Reliability of salivary cortisol assessments in cocaine dependent individuals.
The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of salivary cortisol as a measure of hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in cocaine dependent individuals. Saliva and total plasma samples were collected from 49 abusers on 3 testing days in the morning, across eight time points per day. Significant associations between saliva and plasma cortisol were observed across all time points collapsed across 3 days in both men and women. These moderately significant correlations suggest that salivary measurements represent a stable, non-invasive and broad indicator of HPA axis functioning in cocaine dependent individuals.
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA. helen.fox@yale.edu
H C
HC
Fox
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Wilker
M J
MJ
Kreek
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Sinha
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013048:Specimen Handling
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone