Sex differences in hormonal responses to a social stressor in chronic major depression
Abstract
Background Acute depression has been associated with increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) reactivity. While chronicity of depressive illness influences symptoms, course and outcome, its effect on the HPA axis has not been extensively evaluated. The current study evaluated cortisol stress responses to a social challenge in chronic major depressive disorder (CMDD).Methods Cortisol stress responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were compared in 26 participants with CMDD and 28 healthy controls using repeated measures analysis of variance (RANOVA). In addition, group differences in area under the curve (AUC) and peak percentage change in cortisol were examined.Results The RANOVA indicated a significant sex by condition interaction in cortisol responses to the social challenge. Post-hoc testing of pair-wise group differences revealed that in females, CMDD subjects had greater cortisol levels in response to the TSST than did controls. Similarly, AUC was greater in females with CMDD than in female controls. Neither of these differences was significant in males. However, male CMDD subjects exhibited a significantly decreased peak percentage change in cortisol in response to the TSST than did male controls.Conclusions Males and females with CMDD exhibited unique differences in cortisol responses to the social challenge relative to controls. In females, CMDD subjects had greater overall secretion of cortisol whereas in males, CMDD subjects had a blunted peak response to the social stressor. Sex differences are an important consideration in future work in this population.
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Depression symptoms, rumination, trait self-efficacy, self-esteem, and perceived stress may affect the HRV and cortisol response to stress.
“Importantly, in previous studies it has been demonstrated that depression symptoms, rumination, trait self-efficacy, self-esteem, and perceived stress may affect the HRV and cortisol response to stress (e.g., Chopra et al., 2009;Kemp et al., 2010;Key et al., 2008;O'Donnell et al., 2008;Pruessner et al., 2005;Puig-Perez et al., 2016;Salvador and Costa, 2009;Schönfeld et al., 2007;Schull et al., 201”
From Cortisol Response to Stress: The Role of Expectancy and Anticipatory Stress Regulation (2020) · cites this paper as Chopra et al., 2009
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- Authors
- Chopra, K. K., Ravindran, A., Kennedy, S. H., Mackenzie, B., Matthews, S., Anisman, H., Bagby, R. M., Farvolden, P., & Levitan, R. D.
- Affiliations
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- University Health Network (CA)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Carleton University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Chopra, Kevin K.
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-09
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1235-1241
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2023493491
- Cited by
- 86
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 2.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- sex differences, cortisol, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, social stress, Trier Social Stress Test, blunted cortisol response, area under the curve
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Chronic Disease, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Saliva, Sex Characteristics, Stress, Psychological, Time Factors, Case-Control Studies
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