen F, Deuschle M, Heuser I (2006) Metabolic changes in elderly patients with major depression: evidence for increased accumulation of visceral fat at follow-up. Psychoneuroendocrinology 31:347–354

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  266. Webster MJ, Knable MB, O’Grady J, Orthmann J, Weickert CS (2002) Regional specificity of brain glucocorticoid receptor mRNA alterations in subjects with schizophrenia and mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry 7:985–994 924

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  267. Wehr TA, Rosenthal NE (1989) Seasonality and affective illness. Am J Psychiatry 146:829–839

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  268. Westlund KN, Aguilera G, Childs GV (1985) Quantification of morphological changes in pituitary corticotrophs produced by in vivo corticotropin-releasing factor stimulation and adrenalectomy. Endocrinology 116:439–445

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  269. Westrin A, Nimeus A (2003) The dexamethasone suppression test and CSF-5-HIAA in relation to suicidality and depression in suicide attempters. Eur Psychiatry 18:166–171

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  270. Westrin A, Ekman R, Regnell G, Traskman-Bendz L (2001) A follow up study of suicide attempters: increase of CSF-somatostatin but no change in CSF-CRH. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 11:135–143

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  271. Wirz-Justice A, Benedetti F, Berger M, Lam RW, Martiny K, Terman M, Wu JC (2005) Chronotherapeutics (light and wake therapy) in affective disorders. Psychol Med 35:939–944

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  272. Won JG, Orth DN (1990) Roles of intracellular and extracellular calcium in the kinetic profile of adrenocorticotropin secretion by perifused rat anterior pituitary cells. I. Corticotropin-releasing factor stimulation. Endocrinology 126:849–857

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  273. Won JG, Oki Y, Orth DN (1990) Roles of intracellular and extracellular calcium in the kinetic profile of adrenocorticotropin secretion by perifused rat anterior pituitary cells. II. Arginine vasopressin, oxytocin, and angiotensin-II stimulation. Endocrinology 126:858–868

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  274. Won JG, Nicholson WE, Ching KN, Orth DN (1993) Effect of protein kinase-C depletion on inositol trisphosphate-mediated and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase-mediated adrenocorticotropin secretion. Endocrinology 133:1274–1283

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  275. Woolley CS, Gould E, Sakai RR, Spencer RL, McEwen BS (1991) Effects of aldosterone or RU28362 treatment on adrenalectomy-induced cell death in the dentate gyrus of the adult rat. Brain Res 554:312–315

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  276. Xing GQ, Russell S, Webster MJ, Post RM (2004) Decreased expression of mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 7:143–153

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  277. Yerevanian BI, Olafsdottir H, Milanese E, Russotto J, Mallon P, Baciewicz G, Sagi E (1983) Normalization of the dexamethasone suppression test at discharge from hospital. Its prognostic value. J Affect Disord 5:191–197

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  278. Yerevanian BI, Feusner JD, Koek RJ, Mintz J (2004) The dexamethasone suppression test as a predictor of suicidal behavior in unipolar depression. J Affect Disord 83:103–108

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  279. Yip PS, Chao A, Chiu CW (2000) Seasonal variation in suicides: diminished or vanished. Experience from England, Wales, 1982–1996. Br J Psychiatry 177:366–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  280. Young EA, Aggen SH, Prescott CA, Kendler KS (2000) Similarity in saliva cortisol measures in monozygotic twins and the influence of past major depression. Biol Psychiatry 48:70–74

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  281. Young EA, Lopez JF, Murphy-Weinberg V, Watson SJ, Akil H (2003) Mineralocorticoid receptor function in major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60:24–28

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  282. Zobel AW, Nickel T, Sonntag A, Uhr M, Holsboer F, Ising M (2001) Cortisol response in the combined dexamethasone/CRH test as predictor of relapse in patients with remitted depression. A prospective study. J Psychiatr Res 35:83–94

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maurizio Pompili.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pompili, M., Serafini, G., Innamorati, M. et al. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and serotonin abnormalities: a selective overview for the implications of suicide prevention. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 260, 583–600 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-010-0108-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-010-0108-z

Keywords

Navigation