title: Hair cortisol in drug-naïve first-episode individuals with psychosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in drug-naïve first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and healthy controls and to investigate the correlations between HCC and psychopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four drug-naïve FEP patients and 27 gender- and age-matched healthy control subjects were recruited. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-1) was used to confirm/rule out diagnoses, and the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptom severity. Hair samples (2-3 cm long) obtained from the posterior vertex region of the scalp were processed in 1-cm segments considering a hair growth rate of 1 cm per month. The 1-cm segments were classified according to their proximity to the scalp: segment A was the closest to the scalp and referred to the month prior to inclusion in the study. Segments B and C referred to the 2nd and 3rd months prior to the time of evaluation respectively. Hair steroid extraction was performed using a known protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with gender and age as covariates revealed a group effect (F1.106 = 4.899, p = 0.029) on HCC. Between-segment differences correlated with total PANSS score and with PANSS General Psychopathology subscale and total score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as assessed by long-term (3-month) cortisol concentration, is abnormal in the early stages of psychosis. The magnitude of changes in HCC over time prior to the FEP correlates to psychopathology. HPA axis abnormalities might begin prior to full-blown clinical presentation requiring hospital admission.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elvis H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noto
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ary
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas Biomédicas (IPB), Grupo de Neurociência Cognitiva do Desenvolvimento (GNCD), Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisa em Trauma e Estresse (NEPTE), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ledo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daruy-Filho
authors.affiliation: Programa Primeiro Episódio Psicótico, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Brazílio de C
authors.initials: Bde C
authors.lastname: Tasso
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.affiliation: Programa Primeiro Episódio Psicótico, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Quirino
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Síntia I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Belangero
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bressan
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas Biomédicas (IPB), Grupo de Neurociência Cognitiva do Desenvolvimento (GNCD), Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisa em Trauma e Estresse (NEPTE), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassi-Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LINC), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brietzke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
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