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Decreased Cortisol Levels in Adolescent Girls With Conduct Disorder
Kathleen Pajer, MD, MPH;
William Gardner, PhD;
Robert T. Rubin, MD, PhD;
James Perel, PhD;
Stephen Neal, BS
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001;58:297-302.
Background Female adolescent antisocial behavior is increasing, but little is known
about the neuroendocrinologic aspects of this disorder. On the basis of reports
of decreased cortisol levels in antisocial males, we investigated morning
plasma cortisol levels in adolescent girls with conduct disorder (CD).
Methods Three plasma samples for cortisol levels were taken every 20 minutes
between 8 and 9 AM in 47 adolescent girls with CD (mean ± SD age, 16.5
± 0.9 years) and 37 normal control girls (mean age, 16.0 ± 0.8
years). All blood was drawn within 72 hours after the onset of menstrual flow.
Results Girls with CD had significantly lower cortisol levels than girls in
the normal control group at all 3 sampling times. This finding was not due
to procedural factors, demographic characteristics, or the use of medications.
The girls with CD who had no other psychiatric problems had lower cortisol
levels than girls with other disorders or those in the normal control group.
In the multiple regression analysis, having CD predicted 10% of the variance
in cortisol levels.
Conclusions Morning plasma cortisol levels were significantly diminished in adolescent
girls with CD. Decreased cortisol levels appear to be most strongly associated
with antisocial girls who do not have other psychiatric disorders.
From the Departments of Psychiatry (Drs Pajer, Gardner, and Perel and
Mr Neal) and Medicine (Dr Gardner), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine,
Pittsburgh, Pa; and Center for Neurosciences Research, Allegheny General Hospital,
Pittsburgh (Dr Rubin).
Corresponding author and reprints: Kathleen Pajer, MD, MPH, Department
of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara St,
Suite 430, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (pajerka{at}msx.upmc.edu).
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