Posted by Pfinstegg on April 1, 2003, at 7:53:23
In reply to Re: To Dave and pfinstegg, posted by denise528 on April 1, 2003, at 3:43:36
When stress begins to affect the HPA axis so that it functions abnormally and causes depression and anxiety, the total 24-hour cortisol usually remains normal. A number of studies of PTSD show that the 24-hour cortisol may be LOW. What is abnormal is that there are surges of cortisol in response to what should be normal everyday stressors. In a number of people, trying to shut off the cortisol-releasing function of the adrenals by giving dexamethasone (the DST suppression or CRF-DST suppression tests) indicate that there is chronic overactivity of the hypothalamus(CRF secretion) and of the adrenals (cortisol secretion),
Only a small minority of people develop elevated 24-hour urinary cortisols along with mental illness. You could say that those people do have Cushing's Syndrome, and would be candidates for ketanozodole or mefipristone treatment.
Pfinstegg
poster:Pfinstegg
thread:213824
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030329/msgs/214999.html