Cortisol-to-DHEAS awakening response ratio in people with dementia and family caregivers: Associations with age, dementia severity and agitation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ratio of cortisol to dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in the awakening response has emerged as a potential biomarker of stress-related dysregulation in neurodegenerative conditions. Whether this ratio differs between people with dementia (PWD) and family caregivers, and how it varies with age, sex, dementia severity and agitation, remains unclear.

Methods

We analyzed 1093 day-level saliva samples from 58 participants (PWD = 28; caregivers = 30). The primary outcome was the log-transformed awakening response ratio of cortisol to DHEAS. Linear mixed-effects models with a participant random intercept and natural splines for age estimated group contrasts as geometric mean ratios (GMRs) from estimated marginal means. Fixed-effect predictors included age, sex,

SUBMITTER: Wei W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818106 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature