NR3C1 and depressive symptom measurement: It has been found that HPA axis dysregulation in patients with depression is associated with CORT levels, possibly through the following pathways: Firstly, glucocorticoid resistance, i.e., glucocorticoid receptor-mediated negative feedback, is one of the main theories proposed for HPA axis dysregulation and elevated CORT levels in patients with depression (Cattaneo et al., 2020; Nikkheslat et al., 2020).