Identifying cortisol overdrive in stress-related disorders

Each year, more than a million people in the Netherlands suffer from severe depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unfortunately, standard treatments do not work optimally for many patients. The RECOGNIZE project examines whether elevated cortisol levels, a key stress hormone, play a role in these conditions. We use an innovative method to measure cortisol every 10 minutes over 72 hours. Additionally, we test how the body responds to a single dose of a medication that blocks cortisol activity. This can help predict which patients will benefit from a treatment focused on lowering cortisol. With this approach, we aim for a personalized treatment that is more effective and targeted than current standard therapies.

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