The roles of comorbidity and trauma exposure and its timing in shaping HPA axis patterns in depression.

•We examined effects of comorbidity and trauma on HPA axis functioning in depression.•Depressed patients with PTSD from child trauma had blunted HPA stress reactivity.•There were no diagnostic group effects in feedback sensitivity and central drive.•Childhood maltreatment subtypes were associated with unique HPA axis responses.•Comorbidity and trauma timing and type shape HPA-axis responses in depression.