Depressive Symptoms and Diurnal Salivary Cortisol Patterns Among Female Caregivers of Stroke Survivors

Brn.sagepub.com: 4/23/12.

Informal caregivers of stroke survivors experience elevated chronic stress and are at risk of developing depressive symptoms. The cumulative effects of chronic stress can increase allostatic load and dysregulate biological processes, thus increasing risk of stress-related disease. Stress-induced alterations in the pattern of cortisol secretion vary with respect to stressor onset, intensity, and chronicity. Little is known about the psychoendocrine response to stress in female caregivers Read More