Morning Cortisol Levels Are Predictive of Depression in Adolescent Males

Although depression occurred more frequently in teenaged girls, high cortisol levels were associated only with depression in boys.

To study the potential usefulness of morning cortisol levels as a biomarker for vulnerability to depression, researchers examined depression and cortisol levels in two cohorts totaling 1858 teenagers in the U.K. between 1999 and 2009 (mean age, 14; 52% female).

Latent class analysis of baseline self-reported depressive symptoms and morning cortisol levels produced four baseline groups:

Class 1 (31%), low depression scores and low cortisol
Class 2 (27%), low depression scores and high cortisol
Class 3 (25%), high depression scores and low cortisol
Class 4 (17%), high depression scores and high cortisol

The model was sex-differentiated, with class 1 being 33% female and class 4 being 72% female.

At follow-up, which occurred 1 or 3 years later and in…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Morning Cortisol Levels Are Predictive of Depression in Adolescent Males

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Reviewing Author