Enhanced cortisol suppression following administration of low-dose dexamethasone in first-episode psychosis patients

C Phassouliotis; BA Garner; LJ Phillips; S Bendall; Y Yun; C Markulev; M Kerr; PD McGorry

Journal article

Enhanced cortisol suppression following administration of low-dose dexamethasone in first-episode psychosis patients

C Phassouliotis, BA Garner, LJ Phillips, S Bendall, Y Yun, C Markulev, M Kerr, PD McGorry

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry | SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD | Published : 2013

DOI: 10.1177/0004867412465125

Abstract

Objective: Impaired regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hyper-activity of this system have been described in patients with psychosis. Conversely, some psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are characterised by HPA hypo-activity, which could be related to prior exposure to trauma. This study examined the cortisol response to the administration of low-dose dexamethasone in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and its relationship to childhood trauma. Method: The low-dose (0.25 mg) Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) was performed in 21 neuroleptic-naïve or minimally treated FEP patients and 20 healthy control participants. Childhood ..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Christina Phassouliotis Author

Lisa Phillips Author

Sarah Bendall Author

Connie Markulev Author

Related Projects (2)

EMERGING SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS IN YOUNG PEOPLE

Mental disorders, such as psychotic and severe mood disorders, are the largest cause of disability in Australia. However, there is still lit..

EMERGING SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS IN YOUNG PEOPLE

Mental disorders, such as psychotic and severe mood disorders, are the largest cause of disability in Australia. However, there is still lit..

Grants

Awarded by National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a NARSAD Young Investigator Award to Dr Garner and NHMRC program grant #350241. Dr Garner is supported by a NHMRC Postdoctoral Training Fellowship. Dr Phassouliotis was supported by May Stewart and Ronald John Gleghorn Bursaries (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne) and an Orygen Youth Health Studentship.