BACKGROUND: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that cortisol mediates the relationship between bone density and depression in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Nineteen women aged 52-79 who had been assessed for bone mineral density by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer (DEXA) were evaluated for depression and anxiety. Diurnal and stress-induced measures of salivary cortisol were obtained during the following week and at a laboratory session involving a speech task. RESULTS: Nine volunteers reported depression while 10 were never depressed. Ever depressed women had significantly lower total lumbar and right femur DEXA Z scores than never depressed (t(17) = 2.5, p = .019 and t(17) = 2.06, p = .05, respectively). Ever depressed women demonstrated a significant increase in salivary cortisol (area under the curve (AUC) = 27.83, SD = 37.64) compared to never depressed women (AUC = -13.34, SD = 19.55) (t(17) = -3.041, p = .007) during a psychological challenge. There were significant inverse relationships between salivary cortisol AUC values and bone density Z scores at every measured bone site. Mediation analyses suggest that 51 - 67% of the association between depression and bone density could be attributed to stress-induced changes in cortisol. CONCLUSIONS: Cortisol hypersecretion in response to stress may, in part, explain the impact of depression on bone density in post-menopausal women.
BACKGROUND: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that cortisol mediates the relationship between bone density and depression in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Nineteen women aged 52-79 who had been assessed for bone mineral density by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer (DEXA) were evaluated for depression and anxiety. Diurnal and stress-induced measures of salivary cortisol were obtained during the following week and at a laboratory session involving a speech task. RESULTS: Nine volunteers reported depression while 10 were never depressed. Ever depressed women had significantly lower total lumbar and right femur DEXA Z scores than never depressed (t(17) = 2.5, p = .019 and t(17) = 2.06, p = .05, respectively). Ever depressed women demonstrated a significant increase in salivary cortisol (area under the curve (AUC) = 27.83, SD = 37.64) compared to never depressed women (AUC = -13.34, SD = 19.55) (t(17) = -3.041, p = .007) during a psychological challenge. There were significant inverse relationships between salivary cortisol AUC values and bone density Z scores at every measured bone site. Mediation analyses suggest that 51 - 67% of the association between depression and bone density could be attributed to stress-induced changes in cortisol. CONCLUSIONS: Cortisol hypersecretion in response to stress may, in part, explain the impact of depression on bone density in post-menopausal women.
Authors: Sifat Maria; Rebekah M Samsonraj; Fahima Munmun; Jessica Glas; Maria Silvestros; Mary P Kotlarczyk; Ryan Rylands; Amel Dudakovic; Andre J van Wijnen; Larry T Enderby; Holly Lassila; Bala Dodda; Vicki L Davis; Judy Balk; Matt Burow; Bruce A Bunnell; Paula A Witt-Enderby Journal: J Pineal Res Date: 2018-01-17 Impact factor: 13.007
Authors: Leslie Spangler; Delia Scholes; Robert L Brunner; John Robbins; Susan D Reed; Katherine M Newton; Jennifer L Melville; Andrea Z Lacroix Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2008-02-20 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Pouneh K Fazeli; Nara Mendes; Melissa Russell; David B Herzog; Anne Klibanski; Madhusmita Misra Journal: Psychosom Med Date: 2013-01-29 Impact factor: 4.312
Authors: Luenda E Charles; Desta Fekedulegn; Diane B Miller; Jean Wactawski-Wende; John M Violanti; Michael E Andrew; Cecil M Burchfiel Journal: Glob J Health Sci Date: 2012-04-28