Abstract
The endocrine disturbances in affective disorders and affective symptoms in Cushing's syndrome, which respond well to lowering of elevated levels of corticosteroids, are rational for the testing of therapeutic strategies aimed at the activity of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in the treatment of affective disorders. The article sets up a theoretical framework for the use of corticoliberin antagonists, glucocorticoid receptors agonists as well as antagonists, corticosteroid synthesis inhibitors, dehydroepiandrosterone in these settings and summarizes clinical studies, with accent on double-blind placebo controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of these compounds.