title: Saliva cortisol and male depressive syndrome in a community study. The Sudurnesjamenn study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The degree and direction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysfunction to male mental health is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between cortisol and male mental health.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this community study, 534 males were screened, using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS) and a general health questionnaire. Those with signs of depression (n = 65) and controls (n = 69) were evaluated in a psychiatric examination according to the DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorder (DD). In a sub-sample (n = 51) saliva cortisol was measured five times on a single day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evening cortisol was significantly higher in untreated individuals with DD. Significantly higher evening cortisol (at 22 h) correlated also with a history of physical disorder, a history of any mental disorder and MADRS score ≥ 20 (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale). High cortisol, measured as AUC (area under curve), correlated with a high MADRS score but not with any other health variable tested. Morning cortisol did not correlate with any health variable; however, cortisol awakening response (CAR) could not be investigated. The BDI and GMDS scores did not correlate with cortisol measurements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evening saliva cortisol measurement seems most informative, as it correlates with male depressive syndrome in our study but replications with larger studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. bjs23@hi.is
authors.forename: Bjarni
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: Sigurdur Pall
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Palsson
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johannsson
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olafsdottir
authors.forename: Olafur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aevarsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone