Hippocampal GR expression is increased in elderly depressed females

► Increased HPA-axis activity in depression may depend on hippocampal GR levels. ► GR-immunoreactivity correlated positively with age in postmortem brain of depressives. ► Hippocampal GR-immunoreactivity was increased in females, not males, with depression. ► The sex difference in GR may relate to the increased incidence of depression in women.