Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice
Published on: May 15, 2019
Uncoupling of social zeitgebers and diurnal cortisol secretion in clinical depression
Cinnamon Stetler1, Sally S Dickerson, Gregory E Miller
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4. cstetler@psych.ubc.ca
Abstract:
Daily activities (zeitgebers) such as waking, eating, and exercising, done alone or in the presence of others, may help to entrain biological rhythms. To examine whether the relationship between zeitgebers and biological rhythms is altered in depression, this study tracked daily activity and cortisol secretion in 50 depressed and 50 control participants using a daily diary methodology. The groups reported similar levels of regular daily activities. Among control participants, regular daily activities were associated with a normative decline in cortisol secretion. Among depressed participants, daily activities and cortisol secretion were unrelated, consistent with the hypothesis that these activities are less able to entrain diurnal rhythms. This lack of social entrainment may underlie some of the circadian disturbances in depression.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
Depression: Overview
Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
Long-term Depression

