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The 24‐hour pattern of urinary MHPG excretion in depressives and normals
Author(s) -
Bemmel A. L.,
Smeets E. H. J.,
Diest R.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1988.tb06340.x
Subject(s) - urinary system , circadian rhythm , excretion , psychology , endocrinology , medicine , physiology
The 24‐h pattern of urinary 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxy‐phenylglycol (MHPG) was studied in 15 depressives and 15 healthy controls. MHPG was measured at 3‐h intervals over two consecutive 24‐h periods. The shape of the MHPG excretion pattern of the depressed group was different from that of the control group. However, both the consistency and shape of the individual 24‐h MHPG patterns exhibited a high interindividual variability. Therefore it is difficult to speculate on a circadian phase difference between depressives and healthy controls. Major factors that may have influenced our results are discussed.