Adrenocortical hormones, ageing and mental condition: seasonal and circadian rhythms of plasma 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone, total and free cortisol and urinary corticosteroids

in Journal of Endocrinology
Authors:
Yvan Touitou
Search for other papers by Yvan Touitou in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
José Sulon
Search for other papers by José Sulon in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
André Bogdan
Search for other papers by André Bogdan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Alain Reinberg
Search for other papers by Alain Reinberg in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Jean-Claude Sodoyez
Search for other papers by Jean-Claude Sodoyez in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Emilie Demey-Ponsart
Search for other papers by Emilie Demey-Ponsart in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access
Rent on DeepDyve

Sign up for journal news

The circannual rhythms of plasma 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OH-DOC), total and free cortisol have been documented on a circadian basis in January, March, June and October in seven young men (24 years old), six elderly men, six elderly women and six elderly demented subjects, both men and women, in their eighties. Blood samples were drawn every 4 h over a 24-h period at each sampling session and urine samples were collected at 4-h intervals only from the young men. A circadian rhythm of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OH-CS), 17-ketosteroids (17-KS), urinary free cortisol and 18-OH-DOC was defined for each of the four seasons with stable acrophases throughout the year and the same excretory profiles. A circannual rhythm was validated in young men for 17-OH-CS, urinary free cortisol and 18-OH-DOC but not for 17-KS. A circadian rhythm of plasma free cortisol, the active form of the hormone, plasma total cortisol and plasma 18-OH-DOC was validated in all groups and at all the seasons at which samples were taken. The secretory profiles of 18-OH-DOC, free and total cortisol were very similar, with no differences attributable to age, sex or mental condition except for the levels of plasma free cortisol and 18-OH-DOC which were higher and lower respectively in the elderly subjects. Whereas a circannual rhythm of plasma 18-OH-DOC was validated for all groups, a circannual rhythm of both free and total cortisol in the plasma was validated in young men but not in any group of elderly subjects. This loss of the circannual rhythmicity of cortisol in the elderly may reflect the decrease with age of the capacity to adapt to seasonal external factors.

 

  • Collapse
  • Expand