title: An investigation into the relationship between salivary cortisol, stress, anxiety and depression.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between indices of self-reported emotional distress and absolute versus change in cortisol levels. Fifty-four women attending a diagnostic breast clinic completed scales measuring stress, anxiety and depression and provided five saliva samples over the course of a single day for the measurement of cortisol. No significant relationships were evident between absolute cortisol levels and the distress measures. Analysis of the change in cortisol levels revealed a non-linear interaction effect between stress and anxiety and time of day. There was a non-linear relation between time of day and cortisol levels, but the extent of the non-linearity was dependent upon levels of stress and anxiety, not depression. A relationship was apparent between indices of distress and change in cortisol levels, but not absolute levels of the hormone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Human Stress Research Unit, University of Bristol, 8 Woodland Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1TN, UK. k.vedhara@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kav
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vedhara
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tallon
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Lone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Munnoch
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schreiber-Kounine
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Stafford
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lightman
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sammon
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rayter
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farndon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone