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Low Basal Levels of Cortisol Distinguish Detoxified Alcoholics With Major Depressive Disorder from non‐MDDs
Author(s) -
Halbreich Uriel,
Castaneda Richardo,
Galanter Marc
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1989.tb00432.x
Subject(s) - basal (medicine) , major depressive disorder , hydrocortisone , depression (economics) , medicine , dexamethasone , endocrinology , psychology , detoxification (alternative medicine) , hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis , psychiatry , hormone , amygdala , insulin , economics , macroeconomics , alternative medicine , pathology
Basal plasma levels of cortisol and its suppression by dexamethasone were measured in 60 inpatient alcoholics 12–13 days after detoxification. Both hypothalamic‐pituitary adrenal system parameters were essentially within normal limits in most patients–those who did not meet criteria for major depressive disorder (n=43) as well as those who met criteria for MDD per their episode (11–17). Basal levels of cortisol below 7 μg/dl distinguished alcoholics without MDD from those who met criteria for MDD per current episodes.