Depressive symptomatology and cortisol concentrations in elderly community residents: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: Aging clinical and experimental research Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 131 - 137
• Main Authors: Moreira, Mayle Andrade, Guerra, Ricardo Oliveira, do Nascimento Falcão Freire, Aline, dos Santos Gomes, Cristiano, Maciel, Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.02.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - physiology; Aging - psychology; Brazil - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demography; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - metabolism; Female; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Hormones; Humans; Hydrocortisone - analysis; Hydrocortisone - metabolism; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Saliva - metabolism; Socioeconomic Factors; Time Factors; Brazil; Aging; Brazil; Depressive symptoms; Cortisol; Elderly
• ISSN: 1720-8319; 1594-0667; 1720-8319
• DOI: 10.1007/s40520-015-0374-8

Background Researches seek to understand the links between adverse health outcomes and cortisol concentrations. However, the relationship between depressive symptomatology and cortisol concentrations is controversial in the literature. Aim To analyze the relationship between the depressive symptomatology and the cortisol concentrations in elderly community residents in the Brazilian Northeast. Methods Cross-sectional study is composed of 256 elderly (≥65 years). Depressive symptomatology was evaluated by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale and cortisol concentrations by salivary collection (upon waking, 30 and 60 min after waking, at 3 pm and before bed), in addition to composite measurements. Sociodemographic and health conditions were evaluated. For analysis of the cortisol measurements in relation to depressive symptomatology, and between genders, the Student’s t test was used. For cortisol measurements in every curve, analysis of variance for repeated measurements with Bonferroni post hoc test was used. Results There were significant salivary cortisol differences upon awakening, among elderly with and without depressive symptomatology ( p  = 0.04). There was no significance in relation to gender. Between measurements of each curve, elderly with depressive symptomatology showed no significant difference between the 1st measure in relation to the 2nd and 3rd, and also between the 4th and 5th, demonstrating higher cortisol night levels in elderly with depressive symptomatology, without decline, with curve plane aspect. Conclusion The relationship between depressive symptomatology and hypocortisolism throughout the day seems to exist. However, in Brazil, adverse life conditions can lead to chronic stress and be sufficient factors to superpose biggest differences that could exist in relation to the presence of depressive symptomatology.