Luteinizing hormone pulse characteristics in depressed women.

Abstract

Luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse characteristics in depressed and normal women were compared to determine whether hypothalamic dysregulation in depression extends to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The subjects were 10 depressed and 13 normal comparison women admitted to a clinical research center. For each woman, an intravenous line was started and blood was withdrawn every 10 minutes for 8 hours. Blood samples were assayed for LH and LH pulse characteristics determined by using the computerized cluster algorithm of Veldhuis and Johnson. The depressed women differed significantly from the comparison women in LH pulse amplitude, rhythmicity, and area under the curve. Major depressive disorder is associated with abnormal regulation of luteinizing hormone. Gonadotropin regulation may provide a hormonal link between major depressive disorder and impaired fertility.