title: Adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol plasma levels directly correlate with childhood neglect and depression measures in addicted patients.
abstract: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction has been reported to be involved in vulnerability to alcohol and drug dependence in humans, possibly underlying both addictive behaviour and depression susceptibility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible interactions between childhood adverse experiences, depressive symptoms and HPA axis function in addicted patients, in comparison with healthy control. Eighty-two abstinent heroin or cocaine dependent patients and 44 normal controls, matched for age and sex, completed the symptoms Check List-90 (SCL-90), measuring depressive symptoms, and the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire. Blood samples were collected to determine adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol basal plasma levels at 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. Addicted individuals showed significantly higher neglect and depression scores and ACTH-cortisol plasma levels respect to control subjects. Depression scores at SCL-90 in addicted patients positively correlated with plasma ACTH and cortisol values. In turn, plasma ACTH levels were directly associated with childhood neglect measures, reaching statistical significance with 'mother-neglect' scores. Plasma cortisol levels were related to 'father antipathy' among cocaine addicts. These findings suggest the possibility that childhood experience of neglect and poor parent-child attachment may have a persistent effect on HPA axis function as an adult, partially contributing, together with genetic factors and other environmental conditions, to both depressive traits and substance abuse neurobiological vulnerability.
authors.affiliation: Servizio Tossicodipendenze, AUSL Italy. gilberto.gerra@unodc.org
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerra
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaimovic
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dell'Agnello
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manfredini
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Somaini
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petracca
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Caretti
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donnini
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone