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Cited by 102Child Abuse and TraumaStress Responses and CortisolSchizophrenia research and treatment

Elevated hair cortisol is associated with childhood maltreatment and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and in bipolar disorders

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Aas, Monica, Pizzagalli, Diego A., Laskemoen, Jannicke Fjæra, Reponen, Elina J., Ueland, Torill, Melle, Ingrid, Agartz, Ingrid, Steen, Nils Eiel +1 more·2019·Schizophrenia Research
DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2019.01.011
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Abstract

Background The neural diathesis-stress model is useful to understand schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar (BD) disorders. Childhood maltreatment could affect the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA)-axis and lead to chronic changes in stress-sensitivity, which can be measured with hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), representing long-term, cumulative cortisol levels. Here we investigated if childhood trauma experiences are associated with chronic changes in the HPA axis in severe mental disorders. Methods Participants with SZ or BD (N = 63) and healthy controls (N = 94) were included, and HCC was measured by ELISA. History of childhood maltreatment was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Global function and symptom levels were obtained using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). A neuropsychological test battery (MATRICS) was performed to assess cognitive functions. Results Our study shows for the first time that patients with a history of childhood maltreatment have higher HCC relative to both healthy controls and patients without a history of childhood maltreatment (P = 0.01, ƞp 2 = 0.046). In addition, patients experiencing a mood episode had higher HCC than patients in remission (P = 0.03). Lastly, we are the first to show that patients with higher HCC had poorer cognitive performance, specifically working memory (P = 0.01). All associations were irrespective of diagnostic group. A factor anal…

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  • The same group also found elevated long term hair cortisol in those patients with a history of childhood maltreatment.

    “The same group also found elevated long term hair cortisol in those patients with a history of childhood maltreatment (174).”

    From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [174]

  • Using a stable marker of cortisol concentration over several months (hair), cortisol was elevated in a study of patients with schizophrenia (n = 28) who had a history of childhood maltreatment.

    “Using a stable marker of cortisol concentration over several months (hair), cortisol was elevated in a study of patients with schizophrenia (n = 28) who had a history of childhood maltreatment (174).”

    From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [174]

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Authors
Aas, M., Pizzagalli, D. A., Laskemoen, J. F., Reponen, E. J., Ueland, T., Melle, I., Agartz, I., Steen, N. E., & Andreassen, O. A.
Affiliations
  • Oslo University Hospital (NO)
  • Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Aas, Monica
ORCID
Venue
Schizophrenia Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-11
Volume
213
Pages
65-71
ISSN
0920-9964 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.schres.2019.01.011
OpenAlex
W2908699123
Cited by
102
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 3
FWCI
14.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Schizophrenia Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
  • NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (2017060)
  • Research Council of Norway (223273)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
Keywords
hair cortisol, child abuse
MeSH terms
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adolescent, Adult, Bipolar Disorder, Child Abuse, Female, Hair, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Middle Aged, Schizophrenia, Young Adult, Cognitive Dysfunction

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