TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2007//
TI  - Inverse correlation between morning plasma cortisol levels and MMPI psychasthenia and depression scale scores in victims of mobbing with adjustment disorders
JO  - Neuro endocrinology letters
A1  - Rocco, Antonio
A1  - Martocchia, Antonio
A1  - Frugoni, Patrizia
A1  - Baldini, Rossella
A1  - Sani, Gabriele
A1  - Di Simone Di Giuseppe, Barbara
A1  - Vairano, Andrea
A1  - Girardi, Paolo
A1  - Monaco, Edoardo
A1  - Tatarelli, Roberto
A1  - Falaschi, Paolo
SP  - 610
EP  - 613
VL  - 28
IS  - 5
N2  - OBJECTIVES: Evidence in the literature suggests stress-related changes of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in mobbing. We investigated the association between HPA activity and psychological profiles in mobbing, using a multidisciplinary approach. DESIGN: Forty-eight victims of mobbing were evaluated by a working group of the Departments of Occupational Medicine, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine. After an informed consent, a detailed occupational history, a psychiatric interview with Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2) administration and a blood sample (8:00 AM) for the determination of basal adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) plasma levels were collected. Twenty-six patients received an overnight dexamethasone (dex) test. RESULTS: Mean ACTH, cortisol and DHEAS levels were within normal ranges. The dex-test response was normal, with a significant hormone suppression (ACTH p<0.001, cortisol p<0.001, DHEAS p<0.001). The correlations between basal hormones and the psychometric scales of MMPI-2 revealed that cortisol was significantly and negatively related to Psychasthenia (Pt, p=0.003) and Depression (D, p=0.006), while DHEAS showed a significant negative correlation to Hysteria (Hy, p=0.008). Basal ACTH levels were not significantly related to psychometric scales. CONCLUSION: A significant inverse correlation between morning plasma cortisol levels and psychometric parameters in victims of mobbing with adjustment disorders was observed. A larger group of patients is necessary to identify and validate a cut-off cortisol level that may become an innovative biological parameter for the diagnosis and follow-up in victims of mobbing.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0172-780X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -