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Increased salivary cortisol after waking in depression
Zubin Bhagwagar1, Sepehr Hafizi, Philip J Cowen
1Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK. zubin.bhagwagar@psych.ox.ac.uk
Psychopharmacology
|July 2, 2005
Summary
Acutely depressed individuals exhibit elevated early morning cortisol secretion compared to controls. This finding highlights the importance of timing when assessing cortisol levels in major depression.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Cortisol hypersecretion is implicated in major depression pathophysiology.
- Previous community-based studies on cortisol and depression have yielded inconsistent results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate early morning salivary cortisol release patterns in acutely depressed, unmedicated individuals.
- To compare cortisol awakening response between depressed patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Salivary cortisol levels were measured in 20 unmedicated, acutely depressed subjects.
- Cortisol patterns were compared to those of 40 healthy controls.
- Measurements focused on the post-awakening period.
Main Results:
- Salivary cortisol levels in both groups increased rapidly after waking, peaking at 30 minutes.
- Acutely depressed subjects showed approximately 25% higher overall cortisol secretion than controls.
- Cortisol levels at 60 minutes post-waking were comparable between depressed patients and controls.
Conclusions:
- Community-based depressed patients demonstrate increased early morning cortisol secretion.
- Accurate assessment of this phenomenon necessitates precise control for the time of waking.