[Anabolic-catabolic balance in depression: an effect of coaxil].

Correlation between anabolic and catabolic process in terms of neuroendocrine changes in depression has been studied before and after coaxil therapy. The index of catabolic processes was cortisol blood level and that of anabolic processes--dehydroepiandrosterone (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, DHEA-S) level. The total of 39 patients of middle age were studied: 25 of the study group treated with coaxil (37.5 mg/day during 4 weeks) and 14 of the comparison group treated with sertraline (50 mg/day during 4 weeks). A mean level of cortisol was higher than normal one in patients with depression. Coaxil and sertraline decreased the mean cortisol level, no significant differences being found between these drugs. There was negative correlation between the DHEA-S level and severity of depression before the treatment. Unlike sertraline, coaxil caused an increase of this parameter in patients with decreased DHEA-S level. The ratio cortisol/ DHEA-S decreased during the treatment with either coaxil or sertraline but in the former case it was more pronounced (p = 0.003). The authors considered the data obtained in the aspect of concept of allostasis--the ability of the organism to achieve changes (stress reaction).

[Pregnancy in WAG/Rij rats--changes in the levels of progesterone, estradiol and generalized absence epilepsy]. / Beremennost' krys linii WAG/Rij--izmeneniia urovnei progesterona i éstradiola i generalizovannoi absansnoi épilepsii.

Progesterone and oestradiol serum level was investigated in WAG/Rij rats with genetically determined absences. Blood samples were drawn before and after the pregnancy following the parturition. The serum concentration of progesterone increased after the 3rd day of pregnancy. There is no increasing of oestradiol during pregnancy as large as this. The progesterone is kept high to the 18th day of pregnancy and drastically decreased before the parturition. Common duration of absences--spontaneous spikewave discharges (SWD), frequency and the duration of every SWD decreased from 3rd to 19th days of pregnancy before the parturition. On the basis of these data and modern investigations, regulation of GABAA receptor expression during pregnancy by progesterone (Brusaartd A. B. et al., 1999) it can be assumed that the changes in the parameters of SWD are possibly correlated with the progesterone changes in serum during pregnancy in WAG/Rij rats.