The Relation of Cortisol Levels with Pubertal Development in Youth at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Pubblico

Moskow, Danielle Marion (2015)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/8w32r6205?locale=it
Published

Abstract

Schizophrenia (SZ) and other psychoses are debilitating mental disorders that affect between 1-2 in 100 people. Heightened stress or a defective hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may produce an excess of cortisol. Elevated cortisol has been found in individuals who develop SZ and other psychotic disorders. In order to best study prevention methods, it is important to investigate the period between when an individual begins to show signs of a psychotic disorder to when they develop a full-blown disorder. This phase, the prodromal phase, is often seen during adolescence. The present study examined the relation between cortisol and Tanner stage of pubertal development in healthy youth and youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis. It was hypothesized that CHR youth would show a stronger positive relationship between cortisol level and Tanner stage than would controls. Positive correlations were found between stage of puberty and cortisol, and contrary to prediction, were stronger for healthy youth than CHR youth. This study also hypothesized that CHR youth who developed psychosis would have significantly higher baseline levels of cortisol at the first stages of puberty compared to CHR youth who did not develop psychosis. Results from a series of ANCOVAs indicated significant differences in the relation between cortisol and Tanner stage in CHR females who converted and did not convert. These preliminary findings highlight the importance of studying cortisol in relation to pubertal development in order to investigate potential indicators of the development of psychosis.

Table of Contents

Introduction...1

Methods...9

Results...14

Discussion...18

References...25

Tables...33

Figures...44

About this Honors Thesis

Rights statement
  • Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.
School
Department
Degree
Submission
Language
  • English
Research Field
Parola chiave
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor
Committee Members
Ultima modifica

Primary PDF

Supplemental Files