IGF-I in major depression and antidepressant treatment response

We analyzed insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in serum of 78 inpatients with depression and 92 healthy controls. Patients were selected according to remission status after 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment with remission defined by Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) 21-item score <10 (39 remitters and 39 non-remitters).IGF-I was analyzed in patients at admission and after 6 weeks of psychopharmacological treatment. IGF-I levels were compared between patients and controls and between remitters and non-remitters with general linear model using age, gender, and body mass index as covariates.In patients, IGF-I levels were significantly higher at admission (p=3.29E−04) and in week 6 (p=0.002) compared to controls. Furthermore, non-remitters showed significantly higher IGF-I levels at admission (p=0.046) and a trend for higher IGF-I levels in week 6 (p=0.11) compared to remitters. In remitters change in IGF-I levels during treatment was significantly correlated with change in cortisol levels (p=0.019).A genetic association analysis of polymorphisms in 10 genes contributing to the IGF-I system (IGF1, IGF1R, IGFBP1 to IGFBP7, and IGFBPL1) in the currently largest genetic databases for major depression (Psychiatric Genomics Consortium) revealed nominal associations with susceptibility for depression and treatment response, although results did not remain significant after multiple testing correction.In our study, elevated IGF-I levels were significantly associated with depression and impaired treatment response. Based on these findings IGF-I signaling could play a role in the pathophysiology of depression and could possibly influence the response to antidepressant treatment.