Andrew Winokur Photo. This photo was taken during a planning session where Dr. Amsterdam and Dr. Winokur were discussing the methodology for studies that would eventually lead to several neuroendocrine test batteries for identifying patients with melancholic versus non-melancholic subtypes of major depressive disorder, in order to identify putativce bio-markers of depression. The first neuroendocrine battery comprised the administration of four (4) separate neuroendocrine tests to an individual over a four-day period: (1) thyrotropin stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin and growth hormone (GH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation; (2) follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, GH and TSH  response to Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation; (3) GH, prolactin, TSH, cortisol  and glucose response to insulinhypoglycemia; and (4) cortisol response to dexamethasone suppression. The primary results of this study were published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 1983.

May 31, 2018