Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review
November 2020
in “
Physiology & behavior
”
New to Hydrocortisone? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary This review found that patients with depression generally have higher hair cortisol concentrations compared to healthy controls, while those with PTSD tend to have lower concentrations.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
This systematic review examined hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) to assess basal HPA axis activity in various mental disorders. The review included cross-sectional studies comparing psychiatric patients and healthy controls. Despite the growing interest in using HCC for long-term cortisol measurement, results were inconsistent across studies. The review highlighted the need for further cross-sectional and longitudinal studies to better understand HPA axis activity and its association with mental disorders and relapse risk. The authors recommended standardizing HCC measurement protocols for future research.
