What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to investigate adrenocortical dysfunction in major depressive disorder, comparing patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

Adrenocortical Dysfunction in Depression: Response to Dexamethasone Suppression Test - A Comparative Study1

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Comparative study assesses adrenocortical activity in depression and schizophrenia, suggesting potential differentiation markers.

This study aims to investigate adrenocortical dysfunction in major depressive disorder, comparing patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.
Conducted an overnight dexamethasone suppression test on thirty patients each of major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and healthy controls.
Measured plasma and urinary cortisol levels before and after dexamethasone administration.
Analyzed differences in cortisol responses to differentiate depressed patients from schizophrenics.
Depressed patients exhibited increased adrenocortical activity and early escape from suppression, linked to severity of depression.
Post-dexamethasone cortisol measurements indicated that urinary cortisol levels were significant for differentiating depressed patients from schizophrenics.
Schizophrenic patients showed no significant differences in cortisol levels compared to healthy controls.

Gurnani et al. (1988) studied this question.

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