Depression, cortisol and somatoform dissociative symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
According to recent findings neuroendocrine response related to dissociative symptoms is related to dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis but HPA axis functioning as related to dissociation is only partially understood.


METHODS
With the aim to test the relationship between basal serum cortisol and dissociative symptoms measured as somatoform and psychic dissociation we performed clinical testing and biochemical analysis in 30 inpatients with diagnosis of unipolar depression (mean age 41.46, SD=13.68).


RESULTS
The results show that cortisol as an index of HPA axis functioning manifests significant relationship to somatoform dissociative symptoms (r=-0.40; p=0.014).


CONCLUSIONS
The result indicates relationship between HPA-axis reactivity and somatoform dissociative symptoms in unipolar depressive patients and suggests that somatoform dissociation presents a defense mechanism related to a passive coping response.
Bob
Petr
P
Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research of Traumatic Stress and Department of Psychiatry, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. petrbob@netscape.net
Freybergh
P F
PF
Jasova
Denisa
D
Susta
Marek
M
Pavlat
Josef
J
Zima
Tomas
T
Benakova
Hana
H
Bizik
Gustav
G
Svetlak
Miroslav
M
Vevera
Jan
J
Miklosko
Jozef
J
Hajek
Karel
K
Raboch
Jiri
J
D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006854:Hydrocortisone