Psychological medicine
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Psychological medicine · Jan 2006
Cutaneous glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in antidepressant-resistant depression.
There is evidence to indicate that peripheral glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function is reduced in major depression, and a possible molecular explanation for this is the impact of raised pro-inflammatory cytokines. The topical steroid vasoconstriction assay provides a convenient probe of peripheral GR function. The present study sought to assess the sensitivity of peripheral GRs in antidepressant-resistant major depressives and investigate the association between GR sensitivity and circulating plasma cytokines. ⋯ These findings suggest that cutaneous GR function is abnormal in antidepressant-resistant depression, that circulating TNF-alpha may play a significant role in this abnormality and that the efficacy of topical steroids in antidepressant-resistant depressives is reduced.