Childhood maltreatment is extremely common in patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders. Moreover, it has been linked with impaired functioning of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis. Furthermore, abnormality of the HPA has been found in psychotic patients. Presence of childhood maltreatment could then explain why the HPA axis is dysfunctional in these subjects. Our objective was to clarify the role of childhood trauma in the cortisol profiles of psychotic patients. Thirty-one patients underwent assessments of childhood maltreatment. Diurnal cortisol and cortisol after a controlled psychosocial stress were also collected. Our results show that childhood trauma is associated with lower cortisol levels during the morning and during 24 hours. In men diagnosed with psychosis, childhood trauma is also associated with a higher cortisol response during psychosocial stress. This suggests an alteration of the HPA axis in psychotic patients, resulting from early trauma. Moreover, our results suggest that looking at specific types of childhood abuse may also be important.

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