title: Prolonged secretion of cortisol as a possible mechanism underlying stress and depressive behaviour.
abstract: Stress is associated with the onset of depressive episodes, and cortisol hypersecretion is considered a biological risk factor of depression. However, the possible mechanisms underlying stress, cortisol and depressive behaviours are inconsistent in the literature. This study examined the interrelationships among stress, cortisol and observed depressive behaviours in female rhesus macaques for the first time and explored the possible mechanism underlying stress and depressive behaviour. Female monkeys were video-recorded, and the frequencies of life events and the duration of huddling were analysed to measure stress and depressive behaviour. Hair samples were used to measure chronic cortisol levels, and the interactions between stress and cortisol in the development of depressive behaviour were further evaluated. Significant correlations were found between stress and depressive behaviour measures and between cortisol levels and depressive behaviour. Stress was positively correlated with cortisol levels, and these two factors interacted with each other to predict the monkeys' depressive behaviours. This finding extends the current understanding of stress/cortisol interactions in depression, especially pertaining to females.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences &Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Dong
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences &Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rizak
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences &Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences &Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
authors.forename: Shang-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
authors.forename: Long-Bao
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650021, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650021, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences &Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.|Kunming Primate Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.|CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Tian
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D000882:Haplorhini; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone