A consistent finding in biological psychiatry is that hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)
axis physiology is altered in humans with major depression. These findings include
hypersecretion of cortisol at baseline and on the dexamethasone suppression test. In this
review, we present a process-oriented model for HPA axis regulation in major depression.
Specifically, we suggest that acute depressions are characterized by hypersecretion of
hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor, pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)�…