Effects of acute cortisol administration on autobiographical memory in patients with major depression and healthy controls.
OBJECTIVE
Overgeneral autobiographical memory has become a well established phenomenon within major depressive disorder (MDD). Neuroendocrinologically, MDD is often characterized by a dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, i.e. hypercortisolemia and reduced feedback sensitivity. In healthy participants cortisol administration has been found to impair autobiographical memory retrieval. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of acute cortisol administration on autobiographical memory in MDD patients with the effects observed in healthy controls. We hypothesized that in contrast to healthy control subjects acute cortisol administration would not affect autobiographical memory performance in MDD due to reduced central glucocorticoid sensitivity.


METHODS
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study, 16 patients with MDD and 16 healthy control subjects received a placebo or 10mg of hydrocortisone orally before autobiographical memory testing (AMT).


RESULTS
In the placebo condition depressed patients performed poorer than controls. After hydrocortisone intake, healthy subjects reported significantly fewer specific memories on the AMT compared to placebo treatment. In contrast, memory specificity of MDD patients was not affected by hydrocortisone treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings replicate previous findings of impaired autobiographical memory retrieval after hydrocortisone treatment in healthy subjects and of impaired AMT performance in depressed patients. We speculate that the missing acute impairing effect of hydrocortisone on autobiographical memory in depressed patients might reflect reduced central glucocorticoid sensitivity. However alternative explanations cannot be ruled out.
Schlosser
Nicole
N
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bethel, Ev. Hospital Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
Wolf
Oliver Tobias
OT
Fernando
Silvia Carvalho
SC
Riedesel
Kirsten
K
Otte
Christian
C
Muhtz
Christoph
C
Beblo
Thomas
T
Driessen
Martin
M
Löwe
Bernd
B
Wingenfeld
Katja
K
D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010919:Placebos; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors
D010919:Placebos; D006854:Hydrocortisone