Journal
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
Volume 53, Issue -, Pages 76-83Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.02.022
Keywords
Yoga; Depression; Escitalopram; Quetiapine; Cortisol; DEX/CRH-test
Categories
Funding
- Astra-Zeneca Germany
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Objectives: The impact of Hatha yoga as add-on treatment to quetiapine fumarate extended release (QXR) or escitalopram (ESC) in depressed patients on hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activity was assessed. Methods: 60 inpatients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-IV were randomized for a 5 week treatment with Yoga or not (control group) and with either QXR (300 mg/day) or ESC (10 mg/day). Serial dexamethasone/corticotropin releasing hormone (DEX/CRH) tests were performed to assess HPA axis function. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (21-HAMD) was used weekly. Results : A more pronounced down regulation of the HPA axis activity due to yoga could not be detected. The stepwise long term cortisol reduction was seen in both medication groups, irrespectively of yoga add-on treatment. In addition, cortisol improvers in week 1 of therapy (reduction in cortisol peak value within the DEX/CRH test) reached significant greater amelioration of depressive symptoms after 5 weeks. Conclusions: Our results suggest that antidepressant agents down regulate HPA axis function to a greater extent than additional Hatha yoga treatment. Moreover, an early reduction of HPA system hyperactivity after one week of pharmacological treatment seems to raise the possibility of a favorable treatment response. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available