METHODS
We examined 10 outpatients, 1 man and 9 women (6 fertile and 3 postmenopausal), aged 23 to 51 years, with 2- to 20-year histories of depression associated in the last 2 years with severe anxiety. None of these subjects had panic disorders; seven had a family history of depression. Ten healthy subjects, matched for sex and age, served as controls. Informed consent was obtained from patients and controls. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA) were used to quantify the patients’ symptomatology. Sleep efficiency was rated by electroencephalographic measures modified according to an analogical scale. Patients and controls were given TRH (500 meg i.v. as a bolus) and LHRH (150 meg i.v. as a bolus) 48 hr later. The tests started at 9:00 a.m. after an overnight fast and 1 hr of bed rest. At 8:30 a.m., a 19-gauge butterfly needle was inserted into a forearm vein, kept patent by saline infusion. Heparinized blood samples were drawn for AP hormone assays, and trasylol (1000 U/ml) was added to the samples for /3-EP and /3-LPH assays. Blood was drawn at 9:00 a.m., before administration of TRH and LHRH, and, thereafter, at 15 and 30 min intervals for 150 min. Blood samples were immediately centrifuged, and plasma was stored at — 20 °C until assayed. A complete description of methodology and criteria used to define abnormal AP responses to RH has been given previously (5,8). Data were analyzed statistically by the Student Mest and Pearson’s linear correlation. RESULTS Results are reported in Table 1 and Figs. 1 to 6. Baseline GH levels were elevated in 4 patients (mean ± SEM = 9.3 ± 2.2 ng/ml) and normal in the others. Mean values for the whole group were significantly higher than those of 
controls (Table 1). GH levels rose after TRH administration in 2 cases, 1 of whom had a high basal value, whereas LHRH administration did not change them (Fig. 1). Two patients had elevated baseline PRL levels (18.5 and 32.0 ng/ml, respectively), whereas those of the others were normal. Mean values for the whole group were not significantly different from those of controls (Table 1). TRH 
administration induced normal responses in all the patients. LHRH administration elicited abnormal PRL rises in only 2 cases (with low-normal basal PRL levels) (Fig. 2). Basal TSH levels were normal in all the patients and their mean values; did not differ from those of controls (Table 1). TRH administration induced blunted responses in 2 cases and normal ones in the other 8. (Fig. 3). LHRH administration did not induce any abnormal TSH rise. Basal FSH levels were low in 2 patients of fertile age (1.8 and 3.7 mU/ml, respectively) and normal in the others. Mean values were not significantly different from those of controls (Table 1). LHRH administration elicited a reduced response in 4 cases (Fig. 4). TRH administration did not stimulate FSH secretion in any of the patients. 
Basal LH levels were low in 2 cases (1 fertile and 1 postmenopausal, 4.2 and 9.9 mU/ml, respectively) and normal in the others. Here, again, mean values for the whole group were not significantly different from those of controls (Table 1). LHRH induced normal responses in all the patients, and TRH did not stimulate LH secretion. Basal /3-EP and /3-LPH levels (assayed in only 8 patients) were elevated in 4 cases (mean ± SEM /3-EP 32.5 ± 5.4; /3-LPH 28.4 ± 6.2 fmol/ml) and normal in the others. The mean values for the whole group were significantly higher than those of controls (Table 1). TRH administration (in 7 patients) induced /3-EP rises in 2 cases and b-LPH rises in 3. In only 1 case there was a simultaneous increase of the two peptides (Figs. 5 and 6). LHRH administration (in 6 patients) induced no rises of either b-EP or b-LPH levels. Pearson’s linear correlation analysis showed that degree of depression correlated positively with basal b-EP levels (r = 0.57; p < 0.03) and that degree of insomnia 
correlated positively with basal FSH and LH levels (r = 0.90; p < 0.01). None of the unusual responses of AP hormones to RH administration correlated with age of patients, degree of depression, anxiety, insomnia, or family history and duration of illness.