Sex differences in cortisol response to reboxetine.

This study examined the cortisol response to reboxetine in a sample of healthy men and women. Forty healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: placebo or 4 mg reboxetine under double-blind conditions. Saliva cortisol was measured pre, 1 and 1.5 h post-treatment. Mood and side-effects were also measured. A single oral dose of 4 mg reboxetine did not affect positive or negative mood but did produce some side-effects. It was also sufficient to increase cortisol release 1.5 h post-treatment compared to placebo. In addition, reboxetine lead to a significantly increased cortisol release in male compared to female volunteers. The results suggest that healthy male volunteers are more responsive to challenge with a noradrenergic compound than females.