NR3C1 and depressive symptom measurement: Whole blood samples from 289 individuals (93 females [48 patients with depression and 45 healthy controls] and 196 males [81 patients with depression and 115 controls]) recruited at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry (MPIP) were analyzed for gene expression levels at baseline and three hours post stimulation by the selective GR-agonist dexamethasone (see Table 1 for description).