Cerebrospinal fluid neuropeptides in mood disorder and dementia.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and somatostatin (SRIF) were measured in female psychiatric inpatients with DSM-III-R diagnoses of major depression, mania, generalized anxiety and somatization disorder. In addition, elderly patients with dementia disorders, with or without concomitant major depression, were also investigated. CSF SRIF was not significantly different among these groups; on the other hand, mean CSF CRH concentrations were significantly higher in major depression and in dementia with depression as compared with neurological controls with no psychiatric disorders. CSF CRH levels in mania, simple dementia, or anxiety or somatization disorder were not significantly different from the controls. Background physical or clinical variables did not account for the differences in CRH concentrations. It is concluded that CSF CRH elevation may be present in some patients with major depression independent of age and an underlying dementia disorder.