Increased cortisol concentrations in hair of severely traumatized Ugandan individuals with PTSD

2016/03/30 by Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana, Steudte, Susann, Stalder, Tobias +3
#Biological markers #DDC 150 / Psychology #Hair #Hydrocortison #Post-traumatic stress disorder #Traumatic events

paper · doi:10.18725/oparu-2415

Abstract

The influence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on cortisol levels is not yet clear. We examined long-term cortisol levels in severely traumatized survivors of the Northern Uganda civil war - 10 individuals with and 17 without PTSD - by assessing hair cortisol. PTSD patients exhibited higher long-term cortisol concentrations than non-PTSD participants, and the cortisol level was positively correlated with the number of traumatic event types experienced. Our results indicate a chronic stress reaction in PTSD patients, especially under conditions of recurring trauma. Wird veröffentlicht in: Psychoneuroendocrinology 36 (2011)

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