The corticotropin-releasing hormone test in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
To evaluate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we measured adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and cortisol responses following administration of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in 8 combat veterans with chronic PTSD. The PTSD patients had a significantly lower ACTH response to CRH compared to a control group of normal volunteers. Blunted ACTH responses occurred in patients with PTSD alone, as well as those PTSD patients who also had major depression. The cortisol response, although reduced, was not significantly different from normal. The blunted ACTH response to CRH in PTSD patients is similar to that seen in other psychiatric disorders, such as depression, panic disorder, and anorexia nervosa.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Smith, MA; Davidson, J; Ritchie, JC; Kudler, H; Lipper, S; Chappell, P; Nemeroff, CB
Published Date
- August 1, 1989
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 26 / 4
Start / End Page
- 349 - 355
PubMed ID
- 2548631
Pubmed Central ID
- 2548631
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0006-3223
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1016/0006-3223(89)90050-4
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States