Frank M Schmidt1, Claudia Nowak2, Juergen Kratzsch3, Christian Sander2, Ulrich Hegerl2, Peter Schönknecht2. 1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: frank.schmidt2@medizin.uni-leipzig.de. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. 3. Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In preclinical studies, the hypothalamic polypeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) has been shown to be involved in depression-like behavior and modulations of MCH and MCH-receptors were proposed as potential new antidepressant drug targets. METHODS: For the first time, MCH serum levels were explored in 30 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) prior to (T1) and after 2 (T2) and 4 weeks (T3) of antidepressant treatment and in 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls by applying a fluorescence immunoassay. RESULTS: Levels of MCH did not differ significantly between un-medicated patients (444.11±174.63pg/mL SD) and controls (450.68±210.03pg/mL SD). In MDD patients, MCH levels significantly decreased from T1 to T3 (F=4.663; p=0.013). Post-hoc analyses showed that these changes were limited to patients treated with mirtazapine but not escitalopram and female but not male patients. MCH-levels showed high correlations from T1 to T3 (r≥0.964, p<0.001) and were found to correlate significantly with parameters of sleep within the controls. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size. No follow-up measures were performed within the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest peripheral MCH-levels not to be altered in depression but possibly reflecting depression-related state properties that can be modulated by sleep, medication and sex.
BACKGROUND: In preclinical studies, the hypothalamic polypeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) has been shown to be involved in depression-like behavior and modulations of MCH and MCH-receptors were proposed as potential new antidepressant drug targets. METHODS: For the first time, MCH serum levels were explored in 30 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) prior to (T1) and after 2 (T2) and 4 weeks (T3) of antidepressant treatment and in 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls by applying a fluorescence immunoassay. RESULTS: Levels of MCH did not differ significantly between un-medicated patients (444.11±174.63pg/mL SD) and controls (450.68±210.03pg/mL SD). In MDDpatients, MCH levels significantly decreased from T1 to T3 (F=4.663; p=0.013). Post-hoc analyses showed that these changes were limited to patients treated with mirtazapine but not escitalopram and female but not male patients. MCH-levels showed high correlations from T1 to T3 (r≥0.964, p<0.001) and were found to correlate significantly with parameters of sleep within the controls. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size. No follow-up measures were performed within the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest peripheral MCH-levels not to be altered in depression but possibly reflecting depression-related state properties that can be modulated by sleep, medication and sex.