Our major findings are: (1) hypothalamic PR-containing cells are concentrated in the nuclei adjacent to the third ventricle in a relatively stable pattern in both sexes throughout the lifespan, (2) various peptidergic neurons as well as neural progenitors co-express PR, (3) POMC+ neurons in the INF are increased in suicide completers with MD, and this elevation is primarily due to PR/POMC co-expressing neurons, (4) NPY+ neuron number in the INF is sharply reduced in patients with MD, but PR/NPY co-expressing neurons do not participate in this decrease. This evidence concerns the gene POMC and Menkes disease.