Plasma neuropeptide Y levels in medication naive adolescents with major depressive disorder

摘要

Objective: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been implicated in pathophysiology of anxiety and depression. It was proposed that NPY counteracts corticotropin-releasing factor-mediated stress effects to maintain emotional regulation. We investigated NPY concentrations in a sample of first episode medication-naive adolescent patients with MDD with regards to their history of suicide attempts. Method: 33 adolescents with MDD were enrolled. 11 patients were excluded due to comorbidity of another psychiatric illness. In 22 adolescents with MDD patients, the plasma concentrations of NPY were assessed. The Beck Depression Inventory-Turkish Version and the Beck Anxiety Scale- Turkish Version were used to rate the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results: Our sample of depressed patients showed lower levels of NPY compared to healthy controlsWhen the depressed patients were grouped with regards to suicidality, both groups did not show any significant differences. NPY levels were negatively correlated with duration of illness and feelings of guilt, and positively correlated with anxiety. When anxiety was taken as a covariate, significant correlations between NPY levels and feelings of guilt disappered; whereas, when duration of illness was taken as a covariate correlations were still significant. Conclusions: Adolescent depressed patients were found to have lower NPY plasma levels compared to healthy controls. Plasma NPY concentrations were decreasing with duration of illness, increasing with feelings of guilt and anxiety severity. Plasma NPY levels in adolescents MDD might indicate a predisposition to anxiety-related depression.