Plasma Cortisol Response to Dexamethasone Suppression in Depressed and Control Patients

Abstract

Adrenocortical overactivity as a theory in the pathogenesis of depression cannot be supported on the basis of this study. Plasma cortisol response to dexamethasone was normal in both bipolar and unipolar depressives, reactive depressives and schizophrenics. As a group, schizophrenics showed significantly higher morning cortisol values than the depressed population.