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Cortisol Responses (cortisol + response)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	45%
Psychology	24%
Life Sciences	13%

Selected Abstracts

Increased Cortisol Response to Surgery in Patients With Alcohol Problems Who Developed Postoperative Confusion

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2004
Akira Kudoh
Background: Patients with alcohol problems often develop postoperative confusion and have impaired cortisol, ACTH, and norepinephrine. However, the relationship between neuroendocrine responses to surgical stress and postoperative confusion remains unclear in patients with alcohol problems. Methods: Plasma cortisol, ACTH, and norepinephrine concentrations during and after surgery in 30 patients with alcohol problems and 30 control patients who underwent lower abdominal surgery were measured before the induction of anesthesia, 15 and 60 min after skin incision, 60 min after the end of surgery, the next day, and the second day after the operation. Results: Plasma cortisol concentrations (21.2 ± 4.7 ,g·dl,1) of patients with alcohol problems before anesthesia were significantly higher than 15.6 ± 4.8 ,g·dl,1 of control patients. Plasma cortisol and ACTH responses to surgery in patients with alcohol problems were not significantly increased compared with preoperative values. The incidence of postoperative confusion was significantly higher in patients with alcohol problems than that of control patients (33% vs. 3%). Plasma cortisol concentrations (29.7 ± 7.0, 31.2 ± 6.6, 30.3 ± 8.0, and 28.4 ± 6.2 ,g·dl,1) 15 and 60 min after the skin incision, 60 min after the end of surgery, and the next day after operation in postoperatively confused patients with alcohol problems were significantly higher than those of nonconfused patients with alcohol problems (23.0 ± 5.8, 22.7 ± 4.1, 22.4 ± 7.2, and 21.9 ± 5.5 ,g·dl,1). Conclusion: The cortisol response to surgical stress increases in patients with alcohol problems who develop postoperative confusion, although cortisol response to surgical stress decreases in patients with alcohol problems without postoperative confusion. [source]

Cortisol Response to Embarrassment and Shame

CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2002
Michael Lewis
This study examined individual differences in 4,year,old children's (N= 60) expression of the self,conscious emotions of embarrassment and shame and their relation to differences in cortisol response to stress. Results indicated the presence of two different types of embarrassment,one that reflected negative evaluation of the self, and the other a nonevaluative type that reflected simply exposure of the self when the individual was the object of attention of others. Results also indicated a relation between a higher cortisol response to stress and the greater expression of the self,conscious emotions of evaluative embarrassment and shame that reflected negative self,evaluation. [source]

Cortisol response to two different doses of intravenous synthetic ACTH (tetracosactrin) in overweight cats

JOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 12 2000
J. P. Schoeman
Fifteen middle-aged to older, overweight cats attending a first-opinion clinic were investigated to rule out hyperadrenocorticism as a cause of their weight problem, using two different protocols for the adrenocortlcotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test. The cats received intravenous synthetic ACTH (tetracosactrin) at an initial dose of 125 ,g; a second test was performed between two and three weeks later, using a dose of 250 vg intravenously. The mean basal serum cortisol concentration was 203 nmol/litre (range 81 to 354 nmol/litre). The highest mean serum cortisol concentration occurred at 60 minutes following the 125 ,g dose and at 120 minutes following the 250 ,g dose. There was, however, no statistically significant difference between these peak cortisol concentrations attained using either dose of tetracosactrin. A significantly higher mean serum cortisol concentration was attained after the higher dose at the 180 minutes time point, indicating a more prolonged response when compared with the lower dose. The cats were followed up for one year after the initial investigations and none were found to develop hyperadrenocorticism during this time. [source]

Cortisol responses to low (1 µg) and standard (250 µg) dose ACTH stimulation tests in patients with primary hypothyroidism

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
Kürsad Ünlühizarci
First page of article [source]

Neuroendocrine Function and Chronic Inflammatory Stress

EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2002
Michael Harbuz
The factors regulating susceptibility and severity of autoimmune diseases are poorly understood. That neuroendocrine factors are critical modulators in this regard is self-evident. For example, there are major gender differences in susceptibility with women at greater risk than men of, for example, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has rightly attracted a considerable amount of attention. Of particular interest has been the hypothesis that susceptibility to autoimmune disease may be related to an impaired responsiveness of the HPA axis; that is, an inability to mount an appropriate cortisol response with which to down-regulate the immune system might allow the immune system to rampage unchecked and attack self. This hypothesis links regulation of the release from the adrenal gland of the potent anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids to the disease process. Endogenous glucocorticoids are crucial for the regulation of the severity of the disease process. The hypothesis proposing a link between a hyporesponsive HPA axis and susceptibility to disease is compelling. However, evidence from a number of sources has suggested that this may not be the entire story and alterations in the activity of the HPA axis have not been consistently observed in patients with RA. This review will concentrate on recent findings concerning the HPA axis in determining susceptibility to, and in regulating the severity of, inflammatory processes in autoimmune disease. These studies have revealed that a single exposure to endotoxin can confer protection to subsequent development of inflammation in an arthritis model in both neonatal and adult rats. Behavioural differences within a single population of rats are associated with differences in the plasma corticosterone responses to stress. However, relative hyporesponsiveness is not reflected by an increase in the severity of inflammation. In humans with RA the dexamethasone-corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) test has revealed two distinct sub-populations of patients. Studies in patients with MS have shown that this is not related to depression but rather to the severity of the disease. A better understanding of these complex neuroendocrine interactions may lead to novel clinical interventions. [source]

Sleep arrangements and night waking at 6 and 12 months in relation to infants' stress-induced cortisol responses

INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2009
Rachel Lucas-Thompson
Abstract The objective of this short-term longitudinal study was to examine the concurrent and prospective associations of infants' sleep arrangements and night waking with cortisol responses to an inoculation at 6 and 12 months, controlling for several key covariates. To our knowledge, this was the first study to concurrently and prospectively link proximity in sleep arrangements and night waking to physiological stress reactivity. A sample of 92 mother,infant dyads participated in the study when the infants were 6 and 12 months of age, although sample sizes were reduced for some analyses. Both proximal cosleeping arrangements and more frequent night wakings' were associated concurrently with an increased cortisol response to inoculations at both ages. Night waking at 6 months also was associated with a slightly increased cortisol response to inoculation at 12 months. Results aimed at exploring the direction of influence suggested that cosleeping and night waking may influence infant stress physiology rather than the reverse. Adaptive and maladaptive implications of infants' nocturnal experiences and greater stress-induced cortisol responses are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Adrenocortical and Pituitary Glucocorticoid Feedback in Abstinent Alcohol-Dependent Women

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2010
Bryon Adinoff
Background:, The long-term ingestion of alcohol diminishes hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity in alcohol-dependent men, potentially altering future relapse risk. Although sex differences in HPA axis functioning are apparent in healthy controls, disruptions in this system have received little attention in alcohol-dependent women. In this study, we assessed the basal secretory profile of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol, adrenocortical sensitivity in both the presence and absence of endogenous corticotropic pituitary activation, and feedback pituitary glucocorticoid sensitivity to dexamethasone. Methods:, Seven women 4- to 8-week abstinent alcohol-only dependent subjects and 10 age-matched female healthy controls were studied. All subjects were between 30 and 50 years old, not taking oral contraceptives, and were studied during the early follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. Circulating concentrations of ACTH and cortisol were measured in blood samples collected at frequent intervals from 2000 to 0800 hour. A submaximal dose of cosyntropin (0.01 ,g/kg), a synthetic ACTH (1,24), was administered at 0800 hour to assess adrenocortical sensitivity. In a separate session, low-dose cosyntropin was also administered following high-dose dexamethasone (8 mg intravenous) to assess adrenocortical sensitivity in the relative absence of endogenous ACTH. In addition, the ACTH response to dexamethasone was measured to determine the pituitary glucocorticoid negative feedback. Sessions were 5 days apart, and blood draws were obtained every 5 to 10 minutes. Results:, Mean concentrations and pulsatile characteristics of ACTH and cortisol over 12 hours were not statistically different between the 2 groups. Healthy controls had a somewhat higher (p < 0.08) net peak, but not net integrated, cortisol response to cosyntropin relative to the alcohol-dependent women. There were no significant group differences in either the ACTH or cortisol response to dexamethasone nor in the net cortisol response to cosyntropin following dexamethasone. Conclusion:, Significant differences in pituitary,adrenal function were not apparent between alcohol-dependent women and matched controls. Despite the small n, it appears that alcohol-dependent women do not show the same disruptions in HPA activity as alcohol-dependent men. These findings may have relevance for gender-specific treatment effectiveness. [source]

Increased Cortisol Response to Surgery in Patients With Alcohol Problems Who Developed Postoperative Confusion

Stress Hormone Dysregulation at Rest and After Serotonergic Stimulation Among Alcohol-Dependent Men With Extended Abstinence and Controls

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2001
Robert M. Anthenelli
Background: Alcohol dependence has been associated with long-lasting alterations in limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) function. Other conditions that are associated with alcoholism (cigarette smoking and antisocial personality disorder [ASPD]) have been linked with disturbances in these interrelated systems. We evaluated the stress hormone response to 5-HTergic stimulation in alcohol-dependent men with extended abstinence (average abstinence duration, 4.3 months) and controls to determine the relative contributions of alcoholism, cigarette smoking, and ASPD on baseline and provoked plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) concentrations. Methods: One hundred nine alcohol-abstinent men with alcohol dependence (62%), habitual smoking (70%), and ASPD (43%) received d,l-fenfluramine (100 mg po) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. The group of recovering alcohol-dependent individuals included abstinent primary alcohol-dependent men and alcohol-dependent men with ASPD, whereas the group of non-alcohol-dependent men comprised healthy controls and non-alcohol-dependent men with ASPD. Plasma cortisol and ACTH levels were obtained at AM baseline and at half-hour intervals after drug administration. Subjective ratings of drug response and physiological measures were also obtained at baseline and every 30 min. Results: Abstinent alcohol-dependent men had significantly lower (approximately 20%) AM baseline plasma cortisol concentrations than non-alcohol-dependent men on both challenge days; however, no differences between the groups were observed with regard to resting AM plasma ACTH levels. After adjusting for these baseline differences, recovering alcohol-dependent men (area under curve = 35.6 ± 37.4 [,g/dl] × min) had a twofold greater cortisol response to fenfluramine than non-alcohol-dependent men (area under curve = 17.5 ± 32.5 [,g/dl] × min) (F= 5.1;df= 1,105;p < 0.03). The elevated cortisol response, which occurred primarily along the descending limb of the response curve, was paralleled by a nonsignificant statistical trend for alcohol-dependent men to also exhibit a greater ACTH response to fenfluramine at the 210-min (p < 0.07) and 240-min (p < 0.09) time points as compared with non-alcohol-dependent men. Cigarette smoking and ASPD did not affect hormonal responses, nor could the groups' subjective ratings and physiological measures be distinguished. Conclusions: Alcohol-dependent men with extended abstinence differed from age- and race-matched non-alcohol-dependent men in resting AM and fenfluramine-induced plasma cortisol levels. This dysfunction in glucocorticoid homeostatic mechanisms was associated with alcoholism and not with smoking or ASPD. We also observed a nonsignificant statistical trend for plasma ACTH levels to be elevated among alcohol-dependent men along the descending limb of the response curve. Alcohol-dependent men seemed to have inherited or acquired damage to 5-HT-regulated LHPA axis function, the precise mechanisms and sites of which remain to be determined. [source]

Hypothalamic Function in Response to 2-Deoxy- d -Glucose in Long-Term Abstinent Alcoholics

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2001
John C. Umhau
Background: The body adapts to diverse stressful stimuli with a response characterized by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Chronic alcohol consumption can cause changes in the function of this neuroendocrine system. Although many studies have examined this phenomenon in drinking and recently sober alcoholics, few studies have examined HPA axis function in long-term sober alcoholics. Methods: To characterize HPA axis function in long-term sober alcoholics, we used a challenge paradigm with 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG). An infusion of 2-DG (a nonmetabolizable glucose analog) induces a well-characterized stress response. In a previous study, our laboratory found an exaggerated corticotropin and cortisol response in alcoholics abstinent 3 weeks; in this investigation we compared the effects of an infusion of 2-DG on 19 healthy volunteers and 20 community-living alcoholics who had been abstinent more than 6 months. Results: In contrast to the previous study, long-term sober alcoholics did not have an exaggerated corticotropin and cortisol response after 2-DG. Conclusions: Previously observed abnormalities in cortisol regulation in 3-week-sober alcoholics may be related to the acute effects of recent alcohol consumption and withdrawal. Future investigations into the metabolic function of alcoholics, particularly investigations involving the HPA system, should consider the possibility that normalization may not occur until long-term abstinence has been achieved. [source]

The Use of 17-Hydroxyprogesterone in the Diagnosis of Canine Hyperadrenocorticism

JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2002
J.M.E. Ristic
A number of dogs are seen with clinical signs consistent with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), supporting CBC and biochemical findings, but the disease cannot be confirmed with either the ACTH stimulation test or the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST). Therefore, another screening test is required to aid diagnosis in these atypical cases of HAC. The aim of this study was to investigate whether measuring 17-hydroxyprogesterone (OHP) concentrations could be used in this role. Plasma cortisol and OHP concentrations were measured in dogs with clinical signs suggestive of HAC before and after administration of exogenous ACTH. In dogs with HAC, plasma OHP showed an exaggerated response to ACTH stimulation. This was seen in both typical cases of HAC with a positive cortisol response to ACTH administration and in atypical cases with negative screening test results. The test can be performed on plasma already taken for a conventional ACTH stimulation test. Post-ACTH OHP concentrations decreased after treatment with mitotane or adrenalectomy. These results suggest that OHP measurements can be used as an aid to diagnose and manage canine HAC. [source]

Salivary cortisol and psychosocial hazards at work

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009
Giovanni Maina MD
Abstract Background Experimental and clinical evidence suggest that stress can lead to ill-health through the disregulation of the hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis. Studies to date have produced equivocal results likely due to different methodologies and failure to account for confounding factors. This investigation aimed to assess the relation between self-reported work-related stressors and salivary cortisol and to clarify the role of the potential confounders. Methods Thirty-six call-handlers completed a self-administered job content questionnaire and collected seven daily salivary samples on two workdays and a weekend. The diurnal salivary cortisol output was expressed as cortisol awakening response (CAR), and cortisol output in the rest of the day. Salivary cortisol data were normalized by means of square root transformation. The generalized estimating equations method was used to assess the relation between job strain and cortisol levels after adjusting for gender, weekdays and adherence to the sampling schedule. Results Job strain significantly influenced the total amount of cortisol response to waking (high strain vs. low strain: 1.1 (0.3,2.0) nmol/L). The cortisol response to waking showed gender-specific differences [women excreting greater cortisol than men: 1.1 (0.3,1.9) nmol/L], and weekday differences [workdays vs. weekend: 1.0 (0.3,1.6) nmol/L]. Non-compliance with the sampling protocol was associated with lower salivary cortisol than in adherent subjects. Conclusions Our results provide further evidence for the HPA axis involvement in the physiological response to work stress. The measure of the CAR showed to be the sensitive index to assess the physiological response to psychosocial factors. Gender, weekday, and protocol compliance were confounding factors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:251,260, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Changes in skin colour and cortisol response of Australian snapper Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) to different background colours

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009
Ben J Doolan
Abstract A two-factor experiment was carried out to investigate the change in skin colour and plasma cortisol response of cultured Australian snapper Pagrus auratus to a change in background colour. Snapper (mean weight=437 g) were held in black or white tanks and fed diets containing 39 mg unesterified astaxanthin kg,1 for 49 days before being transferred from white tanks to black cages (WB) or black tanks to white cages (BW). Skin colour values [L* (lightness), a* (redness) and b* (yellowness)] of all snapper were measured at stocking (t=0 days) and from cages of fish randomly assigned to each sampling time at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days. Plasma cortisol was measured in anaesthetized snapper following colour measurements at 0, 1 and 7 days. Fish from additional black-to-black (BB) and white-to-white (WW) control treatments were also sampled for colour and cortisol at those times. Rapid changes occurred in skin lightness (L* values) after altering background colour with maximum change in L* values for BW and WB treatments occurring within 1 day. Skin redness (a*) of BW snapper continued to steadily decrease over the 7 days (a*=7.93 × e,0.051 × time). Plasma cortisol concentrations were highest at stocking when fish were held at greater densities and were not affected by cage colour. The results of this study suggest that transferring dark coloured snapper to white cages for 1 day is sufficient to affect the greatest benefit in terms of producing light coloured fish while minimizing the reduction in favourable red skin colouration. [source]

The effect of therapeutic glucocorticoids on the adrenal response in a randomized controlled trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis,

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2006
John R. Kirwan
Objective To measure the effect of low-dose systemic glucocorticoid treatment on the adrenal response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Patients with RA who took part in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of budesonide (3 mg/day and 9 mg/day) and prednisolone (7.5 mg/day) underwent a short (60-minute) test with injection of ACTH (tetracosactide hexaacetate) at baseline and the day after completing the 3-month treatment program. Plasma cortisol measurements at baseline and 3 months were compared within and between the treatment groups. Individual patients were classified as normal responders to ACTH or as abnormal responders if changes were >2 SD below the pretreatment value in the entire group of study patients. Results Short tests with ACTH injection were performed on 139 patients before beginning the study medication and on 134 patients after cessation of the medication. There were no changes in the placebo group. Mean plasma cortisol levels following treatment were reduced in all active treatment groups. In addition, mean values were significantly reduced for the 30-minute and 60-minute responses to ACTH. The maximum reduction (35%) occurred in the prednisolone group at 60 minutes. Following treatment, 34% of patients taking budesonide 9 mg and 46% of those taking prednisolone 7.5 mg failed to reach the normal maximum cortisol response to ACTH. Four patients failed to achieve the normal percentage increase in cortisol levels, but only 1 patient failed to meet both criteria. Conclusion Low doses of a glucocorticoid resulted in depression of baseline and ACTH-stimulated cortisol levels after 12 weeks of therapy. Although the responsiveness of the hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal axis in individual patients generally remained within the normal range, these changes should be investigated further. [source]

Cortisol Response to Embarrassment and Shame

Hypopituitarism is uncommon after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
Marianne Klose
Summary Objective, Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) has recently been reported as a common cause of chronic hypopituitarism, and introduction of routine neuroendocrine screening has been advocated. We aimed at estimating the risk of hypopituitarism after SAH using strict criteria including confirmatory testing in case of suggested insufficiency. Design, Cross-sectional evaluation with a nested prospective subgroup. Patients and measurements, Endocrine evaluation was performed at a median of 14 months (range 11,26) post-SAH in 62 patients with SAH and 30 healthy controls. Twenty-six patients were followed prospectively (median 7 days, and 12 months post-SAH). Endocrine evaluation included baseline evaluation, which was combined with an insulin tolerance test (ITT) or, if contraindicated, GHRH + arginine tests and a standard ACTH test at evaluation 1,2 years post-SAH. Pituitary insufficiencies were confirmed by re-evaluation. Results, Early post-SAH hormone alterations mimicking central hypogonadism were present in 58% of the patients and associated with a worse clinical state (P < 0·05). One to 2 years post-SAH, initial neuroendocrine evaluation identified seven patients (11%) with abnormal results; three had free T4 and TSH suggestive of central hypothyroidism, three men had testosterone below 10 nm, and one had an insufficient GH and cortisol response to the ITT. None of these abnormalities was confirmed upon confirmatory testing. Conclusion, In the largest reported cohort of patients with SAH to date, with early and late endocrine evaluation, none of the patients had chronic hypopituitarism. Based on these findings, the introduction of routine neuroendocrine screening is not justified, and the data suggest the importance of using strict diagnostic criteria in patients with a low pretest probability of hypopituitarism. [source]

Maternal prenatal anxiety, postnatal caregiving and infants' cortisol responses to the still-face procedure

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 8 2009
Kerry-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]

Prenatal maternal emotional complaints are associated with cortisol responses in toddler and preschool aged girls

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009
Anouk T.C.E. de Bruijn
Abstract Associations between prenatal maternal emotional complaints and child behavioral and cognitive problems have been reported, with different relations for boys and girls. Fetal programming hypotheses underline these associations and state that the early development of the HPA-axis of the children may have been affected. In the present study, differences in cortisol responses of prenatally exposed and nonexposed children are examined for both sexes separately. Cortisol response patterns of a group preschool aged children that were prenatally exposed to high levels of maternal emotional complaints (N,=,51) were compared to a nonexposed group (N,=,52). Child saliva was collected at the start of a home visit (T1), 22,min after a mother,child interaction episode (T2), and 22,min after a potentially frustrating task (T3). Repeated measures analyses showed that prenatally exposed girls showed higher cortisol levels across the three episodes compared to nonexposed girls. No differences were found in boys. Maternal prenatal emotional complaints might be related to child HPA-axis functioning differently for boys and girls. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 51: 553,563, 2009. [source]

Saliva DHEA and cortisol responses following short-term corticosteroid intake

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 2 2010
L. Jollin
Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (2): 183,186 Abstract Background, Given the high correlation between the serum and saliva hormone values demonstrated at rest, saliva provides a convenient non-invasive way to determine dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol concentrations. However, to our knowledge, pituitary adrenal recovery following short-term suppression with corticosteroids has never been investigated in saliva. The aim of this study was therefore to examine how steroid hormone concentrations in saliva are influenced by short-term corticosteroid administration. Materials and methods, We studied saliva DHEA and cortisol concentrations before, during (day 1,day 7) and following (day 8,day 16) the administration of oral therapeutic doses of prednisone (50 mg daily for 1 week) in 11 healthy recreationally trained women. Results, Mean saliva DHEA and cortisol concentrations decreased immediately after the start of prednisone treatment (P < 0·05). Three days after concluding prednisone administration, both saliva DHEA and cortisol had returned to pretreatment levels. Conclusions, These data are consistent with previous studies on blood samples and suggest that non-invasive saliva samples may offer a practical approach to assessing pituitary-adrenal function continuously during and after short-term corticosteroid therapy. [source]

Effect of Maternal Nutrient Restriction in Early Gestation on Responses of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis to Acute Isocapnic Hypoxaemia in Late Gestation Fetal Sheep

EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2000
Paul Hawkins
Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that maternal undernutrition during pregnancy may alter development of fetal organ systems. We have demonstrated previously that fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to exogenous corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) + arginine vasopressin (AVP), or adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH), are reduced in fetuses of mildly undernourished ewes. To examine these effects further we tested HPA axis responses to acute isocapnic hypoxaemia in fetal sheep at 114-129 days gestation (dGA), following 15% reduction in maternal nutritional intake between 0 and 70 dGA. Fetuses from control (C) and nutrient-restricted (R) ewes were chronically catheterised and plasma ACTH and cortisol responses were determined at 114-115, 120-123 and 126-129 dGA during hypoxaemia (1 h) induced by lowering the maternal inspired O2 fraction (FI,O2). Basal plasma cortisol concentrations and HPA axis responses at 114-115 and 120-123 dGA did not differ between C and R fetuses. At 126-129 dGA, both plasma ACTH (P < 0.01) and cortisol (P < 0.05) responses were smaller in R fetuses compared to C fetuses. Fetal blood gas status, fetal body weight, body proportions and organ weights did not differ between the groups. We conclude that mild maternal undernutrition alters development of the fetal HPA axis producing a reduction in pituitary and adrenal responsiveness to endogenous stimuli. [source]

Sleep arrangements and night waking at 6 and 12 months in relation to infants' stress-induced cortisol responses

Serotonin, Impulsivity, and Alcohol Use Disorders in the Older Adolescent: A Psychobiological Study

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2000
Paul H. Soloff
Background: Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among adolescents are associated with a high prevalence of conduct disorder (CD), much as type II alcoholism in adults is associated with impulsive-aggressive behavior and antisocial personality traits. Adults with impulsive personality disorders and AUD demonstrate diminished central serotonergic responsiveness to serotonergic agonists. Dysregulation of central serotonergic function may contribute to a vulnerability to impulsive-aggressive behavior, CD, and AUD. We studied older adolescents, both male and female, to examine the relationships between sex, dispositional impulsivity, aggressivity, CD, and responsiveness to serotonergic challenge with d,l fenfluramine (FEN) early in the development of AUD. Methods: Thirty-six adolescents between the ages of 16 and 21 years were assessed for DSM-IV AUD and other Axis I disorders by using the Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders section of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM III-R, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children,Present and Lifetime Version, and CD interviews. Impulsivity and aggressivity were assessed by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Lifetime History of Aggression, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, Eysenck Impulsiveness Questionnaire, Youth Self Report, and Multidimensional Personality Questionnaires. FEN was administered as 0.8 mg/kg to a maximum of 60 mg, and blood was sampled at fixed intervals for prolactin, cortisol, fenfluramine, and norfenfluramine levels. Results: Eighteen adolescents (12 male, 6 female) with AUD scored significantly higher on all measures of impulsivity and aggressivity compared with 18 healthy controls (12 male, 6 female). There were no significant differences between groups in peak prolactin or cortisol responses (minus baseline), or area-under-the-curve determinations (AUC); however, 9 subjects with AUD and comorbid CD had significantly elevated cortisol AUC levels compared with subjects with AUD and no CD or with normal controls. In the total sample, cortisol AUC was associated positively with measures of aggression. Conclusions: Adolescents with early-onset AUD are characterized by impulsivity and aggressivity compared with healthy peers but do not demonstrate the diminished prolactin or cortisol responses to FEN characteristic of adult alcoholics with impulsive-aggression. [source]

The rate of urinary cortisol excretion at work is persistently elevated in women at familial risk for breast cancer

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
Gary D. James
We recently reported that healthy women at familial risk for breast cancer (FH+) have higher urinary cortisol levels at work than women without familial risk (FH,). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether this group difference persisted over a 1-month period. Subjects were healthy women (FH+, N = 42, age = 37.6 ± 9.3, FH,, N = 93, age 38.4 ± 9.0) employed primarily in clerical or technical positions at three medical centers in New York City who collected timed urine samples in three contrasting daily environments, at work (,11AM,3PM), home (,6PM,10PM) and during sleep (,10PM,6AM) on 2 mid-week workdays ,1 month apart. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed that cortisol excretion differed across the environments (P < 0.001), and that there was also a significant interaction between daily environment and family history group (P < 0.049), such that FH+ women maintained higher cortisol excretion at work over the 2 days than FH, women. A Bland,Altman plot showed that both overall and by family history group, the rate of cortisol excretion at work was generally reproducible, although there was a heteroscadasticity in the relationship that likely reflected excessive stressfulness on one of the study days in a small minority of subjects. These results suggest that the presence of a potent background stressor (familial breast cancer risk) can influence more acute cortisol responses in daily life over time. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Effects of reproductive condition and dominance rank on cortisol responsiveness to stress in free-ranging female rhesus macaques

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2010
Christy L. Hoffman
Abstract The hypothalamic,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis modulates individuals' physiological responses to social stress, which is an inevitable aspect of the daily lives of group-living animals. Previous nonhuman primate studies have reported that sex, age, rank, and reproductive condition influence cortisol levels under stressful conditions. In this study we investigated cortisol responses to stress among 70 multiparous, free-ranging female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on the island of Cayo Santiago, PR. Plasma cortisol samples were collected in two consecutive years under similar conditions. Twenty-two females were sampled both years, and most of those females were lactating in only one of the years. Individual differences in cortisol levels were stable across years, even though reproductive condition changed for most individuals. No relationship was found between age or social rank and cortisol levels. Of the females that changed reproductive conditions, cortisol levels were higher when they were lactating than when they were cycling, and the amount of change in cortisol from cycling to lactating was greatest for low-ranking individuals. Heightened reactivity to stress during lactation may be the result of concerns about infant safety, and such concerns may be higher among low-ranking mothers than among higher ranking mothers. Psychosocial stress and hyperactivation of the HPA axis during lactation can suppress immune function and increase vulnerability to infectious diseases, thus explaining why adult females in the free-ranging rhesus macaque population on Cayo Santiago have a higher probability of mortality during the birth season than during the mating season. Am. J. Primatol. 72:559,565, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Antenatal maternal stress and long-term effects on child neurodevelopment: how and why?

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 3-4 2007
Nicole M. Talge
We review a significant body of evidence from independent prospective studies that if a mother is stressed while pregnant, her child is substantially more likely to have emotional or cognitive problems, including an increased risk of attentional deficit/hyperactivity, anxiety, and language delay. These findings are independent of effects due to maternal postnatal depression and anxiety. We still do not know what forms of anxiety or stress are most detrimental, but research suggests that the relationship with the partner can be important in this respect. The magnitude of these effects is clinically significant, as the attributable load of emotional/behavioral problems due to antenatal stress and/or anxiety is approximately 15%. Animal models suggest that activity of the stress-responsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its hormonal end-product cortisol are involved in these effects in both mother and offspring. The fetal environment can be altered if stress in the mother changes her hormonal profile, and in humans, there is a strong correlation between maternal and fetal cortisol levels. However, many problems remain in understanding the mechanisms involved in this interaction. For example, maternal cortisol responses to stress decline over the course of pregnancy, and earlier in pregnancy, the link between maternal and fetal cortisol is less robust. It is possible that the effects of maternal anxiety and stress on the developing fetus and child are moderated by other factors such as a maternal diet (e.g., protein load). It is suggested that extra vigilance or anxiety, readily distracted attention, or a hyper-responsive HPA axis may have been adaptive in a stressful environment during evolution, but exists today at the cost of vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders. [source]

Short periods of prenatal stress affect growth, behaviour and hypothalamo,pituitary,adrenal axis activity in male guinea pig offspring

THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005
Amita Kapoor
Prenatal stress can have profound long-term influences on physiological function throughout the course of life. We hypothesized that focused periods of moderate prenatal stress at discrete time points in late gestation have differential effects on hypothalamo,pituitary,adrenal (HPA) axis function in adult guinea pig offspring, and that changes in HPA axis function will be associated with modification of anxiety-related behaviour. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to a strobe light for 2 h on gestational days (GD) 50, 51, 52 (PS50) or 60, 61, 62 (PS60) (gestation length ,70 days). A control group was left undisturbed throughout pregnancy. Behaviour was assessed in male offspring on postnatal day (PND)25 and PND70 by measurement of ambulatory activity and thigmotaxis (wall-seeking behaviour) in a novel open field environment. Subsequent to behavioural testing, male offspring were cannulated (PND75) to evaluate basal and activated HPA axis function. Body weight was significantly decreased in adult PS50 and PS60 offspring and this effect was apparent soon after weaning. The brain-to-body-weight ratio was significantly increased in adult PS50 males. Basal plasma cortisol levels were elevated in PS50 male offspring throughout the 24 h sampling period compared with controls. In response to an ACTH challenge and to exposure to an acute stressor, PS60 male offspring exhibited elevated plasma cortisol responses. Plasma testosterone concentrations were strikingly decreased in PS50 offspring. Thigmotaxis in the novel environment was increased in PS50 male offspring at PND25 and PND70, suggesting increased anxiety in these animals. In conclusion, prenatal stress during critical windows of neuroendocrine development programs growth, HPA axis function, and stress-related behaviour in adult male guinea pig offspring. Further, the nature of the effect is dependant on the timing of the maternal stress during pregnancy. [source]

Serotonergic dysregulation in bipolar disorders: a literature review of serotonergic challenge studies

BIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 6 2002
S Sobczak
Objectives:, Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) and endocrine abnormalities have been repeatedly reported in bipolar disorders (BD). Useful methods to investigate 5-HT responsivity, and the interaction with neuroendocrine functioning, are provided by acute 5-HT challenge and depletion paradigms. In this review 5-HT challenges are limited to paradigms that stimulate 5-HT activity in BD. Methods:, Literature was searched for in electronic libraries: MEDLINE and PSYCHLIT, period 1966,2001. Papers describing effects of an acute 5-HT challenge on neuroendocrine functioning in BD patients were selected. Results:, Review of the literature revealed 15 studies: five papers described the effects of 5-HT challenges in manic BD patients, four papers in euthymic BD and seven in depressed BD patients. The reviewed 5-HT challenge paradigms are acute administration of oral and intravenous (i.v.) dosage of d,l-fenfluramine, tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, ipsapirone and buspirone. There were no papers which investigated neuroendocrine effects of m-chlorophenylpiperazine, clomipramine and citalopram in BD patients and were therefore not reviewed. Conclusions:, The literature on 5-HT challenge procedures in BD shows evidence for a blunted prolactin (PRL) in mania and depression as well as a blunted cortisol in euthymic BD patients. This suggests that in both mania and depression similar changes in the 5-HT system are involved. It is speculated that blunting of cortisol responses in euthymic BD patients may be a result of chronically altered 5-HT functioning, whereas changes in PRL release following 5-HT challenges reflect more state-dependent changes in 5-HT activity. The 5-HT responsivity in BD patients has also been associated with pharmacological treatment, suicidal behaviour, weight loss and age. Recommendations for future research are given. [source]

Biological Sensitivity to Context: The Interactive Effects of Stress Reactivity and Family Adversity on Socioemotional Behavior and School Readiness

CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2010
Jelena Obradovi
This study examined the direct and interactive effects of stress reactivity and family adversity on socioemotional and cognitive development in three hundred and thirty-eight 5- to 6-year-old children. Neurobiological stress reactivity was measured as respiratory sinus arrhythmia and salivary cortisol responses to social, cognitive, sensory, and emotional challenges. Adaptation was assessed using child, parent, and teacher reports of externalizing symptoms, prosocial behaviors, school engagement, and academic competence. Results revealed significant interactions between reactivity and adversity. High stress reactivity was associated with more maladaptive outcomes in the context of high adversity but with better adaption in the context of low adversity. The findings corroborate a reconceptualization of stress reactivity as biological sensitivity to context by showing that high reactivity can both hinder and promote adaptive functioning. [source]

Profile, mean residence time of ACTH and cortisol responses after low and standard ACTH tests in healthy volunteers

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 3 2006
P. Alía
Objective, No consensus exists until now about the suitable dose of tetracosactin in the ACTH stimulation test for detecting adrenal insufficiency. Our aim was to characterize both the ACTH(1,24) and the cortisol profiles after standard high-dose test (250 µg) (HDT) and low-dose test (1 µg) (LDT) in healthy subjects in order to provide a deeper knowledge about the relationship between stimulus and response. Design and patients, ACTH tests were performed in 10 healthy volunteers (five men, five women) with at least 1 week of difference. Measurements, Plasma ACTH(1,24) and ACTH(1,39) and serum cortisol were measured before tetracosactin i.v. injection and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 min after stimulus. Area under the curve (AUC) of ACTH(1,24) and cortisol, as well as mean residence time (MRT) for ACTH(1,24) were calculated in both tests. Results, Elimination of ACTH(1,24) was faster in HDT than in LDT (MRTs of 0·14 vs 0·37, respectively, P = 0·008), but plasma concentrations were higher up to 60 min cortisol production in HDT reaching a higher maximum concentration (Cmax: 1144 vs 960 nmol/l) but delayed in time (75 vs 52·5 min). No significant relationship was observed between AUC or Cmax of ACTH(1,24) and AUC, Cmax and increment of cortisol in any of the tests. However, a negative correlation of basal cortisol values was observed with relative cortisol increment (HDT: r = 0·77 P = 0·009; LDT: r = 0·94 P < 0·0001), but not so with Cmax (HDT: r = 0·22 P = 0·55; LDT: r = 0·57 P = 0·09). Conclusions, The elimination rate of ACTH in healthy volunteers was significantly lower in LDT than in HDT, but cortisol production rate appears to be identical in both tests, so that a maximum adrenal stimulation seems to exist. The use of LDT may be more adequate, although data from patients need studying. [source]

Endocrine responses to ghrelin in adult patients with isolated childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 6 2002
Gianluca Aimaretti
Summary objective Ghrelin, a 28 amino acid acylated peptide, is a natural ligand of the GH secretagogues (GHS) receptor (GHS-R), which is specific for synthetic GHS. Similar to synthetic GHS, ghrelin strongly stimulates GH secretion but also displays significant stimulatory effects on lactotroph and corticotroph secretion. It has been hypothesized that isolated GH deficiency (GHD) could reflect hypothalamic impairment that would theoretically involve defect in ghrelin activity. patients In the present study, we verified the effects of ghrelin (1 µg/kg i.v.) on GH, PRL, ACTH and cortisol levels in adult patients with isolated severe GHD [five males and one female, age (mean ± SEM) 24·7 ± 2·6 years, BMI 25·7 ± 2·7 kg/m2]. In all patients, the GH response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (ITT, 0·1 IU regular insulin i.v.) and GH releasing hormone (GHRH) (1 µg/kg i.v.) + arginine (ARG, 0·5 g/kg i.v.) was also studied. The hormonal responses in GHD were compared with those in age-matched normal subjects (NS, seven males, age 28·6 ± 2·9 years, BMI 22·1 ± 0·8 kg/m2). results IGF-I levels in GHD were markedly lower than in NS (69·8 ± 11·3 vs. 167·9 ± 19·2 µg/l, P < 0·003). Ghrelin administration induced significant increase in GH, PRL, ACTH and cortisol levels in all GHD. In GHD, the GH response to ghrelin was higher (P < 0·05) than that to GHRH + ARG, which, in turn, was higher (P < 0·05) than that to ITT (9·2 ± 4·1 vs. 5·3 ± 1·7 vs. 1·4 ± 0·4 µg/l). These GH (1 µg/l = 2 mU/l) responses in GHD were markedly lower (P < 0·0001) than those in NS (ghrelin vs. GHRH + ARG vs. ITT 92·1 ± 16·7 vs. 65·3 ± 8·9 vs. 17·7 ± 3·5 µg/l). In GHD, the highest individual peak GH response to ghrelin was markedly lower than the lowest peak GH response in NS (28·5 vs. 42·9 µg/l). GHD and NS showed overlapping PRL (1 µg/l = 32 mU/l) (10·0 ± 1·4 vs. 14·9 ± 2·2 µg/l), ACTH (22·3 ± 5·3 vs. 18·7 ± 4·6 pmol/l) and cortisol responses (598·1 ± 52·4 vs. 486·9 ± 38·9 nmol/l). conclusions This study shows that ghrelin is one of the most powerful provocative stimuli of GH secretion, even in those patients with isolated severe GHD. In this condition, however, the somatotroph response is markedly reduced while the lactotroph and corticotroph responsiveness to ghrelin is fully preserved, indicating that this endocrine activity is fully independent of mechanisms underlying the GH-releasing effect. These results do not support the hypothesis that ghrelin deficiency is a major cause of isolated GH deficiency but suggest that ghrelin might represent a reliable provocative test to evaluate the maximal GH secretory capacity provided that appropriate cut-off limits are assumed. [source]