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Relation to Menopause, Depression, and Plasma Dopa Concentration

Edward J. Sachar, MD; Norman Altman, MD; Peter H. Gruen, MD; Alexander Glassman, MD; Frieda S. Halpern, MA; Jon Sassin, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1975;32(4):502-503.

Abstract
After ingestion of 500 mg of levodopa, postmenopausal women had significantly diminished human growth hormone (HGH) responses (mean, 4.6 ng/ml), as compared with those of age-matched men (mean, 9.1 ng/ml; p <.05). The differences between the groups were not related to plasma dopa concentrations.

The HGH responses to levodopa of age-matched unipolar and bipolar depressed men, and of unipolar depressed postmenopausal women, did not differ significantly from their respective normal control groups. Depressive illness of these types does not appear to affect the HGH response to levodopa, once the effect of the menopause is taken into account.

Author Affiliations
From the departments of psychiatry (Drs. Sachar, Gruen, and Altman and Ms. Halpern) and neurology (Dr. Sassin), Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and the Department of Psychiatry (Dr. Glassman), Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Nov 7, 1974.

Reprint requests to the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, Pelham Parkway E and Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10461 (Dr. Sachar).

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