Associations between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormone levels, major depression features and antidepressant effects of ketamine.
Journal of affective disorders March 15, 2025 Polymnia Georgiou, Cristan A Farmer, Gustavo C Medeiros et al. 24 citations
Baseline levels of stress-related hormones (CRF, ACTH, and cortisol) did not significantly influence how well ketamine worked as an antidepressant in people with treatment-resistant depression. However, higher levels of ACTH and CRF were associated with longer overall duration of depressive episodes, suggesting these hormones might serve as biomarkers for chronic depression. Additionally, people who developed depression at a younger age tended to have more severe depressive symptoms, indicating that earlier onset may lead to greater cumulative stress on the brain and body. The study involved 42 participants in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.