title: Depression, cortisol and somatoform dissociative symptoms.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research of Traumatic Stress and Department of Psychiatry, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. petrbob@netscape.net
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bob
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Freybergh
authors.forename: Denisa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jasova
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Susta
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pavlat
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zima
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benakova
authors.forename: Gustav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bizik
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svetlak
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vevera
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miklosko
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hajek
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raboch
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone