Relationship between the levels of serum cortisol and alexithymia in depressive patients with somatic symptoms

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between the level of serum cortisol and alexithymia in depressive patients with somatic symptoms. Methods The morning level of serum cortisol was measured with radioimmunoassay in 30 depressive patients with somatic symptoms (somatization group) and 30 depressive patients without somatic symptoms (non-somatization group). The severity of alexithymia was evaluated with Toronto alexithymia Scale(TAS-20). Results (1) The level of serum cortisol in somatization group was significantly higher than that in non-somatization group((533.88±144.10) μmol/L vs (458.27±82.87) μmol/L, P<0.01). (2) The total TAS score and the factor score of Difficulty in identifying feelings and Difficulty in describing feelings in somatization group were obviously higher than those in non-somatization group, respectively((67.13±6.96) vs (62.03±7.14), (24.50±3.78) vs (21.63±3.63), (15.30±2.69) vs (13.57±2.03), all P<0.01). (3) The level of serum cortisol in somatization group was positively correlated with the total score of alexithymia (r=0.596, P<0.01) and the factor score ofDifficulty in identifying feelings,Difficulty in describing feelings,externally oriented thinking, respectively (r=0.391, 0.435, 0.452, all P<0.05). (4) The level of serum cortisol in non-somatization group was positively related to the total TAS score (r=0.418, P<0.05) and the factor score ofexternally oriented thinking(r=0.489, P<0.01). Conclusions Compared with depressive patients without somatic symptoms, depressive patients with somatic symptoms had more severe alexithymia, especially in Difficulty in identifying feelings and Difficulty in describing feelings. The severity of alexithymia was positively correlated with the level of serum cortisol. Key words: Depression; Somatic symptoms; Cortisol; Alexithymia