Elevated salivary dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate but normal cortisol levels in medicated depressed patients: preliminary findings.
Major depression is often associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In contrast to cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) has been less extensively studied in depressed patients. This study examined salivary morning and evening levels of cortisol and DHEA-S in 13 medicated, unipolar, non-psychotic depressed patients and 13 healthy volunteers. Diurnal declines in cortisol and DHEA-S levels were found in both depressed and control groups. In patients compared with controls, DHEA-S was significantly elevated, in conjunction with normal cortisol levels. Based on DHEA-S at 22:00 h only, 77% of the subjects were correctly classified in a discriminant analysis as depressed or control. When simultaneously entered in a multiple regression analysis, DHEA-S (morning and evening) and cortisol (evening only) predicted symptom severity in depressed patients. These preliminary results suggest that DHEA-S may be a more sensitive indicator of depression and symptom severity than cortisol in medicated but still clinically depressed patients.
Assies
Johanna
J
Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Tafelbergweg 25, 1105 BC Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.assies@amc.uva.nl
Visser
Ieke
I
Nicolson
Nancy A
NA
Eggelte
Teunis A
TA
Wekking
Elisabeth M
EM
Huyser
Jochanan
J
Lieverse
Ritsaert
R
Schene
Aart H
AH
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone