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According to a new study published online in the journal, screening for cortisol in hair samples may one day contribute to the diagnosis of depression and efforts to monitor the effects of treatment. psychoneuroendocrinology.
Researchers at Ohio State University have looked for potential links between the concentration of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the hair and symptoms of depression in adolescents, and have discovered a surprising link.
Not only did they find that high levels of cortisol were linked to an increased risk of depression, but they also linked low levels of cortisol to mental health problems.
Although several studies have used cortisol measurements to evaluate mental health over the past decade, few people have considered the stress hormone a predictor of depression. Jodi Ford, Ph.D., R.N., lead author of the study and Associate Professor of Nursing at Ohio State University, said Jodi Ford, Ph.D., R.N.
In clinical settings, a biomarker-based depression test would be useful, especially for children and adolescents, she said.
"This study raises many research questions and shows that the relationship between cortisol levels and depression is not necessarily linear," said Ford.
"It may be that low cortisol is bad and high cortisol is bad and an average level is normal," she said. "It's hard to know why it's all about more research, but it's possible that the stress response in some people is decreasing, which lowers the production of cortisol or changes the way it is treated. Maybe the body is not using cortisol as it should in some cases. "
The researchers also found that adolescents who reported feeling better supported at home had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms.
"This study shows parents that they value their teens' lives, that their support and involvement make a difference," said Ford, who also runs the Stress Science Lab at the Ohio State College of Nursing.
The study looked at 432 adolescents (aged 11 to 17) enrolled in the largest ongoing study on health and development in adolescent settings, a research project focused on the impact of social experiences. and other factors on health. This project is led by Dr. Christopher Browning, professor of sociology in the state of Ohio, co-author of the study on cortisol and depression.
For the study on cortisol, the research team measured depression with a nine-question questionnaire. Adolescents were asked to rate their experiences in several areas, including how often they feel that their lives have been a failure or that people have been hostile to them.
In most cases, the researchers examined a 3-centimeter hair sample – enough to determine cortisol levels for the previous three months.
After adjusting for other factors that may contribute to depressive symptoms and cortisol levels, the researchers found the surprising pattern that low and high cortisol had a statistically significant badociation with depression.
"It would not be really ideal to have an objective measure, because using subjective measures of stress is problematic, especially for children and adolescents," she said.
The test is simple and relatively inexpensive (in the order of US $ 35), but generalized use should not be considered until researchers understand what values are normal and which values are out of reach and of concern, Ford said.
In addition to being a detection tool, the hair test could also be a way to see if therapy and medications help a person with depression over time, or if mental illness increases and exposes people to depression. teenager at risk of suicide, she said.
Source: Ohio State University
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