In three independent studies with different designs and groups of
subjects, the authors found that 1) depressed patients who did not suppress
cortisol when given dexamethasone (compared to suppressors and normal
control subjects), 2) healthy volunteers given a single 1-mg dose of
dexamethasone (compared to those given placebo), and 3) healthy volunteers
given 80 mg/day of prednisone for 5 days (compared to those given placebo)
all made significantly more errors of commission in verbal memory tasks,
with no significant change in their rates of errors of omission. These
findings raise the possibility of specific corticosteroid-related cognitive
impairments.Abstract Teaser