Figure 3.

Cortisol awakening response (measured as area under the curve) after placebo, dexamethasone (GR agonist), and fludrocortisone (MR agonist) in (A) depressed patients without early life stress (n = 7); placebo vs. dexamethasone **p < 0.01 and (B) depressed patients with early life stress (n = 13); placebo vs. fludrocortisone *p = 0.02; placebo vs. dexamethasone, and dexamethasone vs. fludrocortisone ***p ≤ 0.001. Note: AUCg_{(0–30′–60′)} = Area under the curve from salivary cortisol immediately upon awakening, 30 and 60 min later (nmol × h/L); values are means, with standard errors represented by vertical bars.