Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T18:02:24.605Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Plasma Cortisol Levels in Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

R. J. Doig
Affiliation:
Belmont Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Royal Free Hospital, London
R. V. Mummery
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Free Hospital, London
M. R. Wills
Affiliation:
Dept. of Chemical Pathology, Royal Free Hospital, London
A. Elkes
Affiliation:
St. John's Hospital, Stone, Aylesbury, Bucks

Extract

Sleep disturbance is commonly found in depression. Plasma cortisol levels in non-hospitalized normal subjects show a rise prior to waking, with peak values at between 5 and 8 a.m. (9, 10). In a group of eight normal subjects, Perkoff (10) changed the sleep rhythm to sleeping during the day, using darkened rooms, and found that the plasma cortisol level followed suit, rising sharply in the two-hour period before waking. He stated: “A fundamental characteristic of the diurnal variation of plasma 17 OHCS concentration is the abrupt rise which occurs during the sleep period.”

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1966 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Bliss, E. L., Migeon, C. J., Hardin Branch, C. H., and Samuels, L. T. (1956). “Reaction of the adrenal cortex to emotional stress.” Psychosom. Med., 18, 5676.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2 Board, F., Wadeson, R., and Persky, H. (1957). “Depressive affect and endocrine function.” Arch. Neurol. (Chic.), 78, 612620.Google Scholar
3 Franksson, C., and Gemzell, C. A. (1955). “Adrenocortical activity in the pre-operative period.” J. clin. Endocr., 15, 10691072.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4 Franksson, C., Gemzell, C. A. and von Euler, U. S. (1954). “Cortical and medullary adrenal activity in surgical and allied conditions.” J. clin. Endocr., 14, 609612.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5 Gibbon, J. L., and McHugh, P. R. (1962). Plasma Cortisol in Depressive Illness. Psychiat. Res. Vol. I, Pergamon Press, 162171.Google Scholar
6 Hamilton, M. (1960). “A rating scale for depression.” J. Neurol Neurosurg. Psychiat., 23, 5662.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 Hodges, J. R., Jones, M. T., and Stockham, M. A. (1962). “Effect of emotion on blood corticotrophin and cortisol concentration in man.” Nature, 193, 11871188.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Mattingly, D. (1962). “A simple fluorimetric method for the estimation of free 11-hydroxysteroids in human plasma.” J. clin. Path., 15, 374379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9 Midgeon, C. J., Tyler, F. H., Mahoney, J. P., Florentin, A. A., Castle, H., Bliss, E. L., and Samuels, L. T. (1956). “The diurnal variation of plasma levels and urinary excretions of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in normal subjects, night workers and blind subjects.” J. clin. Endocr., 16, 622633.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10 Perkoff, G. T. et al. (1959). “Studies of the diurnal variation of plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in man.” J. clin. Endocr., 19, 432443.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Price, D. B., Thaler, M., and Mason, J. (1956). “Pre-operative emotional states and adrenal cortical activity.” Arch. Neurol. (Chic.), 77, 646656.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.