Excessive hair cortisol concentration as an indicator of psychological disorders in children

• DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106363
• Publication Date: 2023-08-09T15:34:56Z
• Authors: Astrid Brænden; Andrea Lebena; Åshild Faresjö; Elvar Theodorsson; Marit Coldevin; Jan Stubberud; Pål Zeiner; Annika Melinder
• Keywords: Irritability

Cortisol in hair is a new biomarker assessing long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, which related to emotion regulation. We compare cortisol concentrations (HCC), clinically referred children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) (n = 19), other types of psychological disorders 48), and healthy subjects 36). also investigate the association between HCC irritability, age, sex. Our results show that DMDD or have higher than subjects, p < .001, ηp2 .39. No difference those was found, .91, nor an irritability clinical sample, .32. found significant negative correlation age DMDD, r -0.54, .05, but not normative -0.20, .25. differences girls boys were .49. Children need treatment, including seem dysregulated HPA-axis activity over time. Excessive accumulated could be indicator children.