title: Subjective mild depressive symptoms are associated with abnormal diurnal cycle of salivary cortisol in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alterations in cortisol secretion pattern seem to be involved in the associations between aging, depression, and cognitive decline.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to mainly assess cortisol circadian profile in older adults with subjective depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Salivary cortisol samples from healthy young (n = 22) and old adults (n = 22), and from older adults who self-reported depressive symptoms in Geriatric Depression Scale (n = 22) were collected at 7 AM, 4 PM, and 10 PM and were analyzed by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older adults with depressive symptoms presented the characteristic cortisol circadian pattern, but they showed higher cortisol levels at 10 PM than healthy young and elderly controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that mild depressive symptoms could be associated with a cortisol secretion pattern previously described as being predictive of cognitive decline.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joana Bisol
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Balardin
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vedana
authors.forename: Clarice
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luz
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bromberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone