Halbreich U, Asnis G M, Zumoff B, Nathan R S, Shindledecker R
Psychiatry Res. 1984 Nov;13(3):221-9. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(84)90037-4.
The mean 24-hour plasma level of cortisol with plasma sampling every 20-30 minutes was determined in 32 normal women aged 12-73, 40 normal men aged 10-55, 21 depressed women aged 20-61, and 11 depressed men aged 22-66. The mean levels of cortisol were higher in the group of depressives compared with the controls. Cortisol levels showed a significant linear correlation with age in normal women but not in normal men. Both depressed women and men had a significant linear increase of cortisol levels with age. The finding that age substantially contributes to increased levels of cortisol calls for cautious interpretation of any data concerning that hormone when the variable of age is not adequately controlled. Furthermore, aging and depression may have some underlying mechanisms whose elucidation may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of vulnerability to affective disorders.
对32名年龄在12至73岁的正常女性、40名年龄在10至55岁的正常男性、21名年龄在20至61岁的抑郁女性以及11名年龄在22至66岁的抑郁男性，每20 - 30分钟采集一次血浆样本，测定其24小时血浆皮质醇平均水平。与对照组相比，抑郁组的皮质醇平均水平更高。正常女性中皮质醇水平与年龄呈显著线性相关，而正常男性中则不然。抑郁女性和男性的皮质醇水平均随年龄显著线性增加。年龄对皮质醇水平升高有显著影响这一发现表明，在年龄变量未得到充分控制时，对任何有关该激素的数据都需谨慎解读。此外，衰老和抑郁可能存在一些潜在机制，对其进行阐释可能有助于理解情感障碍易感性的病理生理学。
