The role of cortisol as a premorbid vulnerability factor for trauma sequelae remains unclear. Furthermore, the onset of long-term endocrine changes in response to first-time trauma as a function of later psychopathology is not clarified yet. Thus the predictive value of pre- and post-traumatic hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) for psychological trauma sequelae was investigated in response to motor vehicle crash (MVC). A total of N= 62 MVC survivors participated in this study (46 females, mean age (SD): 43.94(12.95)). Subsequent trauma sequelae were measured with a structured clinical interview and self-report questionnaires to evaluate psychological symptoms (pre-MVC and three months post-MVC). Hair strands were taken immediately after MVC and three months post-MVC, reflecting cumulative cortisol secretion over the three-month period before and after the MVC. A total of 22.6% of the participants developed a trauma sequela with an affective disorder (14.5%) and/or anxiety disorder (16.1%). We observed a significant main effect of group and diagnosis × time interaction with an increase of HCC in those individuals who presented a subsequent psychiatric disorder. Regression analyses revealed that post-MVC increased HCC were significantly predictive of higher levels of subsequent depressiveness, and that pre-MVC increased HCC were predictive of higher levels of subsequent avoidance behavior. Our findings demonstrate that individual differences in long-term cortisol secretion in response to a first-time traumatic event (MVC) contribute to subsequent psychopathology. Specifically, higher long-term cortisol secretion before and after first-time MVC was a risk factor for subsequent development of avoidance behavior and depressiveness, respectively.

• Lay summary

• Higher cortisol secretion and stress experience before a motor vehicle crash was a risk factor for subsequent development of psychological symptoms.

皮质醇作为创伤后遗症的病前易损因素的作用尚不清楚。此外，尚不清楚由于首次精神创伤而引起的长期内分泌变化的发生，这是后来的精神病理学的函数。因此，研究了创伤前后毛发皮质醇浓度（HCC）对心理创伤后遗症的预测价值，以应对机动车碰撞（MVC）。共N= 62名MVC幸存者参加了这项研究（46名女性，平均年龄（SD）：43.94（12.95））。随后的创伤后遗症通过结构化的临床访谈和自我报告调查表进行评估，以评估心理症状（MVC前和MVC后三个月）。在MVC之后和MVC后三个月立即采集发束，这反映了MVC前后三个月内皮质醇的累积分泌。总计22.6％的参与者出现了后遗症，包括情感障碍（14.5％）和/或焦虑症（16.1％）。我们观察到在随后出现精神病的患者中，组和诊断×时间交互作用与HCC升高具有显着的主要作用。回归分析显示，MVC后增加的HCC可以预示随后抑郁的水平较高，MVC之前增加的HCC可以预示随后回避行为的水平较高。我们的发现表明，对于首次创伤事件（MVC）的反应，长期皮质醇分泌的个体差异会导致随后的心理病理。具体来说，首次MVC前后较高的长期皮质醇分泌是分别导致回避行为和抑郁的危险因素。我们的发现表明，对于首次创伤事件（MVC）的反应，长期皮质醇分泌的个体差异会导致随后的心理病理。具体来说，首次MVC前后较高的长期皮质醇分泌是分别导致回避行为和抑郁的危险因素。我们的发现表明，对于首次创伤事件（MVC）的反应，长期皮质醇分泌的个体差异会导致随后的心理病理。具体来说，首次MVC前后较高的长期皮质醇分泌是分别导致回避行为和抑郁的危险因素。

• 放置摘要

• 机动车碰撞前皮质醇分泌和压力增加的经验是随后出现心理症状的危险因素。