Researchers detail in 'Deployment-related severe fatigue with depressive symptoms is associated with increased glucocorticoid binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells,' new data in depression. "Severe fatigue and co-morbid depressive symptoms are frequently reported by recently deployed military personnel. Stress can induce lasting changes in the negative feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) and the regulation of the immune system by cortisol," investigators in Utrecht, Netherlands report (see also Depression).

"Since these actions of cortisol are modulated via glucocorticoid receptors (GR), we investigated the effect of deployment and of deployment-related fatigue on glucocorticoid binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a prospective design. Psychological assessments and blood sample collection took place before and one and six months after deployment. Participants were selected from a larger group and assigned to three groups based on their level of fatigue and depressive symptoms six months after deployment. We compared fatigued participants without depressive symptoms (n=21), fatigued participants with depressive symptoms (n=14) and non-fatigued participants without depressive symptoms (n=21). Fatigued participants with depressive symptoms at six months after deployment had higher glucocorticoid binding to PMBCs than the other two groups at all three time points. Notably, this difference was already present before deployment. There was no effect of deployment on glucocorticoid binding to PBMCs. The observed differences in glucocorticoid binding were not related to pre-existing group differences in psychological symptoms. No group differences were observed in the composition of the PBMC population and plasma cortisol levels," wrote Zuiden M. van and colleagues, University Medical Center.

The researchers concluded: "These results indicate that high glucocorticoid binding to PBMCs might represent a vulnerability factor for the development of severe fatigue with depressive symptoms after a sustained period of stress, such as deployment."

van and colleagues published their study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (Deployment-related severe fatigue with depressive symptoms is associated with increased glucocorticoid binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2009;23(8):1132-9).

For additional information, contact M. van Zuiden, Laboratory of Psychoneuroimmunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.

The publisher of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity can be contacted at: Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon St., Oxford OX2 6DP, England.