Hair Cortisol as a Biomarker for Mood in Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study

January 2023 in “ Research Square (Research Square) ”

Lior Maimon, Tomer Milo, Dafna Haran, Ben Cohen, Tamar Danon, Anat Bren, Avi Mayo, Gadi Cohen Rappaport, Uri Alon

hair cortisol biomarker Hamilton Depression Rating Scale HDRS Beck Depression Inventory BDI Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale HAM-A

TLDR Hair cortisol may be a good indicator of recent mood in people with bipolar disorder.

In a pilot study involving 38 participants with bipolar disorder (BD), researchers investigated the potential of hair cortisol as a biomarker for mood states in BD. They measured cortisol levels in 2 cm hair segments, which reflect two months of hair growth, and assessed mood using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). After accounting for age, gender, family status, education, and medication, they found a positive correlation between hair cortisol levels and mood scores across all three scales (r = 0.45–0.55, p <= 0.01). The study concludes that hair cortisol is a promising biomarker for reflecting the mood of BD patients over recent months.

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research Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review

50 citations, February 2021 in “Physiology & behavior”

People with depression often have higher hair cortisol levels, while those with PTSD tend to have lower levels, but more research is needed to understand this fully.

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research Hair Cortisol as a Biomarker for Mood in Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study

January 2023 in “Research Square (Research Square)”

Hair cortisol may be a good indicator of recent mood in people with bipolar disorder.