Decreased dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels in adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder after single sexual trauma

Abstract

Background: Recent evidence shows that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis can be dysregulated in chronic sexual abuse victims with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We hypothesized that PTSD in adolescents exposed to a single sexual trauma may function as a chronic stressor leading to HPA-axis dysregulation. Aims: The objective of this study was to assess dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and cortisol levels in female adolescents |with single sexual trauma-related PTSD compared to healthy controls. Method: We assessed 20 female adolescent (age 12–18) single sexual trauma victims with PTSD from the Ondokuz Mayis University Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry between December 2013 and December 2014. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Child Depression Inventory (CDI) and Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPSRI). Blood cortisol and DHEA-S were measured in 20 female adolescent sexual abuse victims with PTSD and 20 healthy adolescents after 12-h fasting using the chemiluminescence method. Results: Compared to age-matched controls, female adolescent sexual abuse victims with PTSD had significantly lower DHEA-S levels (U = 70.00, Z = − 3.517, p = 0.01, r = 0.55). There was also a significant negative correlation between DHEA-S and CDI scores (Spearman r = − 0.522, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Decreased DHEA-S levels and correlation with depressive symptoms are evidence for a dysregulated HPA-axis in female adolescent single sexual trauma victims with PTSD. Further research is now recommended with large patient groups in order to maximize generalizations.

• Adolescent
• Cortisol
• DHEA-S
• PTSD
• Sexual trauma

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Armagan Aral and Merve Bayrambas for their contributions to data collection.

Declaration of interest: This study received no funds from any agency. The authors have no affiliations or financial interests that might pose a conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Authors’ contributions: All the authors listed have key responsibility for the material in the study. All authors (M.B.U., O.T., S.A., B.A. and G.T.) made substantial contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data. All authors were involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content, and all gave final approval of the version to be published.