Changes in biomarkers of psychological stress and bone resorption markers in young females with and without depressive symptoms during different menstrual phases

Introduction: Early detection of depression in young females is important in the potential prevention and management of this disease. Identifying biomarkers of psychological stress that are closely associated with depressive symptoms may help with early detection. We examined the association between depressive symptoms and biomarkers of psychological stress in young females. Materials and methods: Subjects were 55 female university students (21.6 ± 0.8 years). Zung's self-rating depression scale (SDS) was used to assess depression. Subjects with an SDS score ≧ 40 and depressive symptoms for ≧ 2 weeks were assigned to the 'depressive symptoms group'. Urinary biopyrrin, urinary 8-OHdG, blood estrogen, serum NTx, and serum TRACP-5b levels were used as biomarkers of psychological stress. Results and conclusion: Urinary 8-OHdG levels were associated with depressive symptoms and were not influenced by menstruation. Urinary 8-OHdG levels were significantly higher in the depressive symptoms group than in the non-depressive symptoms group. It is possible that an increase in the level of active oxygen in vivo may influence deoxyguanosine (dG) in DNA, increasing urinary excretion of an oxidative metabolite of dG and 8-OHdG. Although this was a cross-sectional study, results suggest that the urinary 8-OHdG may be biomarker for early detection of depressive symptom.