New study on biological detectability of depression.

Cortisol_illustration The cortisol level in hair increases with the subjectively perceived severity of depressive symptoms © Fabian Oswald - More than 5% of all Austrians suffer from depression. However, little is known about the biological basis of this disease. In a new study, scientists led by Alexander Karabatsiakis from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Innsbruck have now observed a strong correlation between the severity of depression and the level of the stress hormone cortisol in hair. Measuring hair cortisol levels could be an important approach for personalized medicine and also in suicide prevention, which is very important in severe depression. The stress hormone cortisol is involved in vital processes in the human body. In the case of psychological stress, but also in the case of psychiatric illnesses, it is increasingly released and stored in the hair, among other places. Studies have already shown that people suffering from depression can have increased cortisol levels in their hair.