A Correlation Between Hair Cortisol Levels and the Development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

This observational study follows subjects who have been exposed to a traumatic event and are at risk of developing PTSD symptoms. Participants are recruited within six hours of a traumatic event, and, starting from the recruitment session, are then examined on six set points of time within a period of thirteen months. The examinations include both biological studies of cortisol in hair, blood and saliva, and psychological examinations and questionaires that assess the development and severity of PTSD symptoms.

The novel method of sampling hair cortisol allows investigators to retroactively estimate the mean levels of blood cortisol during the tree months prior to the sampling.

The study aims at further illuminating the correlation between cortisol levels both prior and following a traumatic event, and the development and severity of PTSD symptoms