Hair cortisol as outcome parameter for psychological and neuropsychiatric interventions-a literature review.

Background: Studies measuring hair cortisol concentration (HCC) have been increasingly conducted to document stress-related, endocrine changes aggregated over time. Previous studies have shown that HCC reflects abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA axis) in the context of somatic diseases, such as Cushing's syndrome. HCC variations also reveal a corresponding alteration in HPA-axis-function in mental disorders, highlighting its potential role as a biomarker for interventions targeting mental health problems.

Evaluation of multidimensional pediatric-psychosomatic inpatient therapy: a pilot study comparing two treatment modalities.

Introduction: Multidimensional pediatric-psychosomatic inpatient treatment should be considered a highly relevant concept in the German healthcare system. This treatment concept has been successfully integrated to support youth with mental disorders and patients with chronic somatic conditions. Studies on treatment impact and empirical evidence of pediatric-psychosomatic inpatient therapies are rare, despite their clinical significance.