No association between major depression with and without childhood adversity and the stress hormone copeptin

Michael Kaczmarczyk, Carsten Spitzer, Katja Wingenfeld, Klaus Wiedemann, Linn K Kuehl, Katharina Schultebraucks, Christian Eric Deuter, Christian Otte, Michael Kaczmarczyk, Carsten Spitzer, Katja Wingenfeld, Klaus Wiedemann, Linn K Kuehl, Katharina Schultebraucks, Christian Eric Deuter, Christian Otte

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with an increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation. Within the HPA axis, corticotropin-releasing hormone and vasopressin (AVP) synergistically stimulate the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which promotes cortisol release. The cleavage product copeptin is produced during AVP synthesis and is a surrogate marker of AVP release. Children with ACE and young adults with depressive symptoms have higher levels of copeptin than healthy controls. Objective: To uncover the effects of MDD and ACE on copeptin levels in adult females. Methods: We recruited 94 women (mean age: 34.0 ± 3.6 years): 23 with MDD and ACE, 24 with MDD without ACE, 22 with ACE without MDD, and 25 healthy controls. ACE was defined as repeated sexual or physical abuse at least once a month over at least one year before the age of 18 years. MDD was defined by the DSM-IV criteria. Copeptin plasma levels were measured with an immunoluminometric assay. Results: The four groups did not differ in demographic variables. We found a significant negative correlation between body mass index (BMI) and copeptin plasma levels (r = -.21; p = .045). Copeptin plasma levels did not differ between the four groups after controlling for BMI. Conclusion: Neither MDD nor ACE was associated with altered plasma copeptin levels. Thus, copeptin does not seem to play a major role in MDD and ACE in adult females.

Keywords: Copeptin; adverse childhood experiences; body mass index; major depressive disorder; stress.

Conflict of interest statement

CO has received honoraria for lectures and/or scientific advice from Allergan, Ferring, Fortbildungskolleg, Limes Klinikgruppe, Lundbeck, MedOnline, Medical Tribune, Neuraxpharm, SAGE Therapeutics, and Stillachhaus. All other authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.

© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(a) Negative correlation between body mass index (BMI) and plasma copeptin levels in the overall sample. (b) Mean plasma copeptin levels. A 2 × 2 ANCOVA with BMI as covariate revealed no main effect of MDD or ACE, nor a significant MDD by ACE interaction effect. Depiction of mean value and standard error of the mean

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