Most of us at some point in our lives have experienced feelings of deep sadness and some of its symptoms: loss of appetite, decrease in energy, disinterest in sex, insomnia, oversleeping, and or a decreased ability to concentrate. But for 19 million Americans these symptoms are serious enough to be diagnosed as depression. Why we experience depression is another story altogether. The problem may not be psychological. It could, instead, be a result of biochemical changes in the body affected by the functioning of hormones. The good news is that there are two easy tests that can help determine the cause of the blues.
The DS (dexamethasone suppression) test measures the level of the hormone cortisol, which is known to be excessively high in some persons who suffer from depression. The DS test helps doctors to design a specific treatment that can correct the physiological root of the illness, and return the patient to normalcy by controlling the excess flow of cortisol.
The TRH (thyrotrophin releasing hormone test) measures the level of hormone produced by the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a gland located in the neck that is regulated by the pituitary gland in the brain. The pituitary gland is in turn, regulated by the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus, which is also located in the brain releases TRH. Some people who suffer from severe depression have a low thyroid level. In one study at Fair Oaks Hospital in New Jersey, the TRH test accurately identified cases of depression 92 percent of the time.
