TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2003//
TI  - Assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis over a 24-hour diurnal period and in response to neuroendocrine challenges in women with and without childhood sexual abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder
JO  - Biological psychiatry
A1  - Bremner, J. Douglas
A1  - Vythilingam, Meena
A1  - Anderson, George
A1  - Vermetten, Eric
A1  - McGlashan, Thomas
A1  - Heninger, George
A1  - Rasmusson, Ann
A1  - Southwick, Steven M.
A1  - Charney, Dennis S.
SP  - 710
EP  - 718
VL  - 54
IS  - 7
N2  - BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies showed that early stress results in long-term alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We performed a comprehensive assessment of the HPA axis in women with and without a history of early childhood sexual abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: Fifty-two women with and without a history of early childhood sexual abuse and PTSD underwent a comprehensive assessment of the HPA axis, including measurement of cortisol in plasma every 15 min over a 24-hour period and cortisol and corticotropin (ACTH) following corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and ACTH challenge. RESULTS: Abused women with PTSD had lower levels of cortisol during the afternoon hours (12:00-8:00 PM) of a 24-hour period compared with non-PTSD women. Their ACTH response to a CRF challenge was blunted compared with nonabused non-PTSD (but not abused non-PTSD) women. There were no differences in cortisol response to CRF and ACTH challenges between the groups. Increased PTSD symptom levels were associated with low afternoon cortisol levels. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that early abuse is associated with increased CRF drive as evidenced by decreased pituitary sensitivity to CRF, whereas in abuse with PTSD there is a specific hypocortisolemia that is most pronounced in the afternoon hours.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0006-3223
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -