Weill Cornell Medicine
Citigroup Biomedical Imaging Center
Weill Cornell Medicine
Citigroup Biomedical Imaging Center

Epilepsy, depression, and growth hormone.

Publication Type Review
Authors Butler T, Harvey P, Cardozo L, Zhu Y, Mosa A, Tanzi E, Pervez F
Journal Epilepsy Behav
Volume 94
Pagination 297-300
Date Published 02/14/2019
ISSN 1525-5069
Keywords Depression, Depressive Disorder, Epilepsy, Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone, Human Growth Hormone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System
Abstract Depression affects a large proportion of patients with epilepsy, and is likely due in part to biological mechanism. Hormonal dysregulation due to the disruptive effects of seizures and interictal epileptiform discharges on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis likely contributes to high rates of depression in epilepsy. This paper reviews the largely unexplored role of neuroendocrine factors in epilepsy-related depression, focusing on Growth Hormone (GH). While GH deficiency is traditionally considered a childhood disorder manifested by impaired skeletal growth, GH deficiency in adulthood is now recognized as a serious disorder characterized by impairments in multiple domains including mood and quality of life. Could high rates of depression in patients with epilepsy relate to subtle GH deficiency? Because GH replacement therapy has been shown to improve mood and quality of life in patients with GH deficiency, this emerging area may hold promise for patients suffering from epilepsy-related depression.
DOI 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.01.022
PubMed ID 30773449
PubMed Central ID PMC7980784
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