Back to Search
Start Over
Salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in adolescent rape victims with post traumatic stress disorder.
- Source :
-
Psychoneuroendocrinology [Psychoneuroendocrinology] 2013 Mar; Vol. 38 (3), pp. 408-15. Date of Electronic Publication: 2012 Aug 04. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Background: In chronic sexual abuse victims with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis can be dysregulated. In single rape victims, PTSD symptoms are hypothesized to function as a chronic stressor leading to similar HPA-axis dysregulation. The objective of the current study was to assess HPA-axis functioning in female adolescents with rape-related PTSD, but no prior sexual trauma, in comparison to non-victimized controls.<br />Method: Salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were measured in 52 female adolescent rape victims with PTSD and 37 healthy adolescents at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after awakening, both under basal conditions and after 0.5 mg dexamethasone administration.<br />Results: Compared to age-matched controls, adolescent rape victims with PTSD showed significantly reduced cortisol and DHEAS levels. No group differences for the effect of dexamethasone suppression were found. Both the event of rape and PTSD diagnosis, and not factors such as sleep duration, smoking, education or oral contraceptives, accounted for the neuroendocrine differences between rape victims and controls.<br />Conclusions: The results show evidence for a dysregulated HPA-axis in female adolescent victims of single sexual trauma with PTSD. The finding of hypocortisolism is consistent with endocrine dysfunctioning in chronic sexual abuse victims and may have clinical implications with regard to treatment possibilities.<br /> (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior psychology
Case-Control Studies
Depression complications
Depression metabolism
Depression psychology
Dexamethasone
Female
Humans
Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests methods
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic complications
Crime Victims psychology
Dehydroepiandrosterone metabolism
Hydrocortisone metabolism
Rape psychology
Saliva metabolism
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic metabolism
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1873-3360
- Volume :
- 38
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22867760
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.06.015