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Urinary free Cortisol excretion in depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Bernard J. Carroll ,
George C. Curtis ,
B. M. Davies ,
J. Mendels  and
A. Arthur Sugerman
Bernard J. Carroll
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia, the Carrier Clinic, Belle Mead, N.J.
George C. Curtis
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia, the Carrier Clinic, Belle Mead, N.J.
B. M. Davies
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia, the Carrier Clinic, Belle Mead, N.J.
J. Mendels
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia, the Carrier Clinic, Belle Mead, N.J.
A. Arthur Sugerman
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia, the Carrier Clinic, Belle Mead, N.J.
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Synopsis

Urinary free Cortisol (UFC) excretion was determined in 60 depressed inpatients and in 35 psychiatric inpatients with other disorders. The depressed patients had high daily UFC values, while the other patients excreted normal amounts. Over 40% of the depressed patients had UFC excretions in the range seen in Cushing's disease, while only 6% of the other patients excreted such high amounts of Cortisol. Age and sex differences did not account for the results. Among the depressed patients those with depressive neuroses excreted less than unipolar or bipolar depressives. Following treatment, more normal UFC excretion was found in depressed patients. The estimation of UFC and its clinical utility are discussed in detail. UFC determination is a simple and informative indicator of adrenal cortical activation and its application to psychoendocrine studies is recommended.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , February 1976 , pp. 43 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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