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Cortisol
Kinds of Cortisol Terms modified by Cortisol Selected AbstractsCortisol and externalizing behavior in children and adolescents: Mixed meta-analytic evidence for the inverse relation of basal cortisol and cortisol reactivity with externalizing behaviorDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Lenneke R.A. Alink Abstract An inverse relation between cortisol (re)activity and externalizing behavior has been hypothesized, but research findings seem equivocal. We tested this hypo(re)activity hypothesis in two meta-analyses, one for basal cortisol (k,=,72 studies, N,=,5,480) and one for cortisol reactivity to a stressor (k,=,29 studies, N,=,2,601). No association was found between cortisol reactivity and externalizing behaviors (r,=,,.04, 95% CI,=,,.11, .02). However, the relation between basal cortisol and externalizing behavior was significant but small (r,=,,.05, 95% CI,=,,.10, ,.002). The age of the children significantly moderated this relation: Externalizing behavior was associated with higher basal cortisol (hyperactivity) in preschoolers (r,=,.09, 95% CI,=,.002, .17), and with lower basal cortisol (hypoactivity) in elementary school-aged children (r,=,,.14, 95% CI,=,,.19, ,.08). There was no significant relation between cortisol and externalizing behavior in adolescents. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 427,450, 2008. [source] Hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal axis and smoking and drinking onset among adolescents: the longitudinal cohort TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS)ADDICTION, Issue 11 2009Anja C. Huizink ABSTRACT Aims We examined within a prospective longitudinal study whether cortisol levels were associated with smoking or drinking behaviours, taking parental substance use into account. Design The influence of parental substance use on cortisol levels of their adolescent offspring at age 10,12 years was examined. Next, cortisol levels of adolescents who initiated smoking or drinking at the first data collection (age 10,12) were compared to non-users. Finally, we examined whether cortisol levels could predict new onset and frequency of smoking and drinking 2 years later. Setting and participants First and second assessment data of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) were used, including 1768 Dutch adolescents aged 10,12 years, who were followed-up across a period of 2 years. Measurements Cortisol was measured in saliva samples at awakening, 30 minutes later, and at 8 p.m. at age 10,12. Self-reported substance use at age 10,12 and 13,14, and parental self-reported substance use were used. Findings Only maternal substance use was related to slightly lower adolescent cortisol levels at 8 p.m. Both maternal and paternal substance use were associated with adolescent smoking and drinking at age 13,14, although fathers' use only predicted the amount used and not the chance of ever use. Finally, higher cortisol levels were related moderately to current smoking and future frequency of smoking, but not to alcohol use. Conclusions In a general population, parental heavy substance use does not seem to affect cortisol levels consistently in their offspring. We found some evidence for higher, instead of lower, hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal axis activity as a predictor of smoking in early adolescence. [source] Hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal axis activity and early onset of cannabis useADDICTION, Issue 11 2006Anja C. Huizink ABSTRACT Aims To identify early onset cannabis users by measuring basal hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis activity, which may be a risk factor for early onset substance use when showing low activity. Design In a prospective cohort study, adolescents who initiated cannabis use at an early age (9,12 years), those who initiated at a later age (13,14 years) and those who did not use cannabis by the age of 14 were compared with respect to HPA axis activity. Setting and participants Data were used from the first and second assessment wave of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), that included 1768 Dutch young adolescents aged 10,12 years who were followed-up across a period of 2 years. Measurements Cortisol was measured in saliva samples at awakening, 30 minutes later and at 8 p.m. at age 10,12. Self-reported age at first cannabis use was used. Findings The early onset group had lower cortisol levels 30 minutes after awakening than the late onset group (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86,0.99). Furthermore, compared to non-users, the early and late onset cannabis users had higher levels of cortisol at 8 p.m. (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03,1.53 and OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01,1.45, respectively). Conclusions Some evidence was found for HPA axis hypo-activity at awakening in adolescents with early onset of cannabis use compared to late onset users, which might indicate an increased risk for early onset users of seeking stimulation to restore arousal levels by using substances. [source] Contingency Learning and Reactivity in Preterm and Full-Term Infants at 3 MonthsINFANCY, Issue 6 2008David W. Haley Learning difficulties in preterm infants are thought to reflect impairment in arousal regulation. We examined relationships among gestational age, learning speed, and behavioral and physiological reactivity in 55 preterm and 49 full-term infants during baseline, contingency, and nonreinforcement phases of a conjugate mobile paradigm at 3 months corrected age. For all infants, negative affect, looking duration, and heart rate levels increased during contingency and nonreinforcement phases, whereas respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, an index of parasympathetic activity) decreased and Cortisol did not change. Learners showed greater RSA suppression and less negative affect than nonleamers. This pattern was particularly evident in the preterm group. Overall, preterm infants showed less learning, spent less time looking at the mobile, and had lower Cortisol levels than full-term infants. Preterm infants also showed greater heart rate responses to contingency and dampened heart rate responses to nonreinforcement compared to full-term infants. Findings underscore differences in basal and reactivity measures in preterm compared to full-term infants and suggest that the capacity to regulate parasympathetic activity during a challenge enhances learning in preterm infants. [source] The Associations Between Basal Salivary Cortisol and Illness Symptomatology in Chronic Fatigue SyndromeJOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2008Susan Torres-Harding Hypocortisolism has been reported in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), with the significance of this finding to disease etiology unclear. This study examined cortisol levels and their relationships with symptoms in a group of 108 individuals with CFS. CFS symptoms examined included fatigue, pain, sleep difficulties, neurocognitive functioning, and psychiatric status. Alterations in cortisol levels were examined by calculation of mean daily cortisol, and temporal variation in cortisol function was examined by means of a regression slope. Additionally, deviation from expected cortisol diurnal pattern was determined via clinical judgment. Results indicated that fatigue and pain were associated with salivary cortisol levels. In particular, variance from the expected pattern of cortisol was associated with increased levels of fatigue. The implications of these findings are discussed. [source] Sex Differences in Salivary Cortisol Levels Following Naltrexone Administration,JOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2000Laura Cousino Klein Effects of endogenous opioid peptide blockade by naltrexone on salivary Cortisol levels were examined in healthy men (n= 8) and women (n= 6). Participants received naltrexone (100 mg) during one laboratory session and a placebo pill during another session. Drug order was counterbalanced across participants. Saliva samples were collected 24 hr after each pill was administered. Among women, salivary Cortisol levels significantly increased following naltrexone administration compared with a placebo pill. Naltrexone administration did not alter salivary Cortisol levels in men. Results suggest sex differences in neuroendocrine sensitivity to opioid blockade, a finding that may hold significance with regard to the treatment of alcohol addiction with naltrexone. [source] Effect of dietary cortisol administration on growth and reproductive success of channel catfishJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004B. C. Small The effect of cortisol administration on reproductive performance was investigated in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus broodfish. Cortisol was added to a commercial catfish feed by dissolving in ethanol and spraying the feed to yield a dietary concentration of 150 mg kg,1 feed. The cortisol diet and the control (no cortisol) diet were offered at a rate of 1% of biomass to three replicate ponds each containing 28 female and 14 male broodfish, respectively, three times per week for 11 weeks. Spawning began 10 days after the start of the experiment, and continued for 10 weeks. In fish fed cortisol, body mass and the hepato-somatic index were reduced (P , 0·02) and concentrations of plasma cortisol and glucose were significantly higher (P , 0·0003) compared to those of controls. The relative frequency of spawning was similar between the two treatments; however, cortisol-fed channel catfish had an average of 47·1% more spawns than the control-fed fish. On average, there were 25·5 spawns per pond in the treated groups compared to 12·3 spawns per control pond (P = 0·10). No effect was observed on egg production, with individual egg mass, fecundity, and hatching success being similar (P , 0·27) for both treatments. Despite the observed negative effects of cortisol on somatic and hepatic growth, the increased reproductive output coupled with no observable effects on the eggs or hatching success demonstrates that cortisol does not suppress channel catfish reproduction. [source] Gender- and Age-Related Differences in the Association Between Social Relationship Quality and Trait Levels of Salivary CortisolJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 2 2008Alan Booth The majority of studies linking individual differences in the quality of social relationships and activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have focused on the early development of attachment between infants and their caregivers. Later in development, during middle childhood and adolescence, the parallel HPA links to age-appropriate social relationships with peers, parents, and siblings remain largely unspecified. This study addressed this knowledge gap. Early morning saliva samples were obtained from 367 children in middle childhood (ages 6,10) and 357 adolescents (M age=11,16 years) on two successive days 1 year apart and assayed for cortisol. Latent state,trait modeling was employed to separate variance in cortisol levels attributable to "stable trait-like" versus "state or situational specific" sources to minimize the high moment-to-moment variation in basal adrenocortical activity. During adolescence but not middle childhood, and for girls but not boys, lower levels of "trait cortisol" were associated with poor quality social relationships. The pattern was robust, extending to the quality of relationships with parents, siblings, and peers. Importantly, the relationship was independent of the rates of internalizing or externalizing problem behavior. We found that isolating the variance in cortisol levels attributable to stable intrinsic sources revealed an interpretable pattern that linked individual differences in basal HPA activity to social relationships during adolescence. Studies are needed to reveal the biosocial mechanisms involved in the establishment of this gender- and age-specific phenomenon and to decipher whether or not individual differences in this hormone-behavior link are adaptive. [source] Increased Interleukin-10 and Cortisol in Long-term Alcoholics after Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Hint to the Increased Postoperative Infection Rate?ALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2005Michael Sander Background: Previous studies have shown that 20% of all patients admitted to the hospital abuse alcohol and have increased morbidity after surgery. Long-term alcoholic patients are shown to suffer from immune alterations, which might be critical for adequate postoperative performance. Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) also leads to pronounced immune alteration, which might be linked with patients' ability to combat infections. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the perioperative levels of TNF-alpha, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, and cortisol in long-term alcoholic and nonalcoholic patients undergoing cardiac surgery to elucidate a possible association with postoperative infections. Methods: Forty-four patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were included in this prospective study. Long-term alcoholic patients (n= 10) were defined as having a daily ethanol consumption of at least 60 g and fulfilling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for alcohol abuse. The nonalcoholic patients (n= 34) were defined as drinking less than 20 g ethanol per day. Blood samples were obtained to analyze the immune status upon admission to hospital, the morning before surgery and on admission to the ICU, the morning of days one and three after surgery. Results: Basic characteristics of patients did not differ between groups. Long-term alcoholics had a fourfold increase in postsurgery infection rate and prolonged need for ICU treatment and mechanical ventilation. Postoperative levels of interleukin-10 and cortisol were significantly increased in long-term alcoholic patients compared with nonalcoholic patients. These observations were in line with postoperative interleukin-10 being predictive for postoperative infectious complications. Conclusions: The increased infection rate in long-term alcoholics strengthens the urgent need for interventional approaches providing modulation of the perioperative immune and HPA response in these high-risk patients to counteract their postoperative immune suppression. [source] Changes in Plasma Cortisol, Glucose, and Selected Blood Properties in the Summer Flounder Paralichthys dentatus Associated with Sequential Movement to Three Experimental ConditionsJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 3 2003James A. Sulikowski To determine the changes in blood chemistry associated with sequential transfer of summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus (320,480 g), 300 hatchery-reared fish were moved to three different environmental conditions during a 20-d period. Fish were transferred in progression from a recirculating seawater system (22 ppt, 22.5 C) to a flow-thru seawater system (31 ppt, 20.0 C), to three small coastal net pens (33 ppt, 15.5 C), and finally to a large open ocean net pen (33 ppt, 16.0 C). For this study, eight random fish were captured at each progressive step (environmental condition), anesthetized (MS222), and bled from the caudal vein (2 mL). Transferred flounder were bled every 12 h for 48 h to collect plasma cortisol and glucose samples. Fish were bled 24 h after transport and every 3 d thereafter for osmolarity, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin content, glucose, cortisol, and the electrolytes Cl - Na+, K+ and Ca+. The most significant perturbations to blood chemistry (P < 0.05) occurred within 24 h of initial transfer from the recirculating to flow-thru seawater systems, suggesting an osmoregulatory rather than handling or transfer related stress. Osmolarity, electrolyte, and hematological parameters fluctuated and then recovered to stable levels by day 8 in the flow-thru seawater system. However, unlike the initial transfer, successive movement to the coastal and then the open ocean net pens produced transient increases in both plasma cortisol and glucose levels, suggesting a high level of stress associated with extended flounder handling and transfer. [source] Functions of corticotropin-releasing hormone in anthropoid primates: From brain to placentaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Michael L. Power Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is an ancient regulatory molecule. The CRH hormone family has at least four ligands, two receptors, and a binding protein. Its well-known role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is only one of many. The expression of CRH and its related peptides is widespread in peripheral tissue, with important functions in the immune system, energy metabolism, and female reproduction. For example, CRH is involved in the implantation of fertilized ova and in maternal tolerance to the fetus. An apparently unique adaptation has evolved in anthropoid primates: placental expression of CRH. Placental CRH stimulates the fetal adrenal zone, an adrenal structure unique to primates, to produce dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), which is converted to estrogen by the placenta. Cortisol induced from the fetal and maternal adrenal glands by placental CRH induces further placental CRH expression, forming a positive feedback system that results in increasing placental production of estrogen. In humans, abnormally high placental expression of CRH is associated with pregnancy complications (e.g., preterm labor, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and preeclampsia). Within anthropoid primates, there are at least two patterns of placental CRH expression over gestation: monkeys differ from great apes (and humans) by having a midgestational peak in CRH expression. The functional significance of these differences between monkeys and apes is not yet understood, but it supports the hypothesis that placental CRH performs multiple roles during gestation. A clearer understanding of the diversity of patterns of placental CRH expression among anthropoid primates would aid our understanding of its role in human pregnancy. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:431,447, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Oxytocin and cortisol in romantically unattached young adults: Associations with bonding and psychological distressPSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Ilanit Gordon Abstract Despite extensive research on the involvement of oxytocin (OT) in mammalian bonding, less is known about its role in human social affiliation across the life cycle. Forty-five romantically unattached young adults participated. Plasma oxytocin and salivary cortisol were assessed using enzyme immuno-assay, and self-report measures of bonding, attachment, anxiety, and depression were collected. Oxytocin was associated with bonding to own parents and inversely related to psychological distress, particularly depressive symptoms. Cortisol was related to attachment anxiety. Regression analysis indicated that the adult's representations of bonding to parents predicted OT levels above and beyond cortisol, psychological distress, and attachment. Findings are consistent with antistress models of oxytocin and suggest that oxytocin may play a role in bonding-related cognitions across the life span. [source] Acute cortisol effects on immediate free recall and recognition of nouns depend on stimulus valencePSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Mattie Tops Abstract The present study investigated the acute effects of cortisol administration in normal healthy male volunteers on immediate free recall and recognition of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral nouns using a between-subjects double-blind design. Two hours after cortisol (10 mg) or placebo administration, impaired recall and recognition of neutral and pleasant words was found in the treatment group, whereas recall and recognition of unpleasant words was similar in both groups. The interaction between treatment and stimulus valence was not mediated by "semantic cohesion," nor does it seem to have been mediated by stimulus arousal. Cortisol did not change mood. The changes with cortisol in recall and recognition of pleasant and unpleasant words parallel those found in depression, a condition that is often accompanied by elevated basal cortisol levels. [source] Endocrine and Ovarian Responses to Prolonged Adrenal Stimulation at the Time of Induced Corpus Luteum RegressionREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 6 2006G Gabai Contents The endocrine and ovarian responses to prolonged adrenal stimulation at the time of corpus luteum (CL) regression were studied in non-lactating non-pregnant Friesian cows. Cows were synchronized with two cloprostenol (PG) injections 11 days apart (second PG referred as time 0). Experiment 1 was carried out on five animals in two phases with a resting period in between. Between ,48 and 84 h, animals received 12 injections of either saline (CTR) or adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) agonist (Synacthen; SYN) every 12 h. Cortisol (C), progesterone (P4), oestradiol (E2) and LH were analysed in the blood samples collected every 8,12 h between days ,3 and 4. Pulsatile LH release was studied 4 h before and 4 h after naloxone administration beginning at 96 h. Experiment 2 was carried out on four cows in a cross-over experimental design (two phases, with a resting period in between). Treatments were performed by administering either saline (CTR) or Synacthen (SYN) every 12 h between ,36 and 24 h. The concentrations of C, P4 and E2 were measured in blood plasma every 4,12 h from days ,3 to 3, then every day from days 5 to 9. In both experiments, ovaries were examined by ultrasonography every 1,3 days. ACTH administration induced a significant increase (p < 0.001) of plasma C lasting for 7 days (experiment 1), and for 3,4 days (experiment 2). Plasma C returned to baseline levels within 6 days (expt 1) or 36 h (expt 2) after treatment interruption. During the SYN phase, LH pre-ovulatory surge was not detectable. During the CTR phase, naloxone administration induced a significant increase (p < 0.05) of average LH concentrations that was not evident during the SYN phase. The dominant follicle development was retarded and mean plasma E2 concentrations were significantly lower during the SYN phase (p < 0.01). Luteolysis was completed within 2 days. However, P4 decline between 0 and 4 h was slower (p < 0.01) during the SYN phase. Our results indicate that, under prolonged adrenal stimulation, follicular development is delayed and LH release is impaired, which are independent of CL function. [source] Influence of estradiol on cortisol secretion in ovariectomized cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2003R.C. Stavisky Abstract In an investigation of cortisol secretion in fully mature, ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), we compared monkeys that were given either placebo (OVX, n = 26) or 17, estradiol (E2 ) (EST, n = 26) in a daily oral dose. Serum cortisol concentrations were measured prior to the experimental manipulation and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following initiation of treatment. Pretreatment cortisol values did not differ between groups. Assessment of the treatment period values revealed that cortisol concentrations were significantly higher (,10%) in the EST than in the OVX monkeys. Cortisol also varied significantly across periods of sampling. This time-dependent variation was attributable to elevations in months 6 and 9 (when daylight was generally long), relative to months 3 and 12 (when daylight was relatively short). The modest stimulatory effect of estrogen on corticosteroid production observed in this study is consistent with what has been seen in women, and contrasts with the more robust effects observed in New World monkeys. The possible relationship between season and cortisol secretion observed here has not been previously described in monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 60:17,22, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Alternative matrices for cortisol measurement in fishAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 8 2010Daniela Bertotto Abstract Plasma cortisol is the most commonly used indicator of stress in fish but, as the blood sampling procedure itself can be a source of stress, it would be helpful to measure cortisol using less invasive matrices. It is also necessary to find alternative matrices as stress indicators in dead fish in which blood sampling is impossible. In the present study, we investigated transport stress in three aquaculture species, European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.), common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum), by cortisol determination (radioimmunoassay) in plasma and other matrices (skin mucus, gut content, lateral muscle and caudal fin). Cortisol significantly increased after transport in all species and matrices, except in the sea bass gut content, where it remained unchanged. The three species responded to transport stress by producing different cortisol levels. In conclusion, the significant correlation found between plasma cortisol and most of the other matrices opens up the possibility of using them to evaluate stress in fish: mucus sampling is a less invasive method than blood sampling, and in addition to muscle and fin sampling, it can be used in postmortem fish. [source] Human head exposure to a 37 Hz electromagnetic field: Effects on blood pressure, somatosensory perception, and related parametersBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 3 2004Sergio Ghione Abstract Previous studies have shown that exposure to an electromagnetic field (EMF) of 37 Hz at a flux density of 80 ,T peak enhances nociceptive sensitivity in mice. Here we examined the effects on pain sensitivity and some indexes of cardiovascular regulation mechanisms in humans by measuring electrical cutaneous thresholds, arterial blood pressure, heart rate and its variability, and stress hormones. Pain and tolerance thresholds remained unchanged after sham exposure but significantly decreased after electromagnetic exposure. Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher during electromagnetic exposure and heart rate significantly decreased, both during sham and electromagnetic exposure, while the high frequency (150,400 mHz) component of heart rate variability, which is an index of parasympathetic activity, increased as expected during sham exposure but remained unchanged during electromagnetic exposure. Cortisol significantly decreased during sham exposure only. These results show that exposure to an EMF of 37 Hz also alters pain sensitivity in humans and suggest that these effects may be associated with abnormalities in cardiovascular regulation. Bioelectromagnetics 25:167,175, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Cortisol and IGF-1 synergistically up-regulate taurine transport by the rat skeletal muscle cell line, L6BIOFACTORS, Issue 1-4 2004Sung-Hee Park Abstract This study was undertaken to evaluate effects of exercise-induced hormones, cortisol, IGF-1, and ,-endorphin, on the regulation of taurine transport activity in rat skeletal myoblasts, L6 cells. Challenge of L6 cells with cortisol (100 nM) for 24 hrs resulted in a 165% increase in taurine transport activity, 220% increase in Vmax of the taurine transporter, and 55% increase in taurine transporter/ ,-actin mRNA level compared with untreated control cells. Neither IGF-1 (1,100 nM) nor ,-endorphin (1,20 nM), added in the incubation medium separately for 24 hrs, affected taurine uptake by L6 cells. However, when cells were co-treated with IGF-1 (10 nM) plus cortisol (100,nM), taurine transport activity (37% increase, p < 0.05), Vmax of the transporter (54%, p < 0.05), and taurine transporter/ ,-actin mRNA level were further increased compared to the value for cells treated with cortisol alone. These results suggest that taurine transport by skeletal muscle cells appear to be synergistically up-regulated during a prolonged exercise via elevated levels of cortisol and IGF-1 in muscle. [source] The Timing of Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Cortisol and Psychosocial Stress Is Associated With Human Infant Cognitive DevelopmentCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2010Elysia P. Davis The consequences of prenatal maternal stress for development were examined in 125 full-term infants at 3, 6, and 12 months of age. Maternal cortisol and psychological state were evaluated 5 times during pregnancy. Exposure to elevated concentrations of cortisol early in gestation was associated with a slower rate of development over the 1st year and lower mental development scores at 12 months. Elevated levels of maternal cortisol late in gestation, however, were associated with accelerated cognitive development and higher scores at 12 months. Elevated levels of maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety early in pregnancy were independently associated with lower 12-month mental development scores. These data suggest that maternal cortisol and pregnancy-specific anxiety have programming influences on the developing fetus. [source] ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Characteristics of plasma NOx levels in severe sepsis: high interindividual variability and correlation with illness severity, but lack of correlation with cortisol levelsCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 3 2010J. T. Ho Summary Objectives, Nitric oxide (NO) concentrations are elevated in sepsis and their vasodilatory action may contribute to the development of hyperdynamic circulatory failure. Hydrocortisone infusion has been reported to reduce nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) concentrations and facilitate vasopressor withdrawal in septic shock. Our aim was to determine whether NOx concentrations relate to (i) protocol-driven vasopressor initiation and withdrawal and (ii) plasma cortisol concentrations, from endogenous and exogenous sources. Demonstration of a relation between NOx, cortisol and vasopressor requirement may provide an impetus towards the study of hydrocortisone-mediated NOx suppression as a tool in sepsis management. Design, A prospective study of 62 patients with severe sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit. Measurements, Plasma NOx, total and free cortisol, and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) concentrations were measured and related to protocol-driven vasopressor use for 7 days following admission. Results, Patients who developed septic shock (n = 35) had higher plasma NOx, total and free cortisol, and lower CBG concentrations than the nonseptic shock group (n = 27). Cortisol, CBG and NOx concentrations correlated with illness severity. Free cortisol, and to a lesser extent total cortisol, but not NOx concentrations, predicted septic shock. NOx concentrations were higher in nonsurvivors, and the concentrations were characteristically stable within individuals but marked interindividual differences were only partly accounted for by illness severity or renal dysfunction. NOx concentrations did not correlate with cortisol, did not relate to vasopressor requirement and did not fall after standard dose hydrocortisone, given for clinical indications. Conclusions, Nitric oxide production increased with sepsis severity but did not correlate with plasma cortisol or vasopressor requirement. NOx levels were not suppressed reproducibly by hydrocortisone. High interindividual variability of NOx levels suggests that absolute NOx levels may not be a suitable target for individualized hydrocortisone therapy. [source] Repeated stress alters the ability of nicotine to activate the hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal axisJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2006Kabirullah Lutfy Abstract Acute nicotine administration has been shown to activate the hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis and stimulate secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone/cortisol and ,-endorphin (beta-END) in both rodents and humans, raising the possibility that activation of the HPA axis by nicotine may mediate some of the effects of nicotine. Since stress can increase the risk of drug use and abuse, we hypothesized that repeated stress would increase the ability of nicotine to stimulate the secretion of HPA hormones. To test our hypothesis, mice were exposed to repeated stress (swimming in 15°C water for 3 min/day for 5 days) and killed 15 min after injection of saline or nicotine (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.). Repeated exposure to stress increased the ability of nicotine to stimulate plasma ACTH (p < 0.05) and beta-END (p < 0.05), but not corticosterone secretion. In contrast, repeated exposure to stress increased the post-saline injection levels of corticosterone (p < 0.05), but not ACTH and beta-END. The present results suggest that chronic stress leads to an enhanced sensitivity of some components of the HPA axis to a subsequent nicotine challenge. [source] Noninvasive Stress and Reproductive Measures of Social and Ecological Pressures in Free-Ranging African ElephantsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001C. A. H. Foley This, coupled with political pressures to delist the elephant, has created a need for noninvasive physiological measures that can quantify the long-term effects of past mortality patterns of this long-lived species. We collected fresh fecal samples from 16 female elephants in three different groups over 23 months at Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, and analyzed them for fecal progesterone and cortisol metabolites. Social and ecological measures were collected concurrently. Fecal progesterone metabolite measures corresponded significantly with stage of gestation, and appear to be able to confirm pregnancy in female elephants from as early as 3 months of gestation. We found that progesterone metabolite concentrations were significantly lower during the dry season than during the wet season after controlling for stage of gestation. Fecal cortisol metabolite concentrations showed the opposite seasonal pattern, being significantly higher in the dry season and inversely correlated with rainfall across seasons. Fecal cortisol metabolite concentrations also increased with group size and were correlated positively with dominance rank in the largest group. Our results suggest that measures of progesterone and cortisol metabolites in feces provide indices of reproductive function and physiological stress that can quantify both natural and human disturbances in African elephants. These measures are ideally suited for monitoring the long-term effects of social disruption from poaching and a variety of other management concerns. Resumen: Debido a la cacería furtiva, la población de elefante africano ( Loxodonta africana) declinó en un 60%, principalmente adultos, entre 1979 y 1988. Esto, aunado a presiones políticas para eliminar al elefante de las listas de especies en peligro, ha creado la necesidad de medidas fisiológicas no invasivas que puedan cuantificar efectos a largo plazo de patrones de mortalidad en el pasado de esta especie longeva. Recolectamos muestras fecales de 16 elefantes hembras en tres grupos diferentes en el Parque Nacional Tarangire, Tanzania a lo largo de 23 meses, y las analizamos para detectar metabolitos de progesterona fecal y de cortisol. Al mismo tiempo se recolectaron medidas sociales y ecológicas. Las medidas de metabolitos de progesterona fecal correspondieron significativamente con la etapa de gestación, y parecen permitir la confirmación de preñez en elefantes hembras tan temprano como a los tres meses de gestación. Las concentraciones de metabolitos de progesterona fueron significativamente menores durante la época de sequía que en la de lluvias después de controlar para la etapa de gestación. Las concentraciones de metabolitos de cortisol fecal mostraron un patrón estacional opuesto, siendo significativamente más altas en la época de sequía e inversamente correlacionados con la precipitación en todas las estaciones. Las concentraciones de metabolitos de cortisol fecal también incrementaron con el tamaño del grupo y se correlacionaron positivamente con el rango de dominancia en el grupo más grande. Nuestros resultados sugieren que las medidas de metabolitos de progesterona y cortisol en las heces proporcionan índices de la función reproductiva y del estrés fisiológico que puede cuantificar perturbaciones, tanto naturales como humanas, en elefantes africanos. Estas medidas son idealmente adecuadas para monitorear efectos a largo plazo de la disrupción social por la cacería furtiva y así como una variedad de aspectos del manejo. [source] Greater growth hormone and insulin response in women than in men during repeated bouts of sprint exerciseACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 2 2009M. Esbjörnsson Abstract Aim:, In a previous study, sprint training has been shown to increase muscle cross-sectional area in women but not in men [Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 74 (1996) 375]. We hypothesized that sprint exercise induces a different hormonal response in women than in men. Such a difference may contribute to explaining the observed gender difference in training response. Method:, Metabolic and hormonal response to three 30-s sprints with 20-min rest between the sprints was studied in 18 physically active men and women. Results:, Accumulation of blood lactate [interaction term gender (g) × time (t): P = 0.022], and plasma ammonia (g × t: P < 0.001) after sprint exercise was greater in men. Serum insulin increased after sprint exercise more so in women than in men (g × t: P = 0.020), while plasma glucose increased in men, but not in women (g × t: P < 0.001). Serum growth hormone (GH) increased in both women and men reaching similar peak levels, but with different time courses. In women the peak serum GH level was observed after sprint 1, whereas in men the peak was observed after sprint 3 (g × t; P < 0.001). Serum testosterone tended to decrease in men and increase in women (g × t: P = 0.065). Serum cortisol increased approx. 10,15% after sprint exercise, independent of gender (time: P = 0.005). Conclusion:, Women elicited a greater response of serum GH and insulin to sprint exercise. This may contribute to explaining the earlier observed muscle hypertrophy in women in response to sprint training. [source] 'Salivary cortisol in children with cognitive impairment'DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2003Chantal Terstegen No abstract is available for this article. [source] Maternal prenatal anxiety, postnatal caregiving and infants' cortisol responses to the still-face procedureDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 8 2009Kerry-Ann Grant Abstract This study prospectively examined the separate and combined influences of maternal prenatal anxiety disorder and postnatal caregiving sensitivity on infants' salivary cortisol responses to the still-face procedure. Effects were assessed by measuring infant salivary cortisol upon arrival at the laboratory, and at 15-, 25-, and 40-min following the still-face procedure. Maternal symptoms of anxiety during the last 6 months of pregnancy were assessed using clinical diagnostic interview. Data analyses using linear mixed models were based on 88 women and their 7-month-old infants. Prenatal anxiety and maternal sensitivity emerged as independent, additive moderators of infant cortisol reactivity, F (3, 180),=,3.29, p,=,.02, F (3, 179),=,2.68, p,=,.05 respectively. Results were independent of maternal prenatal depression symptoms, and postnatal symptoms of anxiety and depression. Infants' stress-induced cortisol secretion patterns appear to relate not only to exposure to maternal prenatal anxiety, but also to maternal caregiving sensitivity, irrespective of prenatal psychological state. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 51: 625,637, 2009 [source] Cortisol and externalizing behavior in children and adolescents: Mixed meta-analytic evidence for the inverse relation of basal cortisol and cortisol reactivity with externalizing behaviorDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Lenneke R.A. Alink Abstract An inverse relation between cortisol (re)activity and externalizing behavior has been hypothesized, but research findings seem equivocal. We tested this hypo(re)activity hypothesis in two meta-analyses, one for basal cortisol (k,=,72 studies, N,=,5,480) and one for cortisol reactivity to a stressor (k,=,29 studies, N,=,2,601). No association was found between cortisol reactivity and externalizing behaviors (r,=,,.04, 95% CI,=,,.11, .02). However, the relation between basal cortisol and externalizing behavior was significant but small (r,=,,.05, 95% CI,=,,.10, ,.002). The age of the children significantly moderated this relation: Externalizing behavior was associated with higher basal cortisol (hyperactivity) in preschoolers (r,=,.09, 95% CI,=,.002, .17), and with lower basal cortisol (hypoactivity) in elementary school-aged children (r,=,,.14, 95% CI,=,,.19, ,.08). There was no significant relation between cortisol and externalizing behavior in adolescents. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 427,450, 2008. [source] Timing of fetal exposure to stress hormones: Effects on newborn physical and neuromuscular maturationDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Lauren M. Ellman Abstract The purpose of the study was to determine the specific periods during pregnancy in which human fetal exposure to stress hormones affects newborn physical and neuromuscular maturation. Blood was collected from 158 women at 15, 19, 25, and 31 weeks' gestation. Levels of placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and maternal cortisol were determined from plasma. Newborns were evaluated with the New Ballard Maturation Score. Results indicated that increases in maternal cortisol at 15, 19, and 25 weeks and increases in placental CRH at 31 weeks were significantly associated with decreases in infant maturation among males (even after controlling for length of gestation). Results also suggested that increases in maternal cortisol at 31 weeks were associated with increases in infant maturation among females, although these results were not significant after controlling for length of gestation. Findings suggest that stress hormones have effects on human fetal neurodevelopment that are independent of birth outcome. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 232,241, 2008. [source] Social withdrawal behaviors in nonhuman primates and changes in neuroendocrine and monoamine concentrations during a separation paradigm,DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Kristine Erickson Abstract This study investigated relationships between withdrawal behaviors in rhesus macaques and changes in monoamine metabolite and endocrine concentrations during repeated psychosocial stress. Rhesus monkeys (N,=,71) experienced maternal separation in which four separations took place during four consecutive weeks. Behavioral observations were made, as well as plasma concentrations of cortisol and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of the serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine metabolites were obtained. Animals were assigned to high, moderate, and low withdrawal groups, defined using baseline durations of withdrawal behaviors. Highly withdrawn animals showed less reduction than nonwithdrawn animals in serotonin metabolite concentrations over repeated separations. Highly withdrawn macaques also failed to significantly reduce cortisol concentrations across separation weeks. More adaptation in central serotonin functioning and cortisol concentrations was seen in nonwithdrawn primates than in highly withdrawn primates; these findings have implications for increased risk of developing anxiety disorders in highly inhibited children. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 46:331,339, 2005. [source] Physiological and neuropsychological correlates of approach/withdrawal tendencies in preschool: Further examination of the behavioral inhibition system/behavioral activation system scales for young childrenDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Clancy Blair Abstract This study examined a parent-report version of the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales, a measure of approach,withdrawal motivation, in 170 children between the ages of 3 to 5 years attending Head Start programs. Physiological measures included assessments of baseline salivary cortisol and change in cortisol in response to the assessment session, and resting and suppression estimates of cardiac vagal tone. Cognitive self-regulation was assessed with a peg-tapping measure of inhibitory control and an item-selection measure of cognitive set-shifting ability. Results indicated that higher level of parent-reported withdrawal motivation was associated with cortisol increase and that parent-reported approach motivation tended to be associated with cortisol decrease across the assessment session. Higher level of parent-reported withdrawal also was positively related to cognitive self-regulation while parent-reported approach was negatively related to cognitive self-regulation. Person-oriented analysis indicated that children characterized by both high level of approach and high level of withdrawal tended to exhibit lower resting vagal tone, higher initial cortisol, and minimal cortisol and vagal change. Overall, findings suggest that the parent-report version of the BIS/BAS scales works well as an indicator of children's reactivity to appetitive and aversive motivational stimuli. Directions for future research and implications of findings for the longitudinal study of temperament and personality are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 45: 113-124, 2004. [source] Diurnal cycle in salivary cortisol levels in common marmosetsDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Nicola Cross Abstract A noninvasive method of saliva sampling was used to assess the diurnal cortisol rhythm from 0900 to 1700 hr in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). The levels of cortisol were highest in the morning and declined significantly over the day. Individual marmosets varied in the magnitude of the cycle, and the greatest individual variability occurred in the morning levels. The decrease in cortisol levels was more rapid after than before the midday feeding period in subordinate marmosets (aged 53,63 months) compared to dominant marmosets (aged 79,80 months), and overall, the levels of cortisol were higher in the subordinate marmosets. We found no effect of sex on cortisol levels across the cycle. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 45: 134-139, 2004. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||