ESPE Abstracts

Background: There is preliminary evidence that adrenal steroids other than cortisol may be valuable biomarkers for major depressive disorder (MDD). So far, studies have been conducted in adults only, and conclusions are limited, mainly due to small sample sizes. Therefore, the present study was intended to assess whether adrenal steroids (progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 21-deoxycortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, cortisol, cortisone, deoxycorticosterone, cortico...

Background: There is a distinct increase in the prevalence of depression with the onset of puberty. The role of peripubertal testosterone levels in boys in this context is insufficiently understood. Moreover, the number of CAG repeats of the androgen receptor gene (AR) and the depression status (subclinical vs. overt depression) may modulate the role of testosterone, but this has not yet been studied in a clinical sample.Methods:...

The steroid constellation in affective disorders suggests a stress-related pathogenesis or response and may pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies. In adolescents, previous studies have identified hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation with hypercortisolemia. However, evidence so far is limited to a subset of the steroid spectrum, predominantly focusing on glucocorticoids. In order to gain a more holistic understanding, we analyzed urine metabolites of ...