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Related Experiment Video

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Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression

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Cognitive functioning and cortisol profiles in first episode major depression.

Pia Berner Hansson¹, Robert Murison¹, Anders Lund^2,3

¹Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway.

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology

|June 3, 2015

Summary

First episode Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients show impaired Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis functioning with reduced cortisol suppression compared to controls, but no link to cognitive deficits.

Keywords:

Dexamethasone First episode Major Depressive Disorder cognitive function cortisol executive function hypercortisolism major depression memory suppression

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Published on: May 19, 2015

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Endocrinology
Psychiatry

Background:

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is linked to stress, Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) system disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction.
Previous research suggests a cortisol-cognitive function link in recurrent MDD, but this is unexplored in first-episode MDD.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between cortisol levels (pre- and post-Dexamethasone suppression test) and cognitive function in first-episode MDD patients.

Main Methods:

Twenty-one first-episode MDD patients and matched controls underwent salivary cortisol measurements over 48 hours, including a Dexamethasone suppression test (DST).
Cognitive function was assessed using standardized tests for Executive Functioning (EF) and memory.

Main Results:

Cortisol levels did not significantly differ between groups on Day 1, except for higher levels in controls before DST.
Both groups exhibited cortisol suppression post-DST, but controls showed more effective suppression on Day 2.
No significant correlations were found between cortisol profiles and cognitive measures (EF or memory).

Conclusions:

First-episode MDD patients exhibit HPA axis dysfunction with reduced cortisol suppression compared to healthy individuals.
The study found no association between cortisol profiles and cognitive functioning in this patient group.