Gender-specific association of alexithymia and norepinephrine/cortisol ratios. A preliminary report

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 59; no. 2; pp. 73 - 76
• Main Authors: Spitzer, Carsten, Brandl, Stephan, Rose, Hans-Joachim, Nauck, Matthias, Freyberger, Harald J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.08.2005; New York, NY Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Affective Symptoms - epidemiology; Affective Symptoms - physiopathology; Affective Symptoms - urine; Alexithymia; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Cortisol; Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder, Major - physiopathology; Depressive Disorder, Major - urine; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hydrocortisone - urine; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; N/C ratio; Norepinephrine - urine; Personality traits; Personality. Affectivity; Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiopathology; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Sex Factors; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - physiopathology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - urine; Urinary norepinephrine and cortisol; Urinary norepinephrine and cortisol; Posttraumatic stress disorder; N/C ratio; Alexithymia; Mood disorder; Human; Hypothalamohypophysoadrenal axis; Steroid hormone; Sex; Neuroendocrine regulation; Depression; Daily variation; Personality; Catecholamine; Hydrocortisone; Glucocorticoid; Sociodemographic factor; Adrenal hormone; Norepinephrine; Comparative study

Alexithymia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might share a neuroendocrine pattern characterized by increased urinary norepinephrine (N) and decreased cortisol (C) levels, resulting in a high N/C ratio, at least among male alcoholics. We aimed to explore if this association can also be found...