Alteração da relação testosterona: cortisol induzida pelo treinamento de força em mulheres Alteración de la relación testosterona: cortisol inducida por el entrenamiento de fuerza en mujeres Alteration of testosterone: cortisol ratio induced by resistance training in women

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Marco Carlos Uchida

2004-06-01

Full Text Available A razão entre a concentração de testosterona e cortisol (T:C é freqüentemente utilizada como indicativo do nível de estresse imposto pelo exercício. Alterações na concentração destes hormônios são responsáveis por modular diversas respostas induzidas pelo treinamento, como hipertrofia e ganho de força. O objetivo do presente estudo foi examinar a influência do protocolo de treinamento de força, conhecido como múltiplas-séries (MS, sobre o ganho de força, de resistência muscular localizada e a relação entre a concentração de hormônios catabólicos (cortisol e anabólicos (testosterona. Para testar esta hipótese cinco jovens do sexo feminino com um ano de experiência em treinamento de força foram submetidas ao protocolo MS. As amostras de sangue foram coletadas antes e imediatamente após o exercício, no primeiro dia e após oito semanas de treinamento. Os testes de 1-RM e de repetições máximas foram realizados também no início e ao final das oito semanas de treinamento de força. Não foram observadas alterações na massa corporal, no IMC, na percentagem de massa gorda e na força máxima (1-RM no supino, no agachamento e na rosca direta. O número de repetições máximas a 50% de 1-RM foi aumentado apenas para o supino (p La razón entre testosterona y cortisol (T:C es frecuentemente utilizada como indicador del nivel de stress impuesto por el ejercicio. Las alteraciones de las concentraciones de estas hormonas son las responsables por modular diversas respuestas inducidas por el entrenamiento, como son la hipertrofia y el aumento de la fuerza. El objetivo del presente estudio fué examinar la influencia del protocolo de entrenamiento de fuerza, conocido como series multiples (MS, sobre la ganancia de fuerza, la resistencia muscular localizada y la relación entre las concentraciones de las hormonas catabólicas (cortisol y anabólicas (testoterona. Para testar esta hipótesis, cinco jovenes del sexo feminino

Direct assay for urine cortisol with cortisol kit TFB

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manaka, Yukiko; Watanabe, Michiko; Hosoya, Takaaki [Yamagata Univ. (Japan). Hospital

2002-05-01

We examined Cortisol Kit TFB for direct assay of urine cortisol. And the multiplication by dilution factor of urine cortisol values in this kit was examined. The coefficient of correlation of cortisol levels (46 urine samples) between Cortisol Kit TFB and Chemilumi ACS-Cortisol II, which is another kit for direct assay of urine cortisol, was r=0.858, y=1.86x+38.2 (p<0.001). There were differences between the both cortisol levels of each urine sample in spite of the good coefficient of correlation. The urine cortisol values obtained from the standard curve in addition of 50 {mu}l of zero standard were 50-80% of the values obtained from the standard curve in the package insert. These results suggest that the specificity of the antibodies of both direct assay kits for urine cortisol may be different each other, and the multiplication by 1.09, the dilution factor due to the addition of zero standard to only urine sample, is unnecessary although it is indispensable for urine samples to add zero standard. Cortisol Kit TFB was very convenient for its easy assay procedure and short incubation. (author)

Direct assay for urine cortisol with cortisol kit TFB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manaka, Yukiko; Watanabe, Michiko; Hosoya, Takaaki

2002-01-01

We examined Cortisol Kit TFB for direct assay of urine cortisol. And the multiplication by dilution factor of urine cortisol values in this kit was examined. The coefficient of correlation of cortisol levels (46 urine samples) between Cortisol Kit TFB and Chemilumi ACS-Cortisol II, which is another kit for direct assay of urine cortisol, was r=0.858, y=1.86x+38.2 (p<0.001). There were differences between the both cortisol levels of each urine sample in spite of the good coefficient of correlation. The urine cortisol values obtained from the standard curve in addition of 50 μl of zero standard were 50-80% of the values obtained from the standard curve in the package insert. These results suggest that the specificity of the antibodies of both direct assay kits for urine cortisol may be different each other, and the multiplication by 1.09, the dilution factor due to the addition of zero standard to only urine sample, is unnecessary although it is indispensable for urine samples to add zero standard. Cortisol Kit TFB was very convenient for its easy assay procedure and short incubation. (author)

Cortisol level

Science.gov (United States)

... enable JavaScript. The cortisol blood test measures the level of cortisol in the blood. Cortisol is a ... in the morning. This is important, because cortisol level varies throughout the day. You may be asked ...

Infarto agudo de miocardio inducido por heroína

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Beatriz Wills

2014-09-01

Full Text Available El uso mundial de drogas recreativas ha alcanzado proporciones preocupantes, al punto de amenazar la estabilidad socioeconómica de los países. Se estima que en los países desarrollados una de cada 4 personas ha utilizado drogas recreativas en algún momento de su vida. Por tanto, es frecuente que los médicos se enfrenten a cuadros de intoxicación secundaria al abuso de estas drogas. Además de sus efectos en el sistema nervioso central, también producen cambios significativos a nivel cardiovascular, responsables de una cantidad no despreciable de morbimortalidad relacionada con estas. En este artículo se expone un caso de infarto agudo de miocardio secundario al consumo de heroína, se revisan los efectos sistémicos de esta droga y se examinan el manejo y los mecanismos estudiados que explican esta relación.

Actividad inducida por androsterona y hemisuccinato de androsterona sobre la presión de perfusión y la resistencia vascular

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Lauro Figueroa

2009-12-01

Conclusiones. Los efectos inducidos por androsterona y hemisuccinato de androsterona sobre la presión de perfusión y la resistencia vascular pueden depender de su estructura química. En el caso de la actividad ejercida por el análogo de androsterona, podría involucrar la interacción del esteroide-receptor androgénico e, indirectamente, la activación del canal de calcio y, consecuentemente, inducir variaciones en la presión de perfusión.

Efectos inducidos por Ruta graveolens L., Cnidoscolus chayamansa McVaugh y Citrus aurantium L. sobre los niveles de glucosa, colesterol y triacilglicéridos en un modelo de rata diabética

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Lauro Figueroa-Valverde

Full Text Available Varias plantas con propiedades hipoglucemicas se han utilizado en medicina popular y sistemas curativos tradicionales en todo el mundo. El propósito de este trabajo fue evaluar los efectos inducidos por Ruta graveolens L., Rutaceae, Cnidoscolus chayamansa McVaugh, Euphorbiaceae, y Citrus aurantium L., Rutaceae, en un modelo de rata diabética, a la que se le cuantificaron los niveles de glucosa cada 24 horas por un mes después de la administración gástrica del extracto de las plantas. Además, el colesterol y los triglicéridos fueron evaluados usando técnicas enzimáticas. Los resultados mostraron que la administración de Cnidoscolus chayamansa a dosis de 0.5 a 1.5 g/kg induce un aumento hipoglucemico ( 200 mg/dL. Otros resultados, mostraron que Citrus aurantium ejerce cambios en la concentración de triacilglicéridos (158-172 mg/dL y colesterol (120-128 mg/dL. Finalmente, la administración de Ruta graveolens a dosis de 0.5 g/kg induce un efecto hipoglucemico (< 200 mg/dL. Además, Ruta graveolens a dosis de 0.5 a 1.5 g/kg induce variaciones en los niveles de triacilglicéridos (110-120 mg/dL y colesterol (116-124 mg/dL. En conclusión la administración de Cnidoscolus chayamansa ejerce efectos hipoglucemicos en una manera dosis dependiente en comparación con Ruta graveolens y Citrus aurantium. Además, las plantas evaluadas inducen cambios en los niveles de lípidos dependiente de la dosis.

TEORES SÉRICOS DE CORTISOL DE FÊMEAS CANINAS (Canis familiaris – LINNAEUS, 1758 SUBMETIDAS À CESARIANA SERIC LEVELS OF CORTISOL IN BITCHES (Canis familiaris – LINNAEUS, 1758 SUBMITTED TO AESARIAN SECTION Niveles séricos del cortisol en perras (Canis familiaris – Linnaeus, 1758 sometidas a cesárea

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Diogo José Cardilli

2009-12-01

Full Text Available

Factors associated with chloroquine induced pruritus during malaria treatment in Mozambican University students Factores asociados a la aparición de prurito por cloroquina durante el tratamiento de la malaria en estudiantes universitarios de Mozambique

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Helena Gama

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: It has been suggested that reductions in chloroquine use may be followed by a resurgence of chloroquine-susceptible falciparum malaria, and chloroquine might once again be an effective treatment choice, which renews the importance of aspects related to its use and misuse. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of chloroquine-induced pruritus and to identify risk factors for its occurrence in Mozambican University students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a private University in Maputo. Students were approached in the classrooms to complete a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, number of previous malaria episodes, utilization of antimalarial drugs, and life prevalence of chloroquine induced pruritus. Results: Among 795 respondents, 77.4% (601/777 reported at least one malaria episode and 73.2% (542/740 had used chloroquine before. The life-prevalence of chloroquine-induced pruritus was 30.1% (158/525. Pruritus tended to be more frequent when chloroquine was used for treatment compared with prophylaxis only (31.2% vs. 10.3%, pIntroducción: Se ha sugerido que la reducción en el uso de la cloroquina puede derivar en el resurgimiento de la malaria falciparum sensible a la cloroquina, por lo que ésta puede volver a ser un tratamiento efectivo de elección, renovando la importancia de aspectos relacionados con su uso y su mal uso. Se pretende estimar la prevalencia de prurito inducido por cloroquina e identificar los factores de riesgo asociados a su ocurrencia en estudiantes universitarios de Mozambique. Métodos: Se realizó una encuesta transversal en una Universidad privada de Mozambique. Los estudiantes fueron abordados en las aulas para completar un cuestionario autoadministrado, que contenía datos sociodemográficos e información sobre el número de episodios previos de malaria, la utilización de fármacos antipalúdicos y la prevalencia de prurito inducido por

Yawning, fatigue and cortisol: expanding the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis.

OpenAIRE

Thompson, Simon

2014-01-01

Yawning and its involvement in neurological disorders has become the new scientific conundrum. Cortisol levels are known to rise during stress and fatigue; yawning may occur when we are under stress or tired. However, the link between yawning, fatigue, and cortisol has not been fully understood. Expansion of the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis proposes that the stress hormone, cortisol, is responsible for yawning and fatigue especially in people with incomplete innervation such as multiple sclero...

Salivary Cortisol Can Replace Free Serum Cortisol Measurements in Patients With Septic Shock

Science.gov (United States)

Orlander, Philip R.

2011-01-01

Background: There is a renewed interest in adrenal function during severe sepsis. Most studies have used total serum cortisol levels; however, only free serum cortisol is biologically active. The aim of this study was to determine the validity of salivary cortisol levels as a surrogate for free serum cortisol levels during septic shock. Methods: Fifty-seven patients with septic shock were studied to determine the correlation between total serum cortisol and salivary cortisol to free serum cortisol levels. Thirty-eight patients were included in the salivary to free serum cortisol correlation. Salivary cortisol level was tested by enzyme immunoassay. Serum total cortisol, free cortisol, and cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) levels were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, equilibrium analysis, and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Results: The mean ± SD age was 56.6 ± 18.5 years. Fifty-seven percent were women. APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) II score median was 26, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II median was 61, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment median was 13. The correlation between salivary and free serum cortisol levels was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.63-0.89; P cortisol and total serum cortisol levels was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78-0.92; P cortisol level was 2.27 ± 1.64 μg/dL. The mean ± SD salivary cortisol level was 2.60 ± 2.69 μg/dL. The mean ± SD total serum cortisol level was 21.56 ± 8.71 μg/dL. The mean ± SD CBG level was 23.54 ± 8.33 mg/dL. Conclusions: Salivary cortisol level can be used as a surrogate of free serum cortisol level in patients with septic shock with very good correlation. Salivary cortisol testing is noninvasive, easy to perform, and can be conducted daily. Trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00523198; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov PMID:21816912

Análisis de plasmas inducidos por láser con excitación multipulso para el proceso de ablación de areolas de Tuna

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Teresa Flores

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Introducción: La técnica de análisis de plasmas inducidos por láser (LIBS, posee importantes ventajas como son que la muestra no requiere preparación previa, puede estar en fase sólida, liquida o gaseosa y tener cualquier forma y dimensión, se requiere una cantidad mínima de material y, finalmente, el análisis se realiza en tiempo real. Estas ventajas, hacen posible el seguimiento en tiempo real de un proceso de ablación láser, incluso para muestras de composición compleja. Para el monitoreo de un proceso industrial, esta herramienta sería más adecuada, si se cuenta con una calibración del equipo y un protocolo particular definido. En el trabajo, se ejemplifica esta posibilidad para el caso de la ablación láser de areolas de Tuna (fruto de el Opuntia ficus-indica. Método: Se realiza el análisis LIBS de muestras de tuna, tanto en las areolas como en la corteza. Para la excitación del plasma se emplea un láser de Nd:YAG en régimen de Q:Switch con tren de pulsos. Con el objeto de asegurar el reconocimiento de las líneas en los espectros LIBS, se realizaron análisis en patrones de composición conocida, estableciéndose un protocolo para la interpretación de los espectros. Resultados: Se logró una clara lectura de la línea de H ubicada en 656.2 nm. Se estableció un protocolo para la interpretación de los espectros, que permitió la identificación de 49 picos característicos. Finalmente, se determina la composición para la corteza y la areola y se lleva a cabo una comparación cualitativa entre éstas. Discusión: Se muestra que la excitación láser en forma de tren de pulsos, entendido este régimen como modalidad particular del Q:Switch, permite la determinación eficiente de elementos, con una adecuada relación señal-ruido. Por otra parte, que es posible determinar diferencias composicionales evidentes entre corteza y la areola, lo cual permite monitorear un proceso de ablación de areolas con láser de manera

El aborto inducido de las mexicanas en el contexto transfronterizo México-Estados Unidos

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Norma Ojeda

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Este es un estudio sociodemográfico comparativo del aborto inducido de las mujeres que viven en los dos lados de la frontera México-Estados Unidos. Se analiza el caso especifico de Tijuana y San Diego mediante la utilización de fuentes complementarias de datos: una encuesta posparto realizada en el IMSS de Tijuana en 1993 con información para un total de 2 709 mujeres y los expedientes de la clínica Womancare de Planned Parenthood, con información para 1 109 mujeres. Esta última fuente incluye información sobre las mexicanas que cruzaron la frontera entre la primavera y el verano de 1993 para practicarse un aborto en condiciones legales y seguras en San Diego. Los resultados indican que el aborto ocurre más frecuentemente en las etapas avanzadas del periodo reproductivo de las mujeres. Sin embargo, también utilizan el aborto para posponer el inicio de su trayectoria reproductiva. Existen distintos patrones de aborto entre las mujeres fronterizas definidos por variaciones en la edad al momento del aborto, el número de hijos al momento de abortar, la edad al primer embarazo, las opiniones acerca del aborto, los motivos para abortar y los planes para enfrentar los efectos emocionales en la etapa postaborto.

Cortisol and somatization.

Science.gov (United States)

Rief, W; Auer, C

2000-05-01

Somatization symptoms are frequently associated with depression, anxiety, and feelings of distress. These features interact with the activity of the HPA-axis. Therefore we investigated relationships between somatization symptoms and cortisol. Seventy-seven participants were classified into three groups: somatization syndrome (at least eight physical symptoms from the DSM-IV somatization disorder list), somatization syndrome combined with major depression, and healthy controls. The following data were collected: salivary cortisol at three time points (morning, afternoon, evening), nighttime urinary cortisol, serum cortisol after the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), and psychological variables such as depression, anxiety, somatization, and hypochondriasis. Salivary cortisol showed typical diurnal variations. However, the groups did not differ on any of the cortisol variables. A possible explanation may be counteracting effects of somatization and depression. Exploratory correlational analyses revealed that associations between cortisol and psychopathological variables were time-dependent. DST results correlated with psychological aspects of somatization, but not with the number of somatoform symptoms per se.

Diurnal cortisol rhythm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harris, Anette; Endresen Reme, Silje; Tangen, Tone

2015-01-01

with different instruments, and cortisol in a population with LBP. Participants (n=305) sick-listed 2-10 months due to non-specific LBP were included in the study. The screening instruments were the MINI-interview, HADS and HSCL-25. Saliva cortisol were measured on 2 consecutive days; at awakening, 30min later......, at 15:00h and 22:00h. Results showed no associations between any of the main diagnostic categories from the MINI-interview, or anxiety/depression measured with HADS or HSCL-25 and cortisol. However, significant associations were found between low cortisol awakening response, low cortisol slope during...... the day and the somatization scale from HSCL-25 (dizziness or lack of energy, lack of sexual interest, the feeling that everything requires substantial efforts, difficulties to fall asleep, headache). The results indicate that cortisol, may not be directly associated with psychopathology, such as anxiety...

Frecuencia de la colonización por Pneumocystis jirovecii en pacientes con Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica en Bogotá, Colombia

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Juan Felipe Burbano-Gutiérrez

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Antecedentes: la colonización por Pneumocystis jirovecci (P. jirovecii se ha postulado como causa de deterioro de la función pulmonar en pacientes con Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica (EPOC. Se desconocía la frecuencia de aparición de la colonización por P. jirovencii en esa población en Colombia. Objetivo: documentar la frecuencia de colonización por P. jirovecii en mayores de 40 años con EPOC excluyendo a los pacientes que requirieran manejo inmunosupresor y a las personas infectadas por el Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana (VIH. Materiales y métodos: se trató de un estudio de corte transversal, que contó con muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia y selección continua de pacientes. Se realizó PCR (reacción en cadena de polimerasa en tiempo real (rt-PCR del esputo inducido con el Kit LighMix de P. jirovecii (Roche®-Suiza amplificándose un fragmento de 244 pares de bases a partir del gen de la glicoproteína de superficie del hongo. Resultados: para una muestra de 52 pacientes en total, se documentó una frecuencia de colonización del 15,4% en todos los participantes mayores de 65 años, quienes además presentaron altos índices de sintomatología según la escala modificada Medical Research Council (MR Cm y el cuestionario de evaluación de la EPOC (CAT. La mayoría de pacientes analizados se clasificó como GOLD D (63% en la clasificación por la Iniciativa Global para la EPOC. Conclusiones: la frecuencia de colonización por P. jirovecii en pacientes con EPOC detectada por rt-PCR en el esputo inducido fue del 15,4%. Este constituye el primer estudio colombiano que evalúa la frecuencia de colonización del hongo.

El aborto inducido de las mexicanas en el contexto transfronterizo México-Estados Unidos

OpenAIRE

Norma Ojeda; María del Carmen Gavilanes; Eduardo González

2003-01-01

Este es un estudio sociodemográfico comparativo del aborto inducido de las mujeres que viven en los dos lados de la frontera México-Estados Unidos. Se analiza el caso especifico de Tijuana y San Diego mediante la utilización de fuentes complementarias de datos: una encuesta posparto realizada en el IMSS de Tijuana en 1993 con información para un total de 2 709 mujeres y los expedientes de la clínica Womancare de Planned Parenthood, con información para 1 109 muje...

Maternal stress-associated cortisol stimulation may protect embryos from cortisol excess in zebrafish

OpenAIRE

Faught, Erin; Best, Carol; Vijayan, Mathilakath M.

2016-01-01

Abnormal embryo cortisol level causes developmental defects and poor survival in zebrafish (Danio rerio). However, no study has demonstrated that maternal stress leads to higher embryo cortisol content in zebrafish. We tested the hypothesis that maternal stress-associated elevation in cortisol levels increases embryo cortisol content in this asynchronous breeder. Zebrafish mothers were fed cortisol-spiked food for 5 days, to mimic maternal stress, followed by daily breeding for 10 days to mon...

The relationship between cortisol responses to laboratory stress and cortisol profiles in daily life

OpenAIRE

Kidd, Tara; Carvalho, Livia A.; Steptoe, Andrew

2014-01-01

Relationships between cortisol responses to laboratory stress and cortisol output over the day have not been studied extensively. We tested associations between cortisol responses to a set of laboratory challenges (colour/word interference and mirror tracing) and three aspects of cortisol output over the day, namely total area under the curve (AUCday), the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and the slope of cortisol decline over the day. Participants were 466 men and women aged 54–76 years. We...

Fiebre Tifoidea Diagnóstico por pruebas inmunoenzimáticas: Elisa

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Miguel Guzmán

1981-06-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo describe el desarrollo y normalización de una técnica inmunoenzimática para el diagnóstico indirecto de la Fiebre Tifoidea. El método permite un análisis simple y objetivo de los resultados. La reacción enzimática es proporcional a la concentración de anticuerpos en el suero contra el antígeno somático-0, por tanto, el método es cuantitativo. Por lo demás, la técnica tiene un alto grado de especificidad para Salmonella typhi, ya que los sueros de pacientes con Salmonelosis causada por Salmonella enteritidis serotipos paratyphi A, B y typhimurium dieron resultados negativos, en forma similar a los presentados por el grupo control antes de la vacunación específica. Los resultados obtenidos con esta técnica permitieron definir el nivel de anticuerpos que puede presentar una población control supuestamente sana frente a los niveles inducidos por la enfermedad. Los resultados postvacunales en el grupo control mostraron títulos sorprendentemente bajos; un análisis de este fenómeno se presentó en forma amplia. Igualmente se proponen futuras investigaciones sobre este campo.

Deformaciones del revestimiento y asientos producidos por la construcción de un túnel mediante tuneladora

OpenAIRE

Santos Rodríguez, Cristian de

2007-01-01

Debido al gran crecimiento que está viviendo la construcción de túneles urbanos, se ha considerado oportuno realizar el presente estudio que trata sobre las deformaciones del revestimiento y de los movimientos inducidos por la construcción de un túnel. Para llevar a cabo este estudio, en el caso de la deformación del revestimiento, se han realizado un conjunto de medidas de convergencia, dentro e inmediatamente después del escudo, con la finalidad de determinar la evolución de ...

Efecto antiinflamatorio preclínico del polvo seco de Caléndula officinalis

OpenAIRE

Núñez Figueredo, Yanier; Montero Alarcón, Claudia; Agüero Fernández, Sara; Muñoz Cernuda, Adriana

2007-01-01

Para demostrar la actividad antiinflamatoria del polvo seco Caléndula officinalis secado por atomización se emplearon dosis de 50, 150 y 450 mg/Kg y se evaluó el efecto sobre la inflamación aguda provocada por carragenina, dextrán, histamina y serotonina y granuloma inducido por discos de algodón en ratas y edema auricular inducido por aceite de crotón en ratones. El polvo seco mostró efecto inhibitorio sobre los diferentes modelos empleados sin afectar el peso del timo y las glándulas suprar...

Correlação entre Inventário de Depressão de Beck e cortisol urinário em diabéticos tipo 2 Correlación entre el inventario de Depresión de Beck y el cortisol urinario en diabeticos tipo 2 Correlation between urine cortisol and scores on the Beck Depression inventory in patients with type 2 diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra Bulgarelli do Nascimento

2009-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Verificar a correlação entre o cortisol urinário e o Inventário de Depressão de Beck em diabéticos do tipo 2. MÉTODOS: O cortisol urinário foi avaliado em uma amostra composta por 40 pacientes da Liga de Controle de Diabetes da Disciplina de Endocrinologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo e para a avaliação dos sintomas de depressão foi aplicado o Inventário de Depressão de Beck. RESULTADOS: Alta confiabilidade para o Inventário de Depressão de Beck(Alfa de Cronbach=0,920e correlação significativa foi observada entre cortisol urinário e Inventário de Depressão de Beck(Spearman,r=0.523,pOBJETIVO: Verificar la correlación entre el cortisol urinario y el Inventario de Depresión de Beck en diabéticos del tipo 2. MÉTODOS: El cortisol urinario fue evaluado en una muestra compuesta por 40 pacientes de la Liga de Control de Diabetes de la Disciplina de Endocrinología del Hospital de las Clínicas de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Sao Paulo y para la evaluación de los síntomas de depresión fue aplicado el Inventario de Depresión de Beck. RESULTADOS: Alta confiabilidad para el Inventario de Depresión de Beck(Alfa de Cronbach=0,920 y correlación significativa observada entre el cortisol urinario e Inventario de Depresión de Beck (Spearman,r=0.523,pOBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between urinary cortisol and scores on the Beck Depression Inventory in type 2 diabetics. METHODS: The sample consisted of 40 patients with type 2 diabetes from the diabetes control league of the discipline of endocrinology of the HCFM-USP. Measures consisted of urinary cortisol and depression symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: The Beck Depression Inventory had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92. There was a statistically significant correlation between urinary cortisol and scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (Spearman r = 0.52, p < .001. CONCLUSIONS: The

Hair cortisol concentrations exhibit a positive association with salivary cortisol profiles and are increased in obese prepubertal girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Papafotiou, Chrysanthe; Christaki, Eirini; van den Akker, Erica L T; Wester, Vincent L; Apostolakou, Filia; Papassotiriou, Ioannis; Chrousos, George P; Pervanidou, Panagiota

2017-03-01

Cortisol, a key mediator of the stress response, has been associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome manifestations as early as in childhood. Scalp hair cortisol has been proposed as a reliable index of long-term circulating cortisol. We aimed to investigate whether obese prepubertal girls have higher scalp hair cortisol than normal-weight controls and whether hair cortisol levels are correlated with salivary cortisol concentrations in these groups. In this cross-sectional study, 25 obese girls and 25 normal-weighted, age-matched girls were enrolled. Anthropometric evaluation, blood chemistry and salivary cortisol measurements were performed, and body mass index (BMI) and areas under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) were calculated. Hair cortisol determination was performed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Both hair cortisol concentrations and salivary cortisol AUCs were higher in the obese than the normal-weight girls (p cortisol and BMI Z-score was found (rho = .327, p = .025), while hair cortisol correlated positively with salivary cortisol AUCg (rho = .3, p = .048). We conclude that obese prepubertal girls have higher hair and salivary cortisol concentrations than their age-matched lean counterparts. Hair cortisol assessment seems to be a sensitive method of evaluating systemic cortisol exposure, which is supported by our finding that hair cortisol is associated with salivary concentrations of the hormone. Lay Summary: Cortisol is the key hormone of the stress response. Childhood obesity has been associated with cortisol production dysregulation. Our findings suggest a positive association between obesity in prepubertal girls and elevated cortisol concentrations, measured in saliva and hair.

Cortisol and finfish welfare

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ellis, T.; Yildiz, H.Y.; López-Olmeda, J.; Spedicato, M.T.; Tort, L.; Overli, O.; Martins, C.I.

2012-01-01

Previous reviews of stress, and the stress hormone cortisol, in fish have focussed on physiology, due to interest in impacts on aquaculture production. Here, we discuss cortisol in relation to fish welfare. Cortisol is a readily measured component of the primary (neuroendocrine) stress response and

EFECTO PROTECTOR DE PEUMUS BOLDUS EN RATAS CON TOXICIDAD HEPÁTICA INDUCIDA POR PARACETAMOL

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Christiam Ochoa

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Comprobar el efecto protector hepático del extracto acuoso de boldo (EAB (Peumus boldus al daño hepático inducido por acetaminofén (paracetamol. Diseño: Analítico, experimental, aleatorizado, completo – experimento verdadero. Realizado en el Instituto de Patología de la Facultad de Medicina de UNMSM. Material y método. 30 Ratas Holtzman macho de 250g y dos meses se dividieron en 5 grupos aleatoriamente, grupo blanco, control paracetamol 200mg/kg y 3 experimentales tratados con EAB a 80 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg y 160 mg/kg respectivamente. Se administró EAB de 80 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg y 160 mg/kg vía orogástrica. Luego de media hora se administró paracetamol 200mg/kg i.p. a los grupos control y experimentales. Este procedimiento se repitió por 5 días. Se tomó pruebas de transaminasas (TGP basal y final en sangre. Se utilizó la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis para analizar la data y un p<0.05 fue considerado significante. Se estudió la anatomopatología de los hígados y se tomaron muestras de tejido teñidas con HE. Resultados: Existe diferencia significativa en los niveles de transaminasas (TGP entre grupos (p<0.05. El control obtuvo 196.6 U/L +- 38.1 (TGP mientras que los experimentales como máximo 55.6 U/l. Las muestras control evidencian signos de lesión hepática, degeneración grasa, congestión sinusoidal y centrolobulillar, y necrosis celular. Sin embargo los grupos experimentales no presentan signos de lesión celular y hay ausencia de inflamación. Conclusiones: El boldo tiene un efecto protector hepático al daño inducido por paracetamol en ratas Holtzmann.

Extraction-free cortisol assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

A method for determining the concentration of cortisol in a serum sample comprises: (a) incubating the sample, labelled cortisol and an effective amount of deblocking agent in an aqueous medium with a composite comprising anti-cortisol antibodies fixed in active form onto the surfaces of a negatively charged support material, the incubation being carried out at a pH of from 4.0 to 6.5 and under conditions sufficient to result in the formation of immunochemical complexes on the composite, some of which complexes comprise labelled cortisol; (b) separating the composite from the incubation medium; (c) determining the amount of label on the separated composite or in the remaining incubation medium; and (d) relating the determination of (c) to a standard to determine the cortisol concentration in the sample. (author)

TEORES SÉRICOS DE CORTISOL DE FÊMEAS CANINAS (Canis familiaris – LINNAEUS, 1758) SUBMETIDAS À CESARIANA SERIC LEVELS OF CORTISOL IN BITCHES (Canis familiaris – LINNAEUS, 1758) SUBMITTED TO AESARIAN SECTION Niveles séricos del cortisol en perras (Canis familiaris – Linnaeus, 1758) sometidas a cesárea

OpenAIRE

Diogo José Cardilli; Patrícia Rotta Lopes; Gilson Hélio Toniollo; Valeska Rodrigues; João Ademir Oliveira

2009-01-01

Cortisol Measures Across the Weight Spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Schorr, Melanie; Lawson, Elizabeth A; Dichtel, Laura E; Klibanski, Anne; Miller, Karen K

2015-09-01

There are conflicting reports of increased vs decreased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activation in obesity; the most consistent finding is an inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) and morning cortisol. In anorexia nervosa (AN), a low-BMI state, cortisol measures are elevated. This study aimed to investigate cortisol measures across the weight spectrum. This was a cross-sectional study at a clinical research center. This study included 60 women, 18-45 years of age: overweight/obese (OB; N = 21); AN (N = 18); and normal-weight controls (HC; N = 21). HPA dynamics were assessed by urinary free cortisol, mean overnight serum cortisol obtained by pooled frequent sampling every 20 minutes from 2000-0800 h, 0800 h serum cortisol and cortisol-binding globulin, morning and late-night salivary cortisol, and dexamethasone-CRH testing. Body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Cortisol measures demonstrated a U-shaped relationship with BMI, nadiring in the overweight-class I obese range, and were similarly associated with visceral adipose tissue and total fat mass. Mean cortisol levels were higher in AN than OB. There were weak negative linear relationships between lean mass and some cortisol measures. Most cortisol measures were negatively associated with postero-anterior spine and total hip BMD. Cortisol measures are lowest in overweight-class I obese women-lower than in lean women. With more significant obesity, cortisol levels increase, although not to as high as in AN. Therefore, extreme underweight and overweight states may activate the HPA axis, and hypercortisolemia may contribute to increased adiposity in the setting of caloric excess. Hypercortisolemia may also contribute to decreased BMD and muscle wasting in the setting of both caloric restriction and excess.

Efecto Protector de Peumus Boldus en ratas con toxicidad hepática inducida por Paracetamol

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Christiam Ochoa

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Comprobar el efecto protector hepático del extracto acuoso de boldo (EAB (Peumus boldus al daño hepático inducido por acetaminofén (paracetamol. Diseño: Analítico, experimental, aleatorizado, completo ¿ experimento verdadero. Realizado en el Instituto de Patología de la Facultad de Medicina de UNMSM. Material y método. 30 Ratas Holtzman macho de 250g y dos meses se dividieron en 5 grupos aleatoriamente, grupo blanco, control paracetamol 200mg/kg y 3 experimentales tratados con EAB a 80 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg y 160 mg/kg respectivamente. Se administró EAB de 80 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg y 160 mg/kg vía orogástrica. Luego de media hora se administró paracetamol 200mg/kg i.p. a los grupos control y experimentales. Este procedimiento se repitió por 5 días. Se tomó pruebas de transaminasas (TGP basal y final en sangre. Se utilizó la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis para analizar la data y un p<0.05 fue considerado significante. Se estudió la anatomopatología de los hígados y se tomaron muestras de tejido teñidas con HE. Resultados: Existe diferencia significativa en los niveles de transaminasas (TGP entre grupos (p<0.05. El control obtuvo 196.6 U/L +- 38.1 (TGP mientras que los experimentales como máximo 55.6 U/l. Las muestras control evidencian signos de lesión hepática, degeneración grasa, congestión sinusoidal y centrolobulillar, y necrosis celular. Sin embargo los grupos experimentales no presentan signos de lesión celular y hay ausencia de inflamación. Conclusiones: El boldo tiene un efecto protector hepático al daño inducido por paracetamol en ratas Holtzmann.

SISTEMA DE ALERTA TEMPRANA POR MOVIMIENTOS EN MASA INDUCIDOS POR LLUVIA PARA EL VALLE DE ABURRÁ, COLOMBIA SISTEMA DE ALERTA ADIANTADA POR MOVIMENTOS EM MASSA INDUZIDOS POR CHUVA PARA O VALE DE ABURRÁ, NA COLÔMBIA EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR RAINFALL-INDUCED LANDSLIDES IN THE ABURRÁ VALLEY, COLOMBIA

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Edier Aristizábal

2010-07-01

Full Text Available En el valle de Aburrá las complejas condiciones físicas del territorio, sumadas a los altos índices de vulnerabilidad, han propiciado escenarios con un alto potencial de pérdidas humanas y económicas ante la ocurrencia de fenómenos de origen natural tales como movimientos en masa, los cuales representan el 35 % de los eventos que ocurren en el valle y el 77 % de las víctimas mortales. Debido a esta grave problemática, desde el año 2008 se ha venido utilizando un sistema de alerta temprana por movimientos en masa inducidos por lluvia soportado en umbrales de lluvia empíricos. Estos sistemas proporcionan un rápido medio para monitorear y comunicar información sobre amenazas a una comunidad vulnerable, por lo que se usan para proteger vidas, señalando con anterioridad la posibilidad de un evento, lo que proporciona tiempo para tomar acciones que pueden reducir las condiciones de riesgo. Este artículo describe la definición y ajuste del modelo, al igual que presenta los resultados de la validación de los umbrales para el periodo 2004-2008. Los resultados encontrados indican que, aunque el modelo ajustado predice la ocurrencia de un alto porcentaje de eventos para la ciudad de Medellín, existe aún un gran número de eventos que se presentan en condiciones normales, lo cual indica que se requiere la definición de umbrales que se ajusten a las condiciones locales del valle y reduzcan los niveles de incertidumbre propios de un modelo estocástico.No vale de Aburrá as complexas condições físicas do território, somadas aos altos índices de vulnerabilidade, propiciaram cenários com um alto potencial de perdas humanas e econômicas ante a ocorrência de fenômenos de origem natural tais como movimentos em massa, os quais representam 35 % dos eventos que ocorrem no vale e 77 % das vítimas fatais. Devido a esta grave problemática, desde o ano 2008 se vem utilizando um sistema de alerta adiantada por movimentos em massa induzidos

Relationship between the cortisol awakening response and other features of the diurnal cortisol rhythm: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Golden, Sherita Hill; Sánchez, Brisa N; Wu, Meihua; Champaneri, Shivam; Diez Roux, Ana V; Seeman, Teresa; Wand, Gary S

2013-11-01

Cumulative cortisol burden is known to influence neuropsychiatric and metabolic disorders. To better understand the relationship between daily cortisol exposure and measures of the diurnal circadian cortisol rhythm, we examined the cross-sectional association of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) with wake-up cortisol, bedtime cortisol, diurnal slope, and total cortisol area under the curve (AUC). Up to 18 salivary cortisol samples were collected over 3 days from 935 White, Hispanic, and Black individuals (mean age 65 ± 9.8 years) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Outcome measures included awakening cortisol, CAR (awakening to 30 min post-awakening), early decline (30 min to 2h post-awakening), late decline (2h post-awakening to bedtime), and the corresponding AUCs. Total cortisol AUC was a summary measure of cumulative cortisol exposure. Higher CAR was associated with significantly lower wake-up cortisol (β=-0.56; 95% CI: -0.59 to -0.53) and a higher early decline AUC (β=0.38; 95% CI: 0.34-0.42) but was not associated with total cortisol AUC (β=0.04; 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.09), or other diurnal cortisol curve components following multivariable adjustment. Total cortisol AUC was significantly and positively associated with wake-up cortisol (β=0.36; 95% CI: 0.32-0.40), bedtime cortisol (β=0.61; 95% CI: 0.58-0.64), and other AUC measures, following multivariable adjustment. Associations were similar by sex, race/ethnicity, and age categories. We conclude that bedtime cortisol showed the strongest correlation with total cortisol AUC, suggesting it may be a marker of daily cortisol exposure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between the cortisol awakening response and other features of the diurnal cortisol rhythm: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

OpenAIRE

Golden, Sherita Hill; Sánchez, Brisa N.; Wu, Meihua; Champaneri, Shivam; Diez Roux, Ana V.; Seeman, Teresa; Wand, Gary S.

2013-01-01

Cumulative cortisol burden is known to influence neuropsychiatric and metabolic disorders. To better understand the relationship between daily cortisol exposure and measures of the diurnal circadian cortisol rhythm, we examined the cross-sectional association of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) with wake-up cortisol, bedtime cortisol, diurnal slope, and total cortisol area under the curve (AUC). Up to 18 salivary cortisol samples were collected over 3 days from 935 White, Hispanic, and B...

Reduced Cortisol Metabolism during Critical Illness

Science.gov (United States)

Boonen, Eva; Vervenne, Hilke; Meersseman, Philippe; Andrew, Ruth; Mortier, Leen; Declercq, Peter E.; Vanwijngaerden, Yoo-Mee; Spriet, Isabel; Wouters, Pieter J.; Perre, Sarah Vander; Langouche, Lies; Vanhorebeek, Ilse; Walker, Brian R.; Van den Berghe, Greet

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Critical illness is often accompanied by hypercortisolemia, which has been attributed to stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. However, low corticotropin levels have also been reported in critically ill patients, which may be due to reduced cortisol metabolism. METHODS In a total of 158 patients in the intensive care unit and 64 matched controls, we tested five aspects of cortisol metabolism: daily levels of corticotropin and cortisol; plasma cortisol clearance, metabolism, and production during infusion of deuterium-labeled steroid hormones as tracers; plasma clearance of 100 mg of hydrocortisone; levels of urinary cortisol metabolites; and levels of messenger RNA and protein in liver and adipose tissue, to assess major cortisol-metabolizing enzymes. RESULTS Total and free circulating cortisol levels were consistently higher in the patients than in controls, whereas corticotropin levels were lower (PCortisol production was 83% higher in the patients (P=0.02). There was a reduction of more than 50% in cortisol clearance during tracer infusion and after the administration of 100 mg of hydrocortisone in the patients (P≤0.03 for both comparisons). All these factors accounted for an increase by a factor of 3.5 in plasma cortisol levels in the patients, as compared with controls (Pcortisol clearance also correlated with a lower cortisol response to corticotropin stimulation. Reduced cortisol metabolism was associated with reduced inactivation of cortisol in the liver and kidney, as suggested by urinary steroid ratios, tracer kinetics, and assessment of liver-biopsy samples (P≤0.004 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS During critical illness, reduced cortisol breakdown, related to suppressed expression and activity of cortisol-metabolizing enzymes, contributed to hypercortisolemia and hence corticotropin suppression. The diagnostic and therapeutic implications for critically ill patients are unknown. (Funded by the Belgian

Extracto etanólico de Baccharis genistelloides (carqueja sobre el cáncer de colon inducido con 1,2-dimetilhidrazina en ratas

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Hugo Justil

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Introducción: Se tiene conocimiento que el extracto etanólico de las hojas de Baccharis genistelloides puede reducir la aparición del cáncer gástrico y es marcador de estrés oxidativo. Objetivos: Determinar la eficacia quimioprotectora del extracto etanólico de las hojas de Baccharis genistelloides (EEBG en el cáncer de colon inducido por 1,2 - dimetilhidracina (DMH en ratas machos. Diseño: Experimental. Institución: Laboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, UNMSM, Lima, Perú. Material biológico: Carqueja recolectada en Huancayo, Junín, y ratas machos de 145 + 15 g. Intervenciones: Se indujo tumores intestinales con inyección subcutánea semanal de DMH durante 22 semanas, a 20 mg/kg. Se formó seis grupos: Grupo 1 suero fisiológico; Grupo 2 100 mg/kg EEBG; Grupo 3 DMH; Grupo 4 DMH más 100 mg/kg de EEBG; Grupo 5 DMH más 250 mg/kg de EEBG; y, Grupo 6 DMH más 500 mg/kg de EEBG. Finalmente, se extrajo muestra de sangre para determinar el nivel de malondialdehido y óxido nítrico. Principales medidas de resultados: Quimioprotección. Resultados: El estudio histopatológico mostró quimioprotección de los grupos que recibieron tratamiento con EEBG frente al grupo que no recibió tratamiento, presentando mejor quimioprotección a dosis de 500 mg/kg, donde el cáncer fue pobremente diferenciado, presentando adenomas, frente a adenocarcinoma in situ y adenocarcinoma a dosis de 250 mg/kg y 100 mg/kg; el potencial de oxidación de lipoproteínas fue reducido en los grupos que recibieron tratamiento con EEBG frente a los no tratados, mostrando mayor efecto la dosis de 500 mg/kg; los niveles de óxido nítrico también mostraron una mayor disminución a la dosis de 500 mg/kg. Conclusiones: En ratas, el extracto etanólico de Baccharis genistelloides tiene efecto quimioprotector sobre el cáncer de colon inducido con 1,2-dimetilhidracina.

Disfunción tiroidea inducida por amiodarona en la práctica clínica

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José Luis Paz-Ibarra

2011-01-01

Full Text Available La amiodarona (AMD es una droga antiarrítmica potente (clase III usada en la práctica clínica para la profilaxis y el tratamiento de muchos disturbios del ritmo cardiaco, desde la fibrilación auricular paroxística hasta las taquiarritmias ventriculares que amenazan la vida. Frecuentemente causa cambios en las pruebas de función tiroidea principalmente relacionados a la inhibición de la actividad de la 5'-deiodinasa, resultando en una disminución de la generación de T3 desde T4 y el consecuente incremento en la producción de T3 reversa y una disminución de su aclaramiento. En 14 a 18% de pacientes tratados con AMD hay una disfunción tiroidea manifiesta, ya sea tirotoxicosis inducida por amiodarona (TIA o hipotiroidismo inducido por amiodarona (HIA. Tanto TIA como HIA pueden desarrollarse en glándulas aparentemente normales o en glándulas con anormalidades preexistentes clínicamente silentes. La TIA está primariamente relacionada a la síntesis de hormonas tiroideas inducida por el exceso de yodo en una glándula tiroidea anormal (TIA tipo 1 o a una tiroiditis destructiva relacionada a la amiodarona (TIA tipo 2, aunque frecuentemente ocurren formas mixtas. La tiroiditis de Hashimoto preexistente es un factor de riesgo definido para la ocurrencia de HIA. La patogenia del HIA es la falla para escapar del efecto agudo de Wolff-Chaikoff inducido por el yodo, debido a los defectos en la hormonogénesis tiroidea y, en pacientes con pruebas de autoanticuerpos tiroideos positivos, para tiroiditis de Hashimoto concomitante. La TIA es más común en zonas deficientes de yodo mientras que el HIA es usualmente visto en zonas suficientes en yodo. En contraste al HIA, la TIA es una condición difícil de diagnosticar y tratar, y usualmente se recomienda la descontinuación de la amiodarona. En esta revisión se analiza, de acuerdo a los datos actuales, las alteraciones en las pruebas de función tiroidea vistas en pacientes eutirodeos bajo

Plasma cortisol radioimmunoassay with 125I-cortisol and polyethylene glycol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishi, Keiko; Ogihara, Toshio; Miyai, Kiyoshi; Kumahara, Yuichi; Ishibashi, Kaichiro.

1976-01-01

A new, convenient, and less time-consuming plasma cortisol radioimmunoassay was set up. An antibody raised to cortisol-21-hemisuccinate-BSA was used at a 1: 6400 dilution. Because of its relatively high specificity, direct assay was possible. The main points of improvement were as follows, 125 I-cortisol was used as the labelled compound, B-F separation was done with polyethylene glycol, the effect of endogeneous corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) was avoided by the use of 0.6% glutamate buffer pH 3.3 treatment. It was found that by the omission of heat treatment it was possible to avoid this CBG effect. The minimum detectable concentration was 0.1 mg/tube, and the assay range was 1 to 80 μg/dl plasma when a 10 μl sample was used. Precision and accuracy were satisfactory. Coefficient of variance for intraassay and interassay were 6.0% at 12.1 μg/dl, 3.8% at 36.6 μg/dl and 7.5% at 10.2 μg/dl, 6.7% at 41.8 μg/dl respectively. Data obtained by this method, by Murphy's CPBA method, and by other commercial RIA methods were quite comparable. The mean value of serum cortisol (8:30 - 11:30) in normal subjects was 7.7 +- 3.4 μg/dl (m +- S.D., n=102). Mean value of serum cortisol was decreased slightly but significantly with age. (auth.)

Associations between circadian and stress response cortisol in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Sterre S H; Cillessen, Antonius H N; de Weerth, Carolina

2017-01-01

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning is characterized by the baseline production of cortisol following a circadian rhythm, as well as by the superimposed production of cortisol in response to a stressor. However, it is relatively unknown whether the basal cortisol circadian rhythm is associated with the cortisol stress response in children. Since alterations in cortisol stress responses have been associated with mental and physical health, this study investigated whether the cortisol circadian rhythm is associated with cortisol stress responses in 6-year-old children. To this end, 149 normally developing children (M age  = 6.09 years; 70 girls) participated in an innovative social evaluative stress test that effectively provoked increases in cortisol. To determine the cortisol stress response, six cortisol saliva samples were collected and two cortisol stress response indices were calculated: total stress cortisol and cortisol stress reactivity. To determine children's cortisol circadian rhythm eight cortisol circadian samples were collected during two days. Total diurnal cortisol and diurnal cortisol decline scores were calculated as indices of the cortisol circadian rhythm. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that higher total diurnal cortisol as well as a smaller diurnal cortisol decline, were both uniquely associated with higher total stress cortisol. No associations were found between the cortisol circadian rhythm indices and cortisol stress reactivity. Possible explanations for the patterns found are links with children's self-regulatory capacities and parenting quality.

Circulating cortisol levels after exogenous cortisol administration are higher in women using hormonal contraceptives: data from two preliminary studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaffey, Allison E; Wirth, Michelle M; Hoks, Roxanne M; Jahn, Allison L; Abercrombie, Heather C

2014-07-01

Exogenous cortisol administration has been used to test the influence of glucocorticoids on a variety of outcomes, including memory and affect. Careful control of factors known to influence cortisol and other endogenous hormone levels is central to the success of this research. While the use of hormonal birth control (HBC) is known to exert many physiological effects, including decreasing the salivary cortisol response to stress, it is unknown how HBC influences circulating cortisol levels after exogenous cortisol administration. To determine those effects, we examined the role of HBC on participants' cortisol levels after receiving synthetic cortisol (hydrocortisone) in two separate studies. In Study 1, 24 healthy women taking HBC and 26 healthy men were administered a 0.1 mg/kg body weight intravenous dose of hydrocortisone, and plasma cortisol levels were measured over 3 h. In Study 2, 61 participants (34 women; 16 were on HBC) received a 15 mg hydrocortisone pill, and salivary cortisol levels were measured over 6 h. Taken together, results from these studies suggest that HBC use is associated with a greater cortisol increase following cortisol administration. These data have important methodological implications: (1) when given a controlled dose of hydrocortisone, cortisol levels may increase more dramatically in women taking HBC versus women not on HBC or men; and (2) in studies manipulating cortisol levels, women on hormonal contraceptives should be investigated as a separate group.

Hair cortisol levels as a retrospective marker of hypothalamic-pituitary axis activity throughout pregnancy: Comparison to salivary cortisol

OpenAIRE

D’Anna-Hernandez, Kimberly L.; Ross, Randal G.; Natvig, Crystal L.; Laudenslager, Mark L.

2011-01-01

Maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with negative maternal/child outcomes. One potential biomarker of the maternal stress response is cortisol, a product of activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This study evaluated cortisol levels in hair throughout pregnancy as a marker of total cortisol release. Cortisol levels in hair have been shown to be easily quantifiable and may be representative of total cortisol release more than single saliva or serum measures. Hair corti...

Resetting the Abnormal Circadian Cortisol Rhythm in Adrenal Incidentaloma Patients With Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Debono, Miguel; Harrison, Robert F; Chadarevian, Rita; Gueroult, Carole; Abitbol, Jean-Louis; Newell-Price, John

2017-09-01

Adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) are found commonly on axial imaging. Around 30% exhibit autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) associated with increased cardiovascular events and death. We hypothesized that AI/ACS patients have an abnormal cortisol rhythm that could be reversed by use of carefully timed short-acting cortisol synthesis blockade, with improvement in cardiovascular disease markers. In a phase 1/2a, prospective study (Eudract no. 2012-002586-35), we recruited six patients with AI/ACS and two control groups of six sex-, age-, and body mass index-matched individuals: (1) patients with AI and no ACS (AI/NoACS) and (2) healthy volunteers with no AI [healthy controls (HC)]. Twenty-four-hour circadian cortisol analysis was performed to determine any differences between groups and timing of intervention for cortisol lowering using the 11β-hydroxylase inhibitor metyrapone. Circadian profiles of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assessed. Serum cortisol levels in group AI/ACS were significantly higher than both group AI/NoACS and group HC from 6 pm to 10 pm [area under the curve (AUC) difference: 0.81 nmol/L/h; P = 0.01] and from 10 pm to 2 am (AUC difference: 0.86 nmol/L/h; P cortisol rhythms were reassessed. Postintervention evening serum cortisol was lowered, similar to controls [6 pm to 10 pm (AUC difference: -0.06 nmol/L/h; P = 0.85); 10 pm to 2 am (AUC difference: 0.10 nmol/L/h; P = 0.76)]. Salivary cortisone showed analogous changes. IL-6 levels were elevated before treatment [10 pm to 2 pm (AUC difference: 0.42 pg/mL/h; P = 0.01)] and normalized post treatment. In AI/ACS, the evening and nocturnal cortisol exposure is increased. Use of timed evening doses of metyrapone resets the cortisol rhythm to normal. This unique treatment paradigm is associated with a reduction in the cardiovascular risk marker IL-6. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Efecto de la cerveza frente al estrés oxidativo inducido por la adriamicina.

OpenAIRE

Torres Rodríguez, Mª Carmen

2007-01-01

RESUMEN La cerveza es una bebida alcohólica de baja graduación resultante de fermentar mediante levadura seleccionada el mosto procedente de malta de cebada, sólo o mezclado con otros productos amiláceos transformables en azúcares por digestión enzimática, cocción y aromatizado con flores de lúpulo. Los constituyentes de la cerveza provienen de sus cuatro principales materias primas, malta, lùpulo, agua y levadura. El principal componente de la cerveza es el agua, que se acompaña de otros ...

Hair cortisol detection in dairy cattle by using EIA: protocol validation and correlation with faecal cortisol metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

Tallo-Parra, O; Manteca, X; Sabes-Alsina, M; Carbajal, A; Lopez-Bejar, M

2015-06-01

Hair may be a useful matrix to detect cumulative cortisol concentrations in studies of animal welfare and chronic stress. The aim of this study was to validate a protocol for cortisol detection in hair from dairy cattle by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Seventeen adult Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were used during the milking period. Hair cortisol concentration was assessed in 25-day-old hair samples taken from the frontal region of the head, analysing black and white coloured hair separately. Concentrations of cortisol metabolites were determined in faeces collected twice a week during the same period of time. There was a high correlation between cortisol values in faeces and cortisol in white colour hair samples but such correlation was not significant with the black colour hair samples. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 4.9% and 10.6%, respectively. The linearity showed R 2=0.98 and mean percentage error of -10.8 ± 1.55%. The extraction efficiency was 89.0 ± 23.52% and the parallelism test showed similar slopes. Cortisol detection in hair by using EIA seems to be a valid method to represent long-term circulating cortisol levels in dairy cattle.

The role of anxiety in cortisol stress response and cortisol recovery in boys with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoorl, Jantiene; Rijn, Sophie van; Wied, Minet de; van Goozen, Stephanie; Swaab, Hanna

2016-11-01

Children with antisocial and aggressive behaviors have been found to show abnormal neurobiological responses to stress, specifically impaired cortisol stress reactivity. The role of individual characteristics, such as comorbid anxiety, in the stress response is far less studied. Furthermore, this study extended previous studies in that not only baseline and reactivity to a psychosocial stressor were examined, but also recovery from a stressor. These three phases of cortisol could be impacted differentially in boys with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) with (+ANX) and without anxiety (-ANX). The results revealed that cortisol patterns in response to psychosocial stress were different for boys with ODD/CD+ANX (n=32), ODD/CD-ANX (n=22) and non-clinical controls (NC) (n=34), with age range of 7.8-12.9 years. The ODD/CD-ANX group showed lower overall cortisol levels than the NC group. When considering the three phases of cortisol separately, the ODD/CD-ANX group had lower baseline cortisol levels relative to the other groups, whereas the ODD/CD+ANX showed an impaired cortisol recovery response. Within those with ODD/CD, callous-unemotional traits were predictive of high baseline cortisol levels. Also, anxiety predicted high baseline and recovery cortisol levels, whereas a high number of CD symptoms predicted reduced cortisol stress reactivity. These results clearly indicate that comorbid anxiety is an important factor in explaining differences in stress response profiles in boys with ODD/CD; although boys with CD/ODD are generally characterized by an impaired cortisol stress response, we found that those with comorbid anxiety showed impaired cortisol recovery, whereas those without anxiety showed reduced baseline cortisol levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cortisol in human milk predicts child BMI.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn-Holbrook, Jennifer; Le, Tran Bao; Chung, Anna; Davis, Elysia Poggi; Glynn, Laura M

2016-12-01

Breastfeeding has been linked to lower rates of childhood obesity. Human milk contains cortisol, known to regulate glucose storage and metabolism. The aim of this study was to to test the hypothesis that early exposure to cortisol in human breast milk helps to modulate infant body mass index (BMI) trajectories over the first 2 years of life. Growth curve modeling was used to examine whether infant exposure to cortisol in human milk at 3 months predicted changes in child body mass index percentile (BMIP) at 6, 12, and 24 months of age in 51 breastfeeding mother-child pairs. Infants exposed to higher milk cortisol levels at 3 months were less likely to exhibit BMIP gains over the first 2 years of life, compared with infants exposed to lower milk cortisol. By age 2, infants exposed to higher milk cortisol levels had lower BMIPs than infants exposed to lower milk cortisol. Milk cortisol was a stronger predictor of BMIP change in girls than boys. Cortisol exposure through human milk may help to program metabolic functioning and childhood obesity risk. Further, because infant formula contains only trace amounts of glucocorticoids, these findings suggest that cortisol in milk is a novel biological pathway through which breastfeeding may protect against later obesity. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

The relationship between the menstrual cycle and cortisol secretion: Daily and stress-invoked cortisol patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Montero-López, Eva; Santos-Ruiz, Ana; García-Ríos, M Carmen; Rodríguez-Blázquez, Manuel; Rogers, Heather L; Peralta-Ramírez, María Isabel

2018-03-29

The menstrual cycle involves significant changes in hormone levels, causing physical and psychological changes in women that are further influenced by stress. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between menstrual cycle phase and salivary cortisol patterns during the day as well as the salivary cortisol response to the Virtual Reality Version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR). Forty two women not taking oral contraceptives (24 in follicular phase and 18 in luteal phase) participated in the study. Five samples of salivary cortisol collected during the day and another five samples of cortisol during the TSST-VR were analyzed. Psychological stress measures and psychopathological symptomatology were also evaluated. A 2 × 4 mixed ANCOVA showed an interaction between the two groups on the TSST-RV invoked cortisol response to the [F(3,42) = 3.681; p = 0.023) where women in luteal phase showed higher cortisol post exposure levels (5.96 ± 3.76 nmol/L) than women in follicular phase (4.31 ± 2.23 nmol/L). No other significant differences were found. Our findings provide evidence that menstrual cycle phase tended to influence cortisol response to laboratory-induced mental stress, with more reactivity observed in the luteal phase. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress, cortisol, and obesity: a role for cortisol responsiveness in identifying individuals prone to obesity.

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Hewagalamulage, S D; Lee, T K; Clarke, I J; Henry, B A

2016-07-01

There is a strong inter-relationship between activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and energy homeostasis. Patients with abdominal obesity have elevated cortisol levels. Furthermore, stress and glucocorticoids act to control both food intake and energy expenditure. In particular, glucocorticoids are known to increase the consumption of foods enriched in fat and sugar. It is well-known that, in all species, the cortisol response to stress or adrenocorticotropin is highly variable. It has now emerged that cortisol responsiveness is an important determinant in the metabolic sequelae to stress. Sheep that are characterized as high-cortisol responders (HRs) have greater propensity to weight gain and obesity than low-cortisol responders (LRs). This difference in susceptibility to become obese is associated with a distinct metabolic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral phenotype. In women and ewes, HR individuals eat more in response to stress than LR. Furthermore, HR sheep have impaired melanocortin signaling and reduced skeletal muscle thermogenesis. High-cortisol responder sheep exhibit reactive coping strategies, whereas LRs exhibit proactive coping strategies. This complex set of traits leads to increased food intake and reduced energy expenditure in HR and thus, predisposition to obesity. We predict that cortisol responsiveness may be used as a marker to identify individuals who are at risk of weight gain and subsequent obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Serum cortisol level variations in thyroid diseases].

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Seck-Gassama; Ndoye, O; Mbodj, M; Akala, A; Cisse, F; Niang, M; Ndoye, R

2000-01-01

This work studies the thyroid disorders impact on adrenals glands by measuring total cortisol. Radioimmunoassays of thyroid hormones and cortisol were performed in 108 subjects, aged 20-52 years, with thyroid diseases. Our results show low cortisol values (80.35 nmol/L) in 4.77% of hyperthyroids, high values in 3.57% of hyperthyroids (1348.18 nmol/L) and 12.5% of hypothyroids (969.05 nmol/L). In hyperthyroidism, thyroid hormone stimulates the secretion of 11 ceto metabolites biologically inactive, unable to slow pituitary activity, inducing an increased production of endogene cortisol. Excessive catabolism can lead to the exhausting of overstimulated adrenal glands, and therefore to a decreased cortisol. In hypothyroidism, high cortisol results of increase cortisol half life and decrease of metabolic clearance. Control mechanisms often allow normal cortisol values. These alterations in functional activity of adrenal glands, seen in nearly 10% of these subjects, sometimes command a specific attitude in diagnosis and therapy.

The relationship between 63 days of 24-h urinary free cortisol and hair cortisol levels in 10 healthy individuals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ockenburg, S. L.; Schenk, H. M.; van der Veen, A.; van Rossum, E. F. C.; Kema, I. P.; Rosmalen, J. G. M.

Background: Interest in measuring cortisol in scalp hair is increasing because of its assumed ability to provide a historical timeline of previous systemic levels of cortisol. Yet, it remains uncertain how well hair cortisol represents the total systemic secretion of cortisol over time. Methods: Ten

Aborto provocado: o discurso das mulheres sobre suas relações familiares

OpenAIRE

Zannety Conceição Silva do Nascimento Souza; Normélia Maria Freire Diniz

2011-01-01

El aborto inducido y la violencia doméstica contra las mujeres se consideran problemas de salud pública por las consecuencias a la salud física y mental que afectan a las mismas. El objetivo fue analizar el discurso de las mujeres que han experimentado el aborto en sus relaciones familiares. Los sujetos del estudio fueron diecisiete mujeres ingresadas en una maternidad pública en Salvador, Bahia (Brasil), por causa del aborto inducido. La recolección de datos se realizó entre julio y septiemb...

Síndrome do coração partido (Síndrome de Takotsubo induzida por ecocardiograma de estresse com dobutamina Síndrome del corazón roto (síndrome de Tako-Tsubo inducido por ecocardiograma de esfuerzo con dobutamina Dobutamine stress echocardiography-induced broken heart syndrome (Takotsubo Syndrome

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Francisco Juarez Cruz de Vasconcelos Filho

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Relatamos um caso de síndrome de Takotsubo induzida por ecocardiograma de estresse com dobutamina em uma paciente de 76 anos, hipertensa com queixas clínicas de dor precordial, em consulta cardiológica eletiva. Para exclusão de dor torácica de etiologia coronariana foi solicitado ecocardiograma de estresse com dobutamina. O exame foi realizado e, no pico do esforço máximo, o ecocardiograma mostrou acinesia apical com o eletrocardiograma mostrando supradesnivelamento do segmento ST em D1, AVL e V2. A paciente foi internada e submetida a coronariografia, que mostrou coronárias normais e VE com balonamento apical. A paciente evoluiu estável com reversão do quadro 21 dias após o quadro inicial.Relatamos un caso de síndrome de Tako-Tsubo inducido por ecocardiograma de esfuerzo con dobutamina en una paciente de 76 años, hipertensa con quejas clínicas de dolor precordial, en consulta cardiológica electiva. Para exclusión de dolor torácico de etiología coronaria se solicitó ecocardiograma de esfuerzo con dobutamina. El examen fue realizado, y en el pico de esfuerzo máximo, el ecocardiograma mostró acinesia apical con el electrocardiograma mostrando supradesnivel del segmento ST en D1, AVL y V2. La paciente fue internada y sometida a coronariografía, que mostró coronarias normales y VI con abombamiento apical. La paciente evolucionó estable con reversión del cuadro 21 días después del cuadro inicial.We report a case of dobutamine stress echocardiography-induced Takotsubo syndrome in a 76-year-old hypertensive patient with clinical complaints of chest pain in an elective visit to the cardiologist. Dobutamine-stress-echocardiography was requested to rule out chest pain of coronary origin. During the test, at peak exercise, echocardiogram showed apical akinesia and electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in D1, AVL, and V2. The patient was hospitalized and underwent coronary angiography, which showed normal coronary arteries

Does cortisol influence core executive functions? A meta-analysis of acute cortisol administration effects on working memory, inhibition, and set-shifting.

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Shields, Grant S; Bonner, Joseph C; Moons, Wesley G

2015-08-01

The hormone cortisol is often believed to play a pivotal role in the effects of stress on human cognition. This meta-analysis is an attempt to determine the effects of acute cortisol administration on core executive functions. Drawing on both rodent and stress literatures, we hypothesized that acute cortisol administration would impair working memory and set-shifting but enhance inhibition. Additionally, because cortisol is thought to exert different nongenomic (rapid) and genomic (slow) effects, we further hypothesized that the effects of cortisol would differ as a function of the delay between cortisol administration and cognitive testing. Although the overall analyses were nonsignificant, after separating the rapid, nongenomic effects of cortisol from the slower, genomic effects of cortisol, the rapid effects of cortisol enhanced response inhibition, g+ = 0.113, p=.016, but impaired working memory, g+ = -0.315, p=.008, although these effects reversed over time. Contrary to our hypotheses, there was no effect of cortisol administration on set-shifting. Thus, although we did not find support for the idea that increases in cortisol influence set-shifting, we found that acute increases in cortisol exert differential effects on working memory and inhibition over time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estudio sobre tumores melanóticos del jámster sirio. II. Efecto de la edad del jámster dorado (Mesocricetus auratus sobre la inducción de tumores melanóticos por el 9,10 dimetilbenzantraceno

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José Perea Sasiaín

1966-10-01

Full Text Available En medicina humana es bien conocida la influencia de la edad sobre la frecuencia del melanoma maligno: este tumor es muy infrecuente, si no excepcional, antes de la pubertad. Los pocos casos documentados de transmisión transplacentaria de tumores, han sido en su mayoría melanomas, lo cual prueba que el infante es susceptible al crecimiento de trasplantes de este tumor, proveniente de la madre. En el jamster dorado se han inducido tumores melanóticos mediante una sola aplicación de 9,10 dimetilbenzantraceno (D MBA. Estos tumores no son considerados malignos por su aspecto histológico, no dar metástasis, ni producir la muerte del animal, ni ser transplantables   regularmente a huéspedes homólogos. Son, sin embargo, de grande importancia para el estudio de la inducción de la melanogénesis. El presente estudio fue realizado "con el fin de establecer la influencia que la edad pudiera tener sobre la cantidad de tumores inducidos por el DMBA. Se consideró en particular que el jámster dorado no alcanza su madurez sexual hasta después del mes (45-60 días, descontando casos excepcionales como el observado a los 28 días.

Measurements and signification of unbound cortisol in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heyns, W.; Coolens, J.L.; Van Baelen, H.; De Moor, P.

1984-01-01

It is generally accepted that transcortin-bound cortisol in plasma has no direct hormonal activity. For that reason unbound cortisol, rather than total cortisol will reflect hormonal impregnation. In this communication we present a method to calculate unbound cortisol from total cortisol and from the concentration of transcortin based on the binding equilibrium. The results of this technique correlate very well with those obtained by centrifugal ultrafiltration at 37 0 C (R=0.988, y=0.986+0.862xX; n=20) showing the validity of this technique. The diurnal variation of transcortin and of total or unbound cortisol was studied in normal adult volunteers. No diurnal variation was observed for transcortin and the concentration of this protein was identical in normal men [38.3+-3.1(SD)mg/l, n=17] and women (38.9+-4.6 mg/l; n=5) but markedly higher (89.9+-14.6 mg/l, n=9) in estrogen-treated women. As expected both total and unbound cortisol showed marked diurnal variation with relatively high levels at 8 AM (total cortisol 23.5+-2.7 μg% in men and 25.8+-6.1 μg% in women); unbound cortisol 2.3+-0.5 μg% in men; 3.0+-1.6 μg% in women) and low levels at 10 PM (total cortisol 4.9+-3.3 μg% in men, 5.7+-2.8 μg% in women; unbound cortisol 0.2+-0.1 μg% in men; 0.3+-0.1μg% in women). In estrogen-treated women the levels of total cortisol were about twice as high at all timepoints, but the unbound cortisol concentrations were similar. These results indicate that the unbound cortisol is not affected by the changed concentration of transcortin. In patients with Cushing's disease, on the other hand, the unbound cortisol is relatively more elevated than the total cortisol due to a high degree of saturation of this protein, which is often present at relatively low concentrations [fr

Adaptive and maladaptive cortisol responses to pediatric obesity.

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Soros, Arlette; Zadik, Zvi; Chalew, Stuart

2008-09-01

The recent unprecedented increase of childhood obesity has led to an alarming rise in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) among these children. The process underlying the progression from simple obesity to T2D is not well understood. Cortisol is a candidate factor in the pathogenesis of T2D, as it can exacerbate insulin resistance and provoke other disturbances of the metabolic syndrome. The 24-h integrated concentration (IC) of cortisol is suppressed in non-diabetic obese children compared to lean children. This difference in IC-cortisol is not due to changes in cortisol binding globulin or plasma cortisol to cortisone ratio between groups. In obese individuals, IC-cortisol suppression disappears with age after adolescence, which corresponds with increasing occurrence of T2D and other metabolic disorders of obesity. We consider the IC-cortisol levels of lean insulin sensitive children to be metabolically inappropriate for obese insulin resistant children. Thus, we hypothesize that suppression of IC-cortisol is an important adaptive response to obesity (cortisol adaptive suppression) in childhood that prevents pediatric T2D while failure to suppress IC-cortisol (cortisol suppression failure) exacerbates insulin resistance and contributes to the development of T2D. In further support of this hypothesis is early pilot data suggesting that cortisol suppression failure occurs in obese children with impaired fasting glucose levels. The mechanism(s) underlying cortisol adaptive suppression, how and why these mechanism(s) fail are unknown. Elucidation of these mechanisms may lead to interventions to prevent the development of T2D and its complications in obese individuals.

Use of sodium salicylate as a blocking agent for cortisol-binding-globulin in a radioimmunoassay for cortisol on unextracted plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kane, J W [Withington Hospital, Manchester (UK)

1979-07-01

This report describes investigations into the use of sodium salicylate as a cortisol-binding-globulin blocking agent and the subsequent development of a radioimmunoassay for cortisol on unextracted plasma. Cortisol antiserum was raised against a cortisol 3-0-(carboxy-methyl) oxime-bovine serum albumin conjugate. A /sup 125/I-labelled cortisol-tyrosine methyl ester conjugate was also prepared for use in the assay. The radioimmunoassay developed involved no pre-treatment or extraction of the samples before analysis and was extremely simple to perform. Comparison with another radioimmunoassay for cortisol and with the Mattingly fluorimetric assay gave good correlation.

Use of sodium salicylate as a blocking agent for cortisol-binding-globulin in a radioimmunoassay for cortisol on unextracted plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kane, J.W.

1979-01-01

This report describes investigations into the use of sodium salicylate as a cortisol-binding-globulin blocking agent and the subsequent development of a radioimmunoassay for cortisol on unextracted plasma. Cortisol antiserum was raised against a cortisol 3-0-(carboxy-methyl) oxime-bovine serum albumin conjugate. A 125 I-labelled cortisol-tyrosine methyl ester conjugate was also prepared for use in the assay. The radioimmunoassay developed involved no pre-treatment or extraction of the samples before analysis and was extremely simple to perform. Comparison with another radioimmunoassay for cortisol and with the Mattingly fluorimetric assay gave good correlation. (author)

El péptido ? A [25-35] y el hierro promueven apoptosis en linfocitos por un mecanismo de estrés oxidativo: contribución del H202,, caspasa 3, fn- kb, p53 y c-Jun

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Marlene Jiménez

2001-04-01

Full Text Available El depósito del beta-amiloide (βA en las placas neuríticas es
uno de los principales marcadores neuropatológicos de la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA. Estudios in vitro han demostrado que el fragmento βA25-35, el cual contiene la secuencia funcionalmente citotóxica del péptido amiloide, induce neurotoxicidad y muerte celular por apoptosis (1. A pesar de las intensas investigaciones, no se ha dado una descripción completa de la cascada de eventos moleculares que conducen a muerte inducida por βA25-35 en un modelo celular único. Por lo tanto, nuestro objetivo principal es evidenciar una cascada de eventos moleculares ordenados inducidos por el bA25-35 y el hierro en un modelo celular.

Efeitos agudos do treinamento concorrente sobre os níveis séricos de leptina e cortisol em adultos jovens sobrepesados

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Iara S. Cruz

2012-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar os efeitos imediatos do treinamento concorrente sobre a leptina e os níveis de cortisol em adultos jovens com sobrepeso. MÉTODOS: Este estudo utilizou uma metodologia quase-experimental. Foram 20 indivíduos voluntários de ambos os sexos, divididos em um grupo sobrepesado treinamento (GST n = 10 e um grupo sobrepesado controle (n = 10. A coleta de sangue foi realizada com os indivíduos em repouso após jejum de 12 horas. Os níveis de leptina e cortisol foram analisados por radioimunoensaio e ensaio por quimioluminescência chimiluminescence antes e imediatamente após o treinamento. ANOVA two way foi utilizada para análise estatística com nível de significância de p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Na análise da leptina sérica, observou-se diferença significativa intergrupos (GST x GSC nos momentos pré-intervenção (p = 0,02 e pós-intervenção (p = 0,01. Na análise intragrupos, não foram observadas alterações significativas. E na análise do cortisol sérico intergrupos (GST x GSC, foi observada uma diferença significativa nos momentos pré-intervenção (p = 0,01 e pós-intervenção (p = 0,01, porém, na análise intragrupos, não houve alterações significativas. CONCLUSÃO: Uma única sessão de treinamento concorrente não é suficiente para promover alterações agudas nos níveis de leptina e cortisol dos jovens adultos sobrepesados voluntários deste estudo.

Stress-related cortisol responsivity modulates prospective memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Glienke, K; Piefke, M

2017-12-01

It is known that there is inter-individual variation in behavioural and physiological stress reactions to the same stressor. The present study aimed to examine the impact of cortisol responsivity on performance in a complex real life-like prospective memory (PM) paradigm by a re-analysis of data published previously, with a focus on the taxonomy of cognitive dimensions of PM. Twenty-one male subjects were stressed with the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) before the planning of intentions. Another group of 20 males underwent a control procedure. Salivary cortisol was measured to assess the intensity of the biological stress response. Additionally, participants rated the subjective experience of stress on a 5-point rating scale. Stressed participants were post-hoc differentiated in high (n = 11) and low cortisol responders (n = 10). Cortisol niveau differed significantly between the two groups, whereas subjective stress ratings did not. PM performance of low cortisol responders was stable across time and the PM performance of controls declined. High cortisol responders showed a nominally weaker PM retrieval across the early trails and significantly improved only on the last trial. The data demonstrate for the first time that participants with a low cortisol responsivity may benefit from stress exposure before the planning phase of PM. PM performance of high cortisol responders shows a more inconsistent pattern, which may be interpreted in the sense of a recency effect in PM retrieval. Alternatively, high cortisol responses may have a deteriorating effect on PM retrieval, which disappeared on the last trials of the task as a result of the decrease of cortisol levels across time. Importantly, the data also demonstrate that the intensity of cortisol responses does not necessarily correspond to the intensity of the mental experience of stress. © 2017 British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

Cortisol Test: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

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... page: https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/cortisoltest.html Cortisol Test To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. What is a Cortisol Test? Cortisol is a hormone that affects almost every ...

Padrão atípico de secreção de cortisol em profissionais de Enfermagem

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Siomara Tavares Fernandes Yamaguti

2015-12-01

Full Text Available RESUMO Objetivo Descrever a frequência de profissionais de enfermagem de unidades hospitalares com alteração no padrão diurno de secreção de cortisol. Método Foram incluídos 56 profissionais de enfermagem randomicamente selecionados, alocados nas unidades ambulatório, clínica médica, clínica cirúrgica, centro cirúrgico, pronto socorro infantil e adulto, unidade de terapia intensiva adulto e pediátrica de um hospital universitário. Para avaliação do padrão diurno de secreção de cortisol foram coletadas amostras de saliva em dois dias úteis consecutivos de trabalho. Resultados 42,5% dos profissionais de enfermagem apresentaram padrão atípico de secreção de cortisol. Além disso, quanto maior o tempo de trabalho na profissão, maior a concentração de cortisol (r=0,346; p=0,020. Conclusão Mais de um terço da amostra de profissionais de enfermagem apresentou padrões atípicos de secreção de cortisol, sugerindo que estes profissionais podem estar expostos a uma sobrecarga não apenas mental, mas biológica, estando expostos ao risco para o adoecimento por doenças relacionadas ao estresse.

Expensive egos: narcissistic males have higher cortisol.

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David A Reinhard

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, low empathy, and entitlement. There has been limited research regarding the hormonal correlates of narcissism, despite the potential health implications. This study examined the role of participant narcissism and sex on basal cortisol concentrations in an undergraduate population. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Participants were 106 undergraduate students (79 females, 27 males, mean age 20.1 years from one Midwestern and one Southwestern American university. Narcissism was assessed using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and basal cortisol concentrations were collected from saliva samples in a laboratory setting. Regression analyses examined the effect of narcissism and sex on cortisol (log. There were no sex differences in basal cortisol, F(1,97 = .20, p = .65, and narcissism scores, F(1,97 = .00, p = .99. Stepwise linear regression models of sex and narcissism and their interaction predicting cortisol concentrations showed no main effects when including covariates, but a significant interaction, β = .27, p = .04. Narcissism was not related to cortisol in females, but significantly predicted cortisol in males. Examining the effect of unhealthy versus healthy narcissism on cortisol found that unhealthy narcissism was marginally related to cortisol in females, β = .27, p = .06, but significantly predicted higher basal cortisol in males, β = .72, p = .01, even when controlling for potential confounds. No relationship was found between sex, narcissism, or their interaction on self-reported stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the HPA axis is chronically activated in males with unhealthy narcissism. This constant activation of the HPA axis may have important health implications.

Expensive Egos: Narcissistic Males Have Higher Cortisol

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Reinhard, David A.; Konrath, Sara H.; Lopez, William D.; Cameron, Heather G.

2012-01-01

Background Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, low empathy, and entitlement. There has been limited research regarding the hormonal correlates of narcissism, despite the potential health implications. This study examined the role of participant narcissism and sex on basal cortisol concentrations in an undergraduate population. Methods and Findings Participants were 106 undergraduate students (79 females, 27 males, mean age 20.1 years) from one Midwestern and one Southwestern American university. Narcissism was assessed using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and basal cortisol concentrations were collected from saliva samples in a laboratory setting. Regression analyses examined the effect of narcissism and sex on cortisol (log). There were no sex differences in basal cortisol, F(1,97) = .20, p = .65, and narcissism scores, F(1,97) = .00, p = .99. Stepwise linear regression models of sex and narcissism and their interaction predicting cortisol concentrations showed no main effects when including covariates, but a significant interaction, β = .27, p = .04. Narcissism was not related to cortisol in females, but significantly predicted cortisol in males. Examining the effect of unhealthy versus healthy narcissism on cortisol found that unhealthy narcissism was marginally related to cortisol in females, β = .27, p = .06, but significantly predicted higher basal cortisol in males, β = .72, p = .01, even when controlling for potential confounds. No relationship was found between sex, narcissism, or their interaction on self-reported stress. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the HPA axis is chronically activated in males with unhealthy narcissism. This constant activation of the HPA axis may have important health implications. PMID:22292062

Clinical applications of cortisol measurements in hair.

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Wester, Vincent L; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C

2015-10-01

Cortisol measurements in blood, saliva and urine are frequently used to examine the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in clinical practice and in research. However, cortisol levels are subject to variations due to acute stress, the diurnal rhythm and pulsatile secretion. Cortisol measurements in body fluids are not always a reflection of long-term cortisol exposure. The analysis of cortisol in scalp hair is a relatively novel method to measure cumulative cortisol exposure over months up to years. Over the past years, hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) have been examined in association with a large number of somatic and mental health conditions. HCC can be used to evaluate disturbances of the HPA axis, including Cushing's syndrome, and to evaluate hydrocortisone treatment. Using HCC, retrospective timelines of cortisol exposure can be created which can be of value in diagnosing cyclic hypercortisolism. HCC have also been shown to increase with psychological stressors, including major life events, as well as physical stressors, such as endurance exercise and shift work. Initial studies show that HCC may be increased in depression, but decreased in general anxiety disorder. In posttraumatic stress disorder, changes in HCC seem to be dependent on the type of traumatic experience and the time since traumatization. Increased hair cortisol is consistently linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Potentially, HCC could form a future marker for cardiovascular risk stratification, as well as serve as a treatment target. © 2015 European Society of Endocrinology.

Evaluation of a method to measure long term cortisol levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Manenschijn, Laura; Koper, Jan W; Lamberts, Steven W J; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C

2011-01-01

Elevated levels of cortisol are known to induce various symptoms and diseases, e.g. abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Measuring serum, saliva and urine cortisol is limited to one time point. Measurement of cortisol in scalp hair is a recently developed method to measure long term cortisol levels. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hair cortisol is a feasible parameter to measure cortisol exposure. We collected hair samples of 195 healthy individuals, 9 hypercortisolemic and one hypocortisolemic patient and measured hair cortisol levels. Cortisol was extracted from scalp hair using methanol and cortisol levels were measured using a salivary ELISA kit. Measurement of waist and hip circumferences and blood pressure was performed in 46 healthy subjects. We found a positive correlation between hair cortisol and both waist circumference (r=0.392, p=0.007) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (r=0.425, p=0.003). No correlations were found between hair cortisol levels and BMI, blood pressure or age. There was no decline in cortisol levels in six consecutive hair segments. Hair cortisol levels were elevated in patients with known hypercortisolism (pcortisol was positively correlated with WHR, suggesting that hair cortisol reflects cortisol exposure at tissue level, which was also supported by elevated hair cortisol levels in hypercortisolemic patients and concordance between hair cortisol levels and clinical disease course. Cortisol levels in hair are slightly influenced by hair treatment but not by natural hair colour, use of hair products, gender or age. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EVOLUCIÓN DEL COMPORTAMIENTO VISCOELÁSTICO DEL ASFALTO INDUCIDA BAJO TERMO-OXIDACIÓN IN SITU EN UN REO-REACTOR

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XIOMARA VARGAS

2008-01-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se presentan los resultados del proceso de termo-oxidación de asfalto realizados por primera vez en un reo-reactor. El comportamiento viscoelástico del asfalto pudo ser representado por una ley de potencia (G'(w - wn, G'' (w - w1. La variación del exponente 'n' reflejó los cambios estructurales del asfalto inducidos por el proceso de termo-oxidación. En el intervalo de frecuencia experimental y a 200 y 250°C, los módulos elástico G' y viscoso G'' mostraron una relación del tipo: G'' (w - wn y G' (w ~ wn, este comportamiento es equivalente a un 'gel-débil' y confirma los cambios estructurales del asfalto inducidos por el envejecimiento termo-oxidativo.

Maternal Cortisol Mediates Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Interrenal Axis Development in Zebrafish

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Nesan, Dinushan; Vijayan, Mathilakath M.

2016-01-01

In zebrafish (Danio rerio), de novo synthesis of cortisol in response to stressor exposure commences only after hatch. Maternally deposited cortisol is present during embryogenesis, but a role for this steroid in early development is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that maternal cortisol is essential for the proper development of hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis activity and the onset of the stressor-induced cortisol response in larval zebrafish. In this study, zygotic cortisol content was manipulated by microinjecting antibody to sequester this steroid, thereby making it unavailable during embryogenesis. This was compared with embryos containing excess cortisol by microinjection of exogenous steroid. The resulting larval phenotypes revealed distinct treatment effects, including deformed mesoderm structures when maternal cortisol was unavailable and cardiac edema after excess cortisol. Maternal cortisol unavailability heightened the cortisol stress response in post-hatch larvae, whereas excess cortisol abolished the stressor-mediated cortisol elevation. This contrasting hormonal response corresponded with altered expression of key HPI axis genes, including crf, 11B hydroxylase, pomca, and star, which were upregulated in response to reduced cortisol availability and downregulated when embryos had excess cortisol. These findings for the first time underscore a critical role for maternally deposited cortisol in programming HPI axis development and function in zebrafish. PMID:26940285

Cortisol and DHEA in development and psychopathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamin, Hayley S; Kertes, Darlene A

2017-03-01

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol are the most abundant hormones of the human fetal and adult adrenals released as end products of a tightly coordinated endocrine response to stress. Together, they mediate short- and long-term stress responses and enable physiological and behavioral adjustments necessary for maintaining homeostasis. Detrimental effects of chronic or repeated elevations in cortisol on behavioral and emotional health are well documented. Evidence for actions of DHEA that offset or oppose those of cortisol has stimulated interest in examining their levels as a ratio, as an alternate index of adrenocortical activity and the net effects of cortisol. Such research necessitates a thorough understanding of the co-actions of these hormones on physiological functioning and in association with developmental outcomes. This review addresses the state of the science in understanding the role of DHEA, cortisol, and their ratio in typical development and developmental psychopathology. A rationale for studying DHEA and cortisol in concert is supported by physiological data on the coordinated synthesis and release of these hormones in the adrenal and by their opposing physiological actions. We then present evidence that researching cortisol and DHEA necessitates a developmental perspective. Age-related changes in DHEA and cortisol are described from the perinatal period through adolescence, along with observed associations of these hormones with developmental psychopathology. Along the way, we identify several major knowledge gaps in the role of DHEA in modulating cortisol in typical development and developmental psychopathology with implications for future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diurnal salivary cortisol concentrations in Parkinson’s disease: increased total secretion and morning cortisol concentrations

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Skogar Ö

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Ö Skogar1,4, P-A Fall2, G Hallgren3, J Lökk4, B Bringer2, M Carlsson1, U Lennartsson3, H Sandbjork3, C-J Törnhage51Department of Geriatrics, Ryhov Hospital, Jonkoping, 2Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital, Linkoping, 3Department of Neurology, Skaraborg Hospital, Skovde, 4Institute of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, 5Department of Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde, SwedenBackground: Parkinson’s disease (PD is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder. There is limited knowledge about the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in PD. The primary aim of this prospective study was to analyze diurnal salivary cortisol concentrations in patients with PD and correlate these with age, gender, body mass index (BMI, duration of PD, and pain. The secondary aim was to compare the results with a healthy reference group.Methods: Fifty-nine PD patients, 35 women and 24 men, aged 50–79 years, were recruited. The reference group comprised healthy individuals matched for age, gender, BMI, and time point for sampling. Salivary cortisol was collected at 8 am, 1 pm, and 8 pm, and 8 am the next day using cotton-based Salivette® tubes and analyzed using Spectria® Cortisol I125. A visual analog scale was used for estimation of pain.Results: The median cortisol concentration was 16.0 (5.8–30.2 nmol/L at 8 am, 5.8 (3.0–16.4 at 1 pm, 2.8 (1.6–8.0 at 8 pm, and 14.0 (7.5–28.7 at 8 am the next day. Total secretion and rate of cortisol secretion during the day (8 am–8 pm and the concentration of cortisol on the next morning were lower (12.5 nmol/L in the reference group. No significant correlations with age, gender, BMI, duration of PD, Hoehn and Yahr score, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III score, gait, pain, or cortisol concentrations were found.Conclusion: The neurodegenerative changes in PD does not seem to interfere with the

Direct salivary cortisol radio-immunoassay determination. Clinical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, C.; Cherfan, J.; Kurtz, F.; Vignon, F.; Schlienger, J.L.; Chabrier, G.

1987-01-01

Salivary cortisol levels reflect the biologically active free fraction of blood cortisol. The authors describe the results obtained with the aim of a radio-immunoassay commercial serum cortisol kit, without prealable extraction in different physiological and pathological situations. Salivary cortisol determination appears performant both in nycthemeral studies and in stimulation or freination tests [fr

Radioimmunological method for determination of cortisol in saliva

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maleeva, A.; Mileva, Zh.; Kekhajova, M.

1989-01-01

A method was developed for determination of cortisol in saliva after being previously extracted with dichlormethane. Cortisol concentration in saliva of 19 subjects was determined by this method. The saliva cortisol levels were compared with those of blood plasma. No statistically significant difference was found. The method finds acceptance primarily when frequent measurements of cortisol level are neccessary as a screening technique and when strongly abnormally high levels should be differentiated from the normal ones: in this latter case determination of plasma cortisol is mandatory. 5 tabs., 8 refs

Effect of 5-azacytidine and cortisol on the P1798 cortisol-sensitive and non-resistant lymphosarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, C.

1986-01-01

The P1798 lymphosarcoma is a tumor with both cortisol-sensitive (CS) and cortisol-resistant (CR) lines. Although differences between the CS and CR cells have been reported, none can fully explain the detailed mechanism of glucocorticoid resistance in CR tumors. Recently, it was shown that 5-azacytidine treatment could generate CS cells from CR SAK lymphoma cells in vitro. The present study examined the effect of combination treatment with 5-azacytidine and cortisol on the growth of the P1798 lymphosarcoma. 5-Azacytidine rendered the P1798 CR tumors partially cortisol-sensitive, and enhanced the cortisol-induced regression of the P1798 CS tumors. Survival of mice bearing both CS and CR P1798 tumors was increased by combination treatment. Similar whole cell and nuclear binding of 3 H-TA were observed in both 5-azacytidine-treated and control P1798 tumors. However, CR nuclei retained 64% of the whole cell binding of 3 H-TA compared to 25-29% nuclear retention in CS tumors. DNA methylation in tumors from 5-azacytidine-treated mice decreased to 53% (CS) and 42% (CR) of control. Since 5-azacytidine did not result in any change in thymidine labeling index or cell cycle distribution in P1798 tumors, it would appear to be cytostatic rather than cytotoxic to P1798 tumors. Three cell lines have been isolated from the P1798 lymphosarcoma: two are cortisol-sensitive both in vivo and in vitro, while the other is cortisol-resistant. Results from this study suggest that glucocorticoid resistance is a reversible process, and that the effect of 5-azacytidine on the P1798 CR tumor is at the gene expression level

Increased serum cortisol binding in chronic active hepatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orbach, O.; Schussler, G.C.

1989-01-01

A high serum cortisol concentration, apparently due to increased cortisol-binding globulin (CBG), was found in a patient (index case) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). We therefore performed further studies to determine whether increased cortisol binding is generally associated with CAH. Serum samples were obtained from 15 hospitalized patients with long-term liver function test elevations but no evidence of cirrhosis, 15 normal subjects without a history of hepatitis, four healthy pregnant women, and 10 alcoholic patients with stigmata of cirrhosis. Serum cortisol binding was measured by an adaptation of a previously described charcoal uptake method. Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) and sex hormone-binding globulin were determined by radioimmunoassays. Charcoal uptake of 125I cortisol from sera of normal subjects and additional patients with CAH revealed that increased serum cortisol binding by a saturable site, presumably CBG, was associated with CAH. Cortisol binding was significantly correlated with immunoassayable TBG, suggesting that in CAH, similar mechanisms may be responsible for increasing the serum concentrations of CBG and TBG

One-tube micromethod for radioimmunoassay of plasma cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, G.; Morris, R.

1978-01-01

A micro-scale method is presented for measurement of cortisol. Serum or plasma, 2 μl, is diluted with buffer and the solution heated at 60 0 C in the presence of high-affinity antibody and [ 3 H]cortisol. Corticosteroid-binding globulin in the serum is denatured, releasing cortisol and making it available to the antibody, which is stable during the incubation. After cooling, ammonium sulfate solution is added, followed by a toluene-based scintillant that does not dissolve in the aqueous phase. The vial is shaken to extract the free cortisol into the scintillant. Antibody-bound cortisol remains in the aqueous phase and does not produce any scintillation. The amount of [ 3 H]cortisol that is free at the end of the incubation, and which therefore gives rise to the measured counts, is related to the concentration of cortisol in the original serum, and may be calculated from a standard curve. The assay is sensitive and precise. Ranges are presented for normal and pathologic subjects

Infecciones por bacterias poco comunes y oncogénesis bacteriana

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Horacio A. Lopardo

Full Text Available La recuperación de algunos microorganismos de aislamiento esporádico en el laboratorio de microbiología clínica podría significar la existencia de algún defecto inmunitarioespecial en el paciente. Por ejemplo, se ha descrito una importante correlación entre Clostridium septicum y carcinoma de colon, y se han visto relacionadas con leucemias y linfomas a especies que aparecen casi siempre como contaminantes (Bacillus spp., Corynebacterium spp. y a otras raramente aisladas en otros contextos (Capnocytophaga spp.. Hay bacterias que se aíslan casi exclusivamente de pacientes con sida (Rhodococcus equi. Se ha observado una mayor frecuencia de infecciones por Campylobacter spp., Aeromonas spp. y estreptococos del grupo G y del grupo mitis en individuos con algún tipo de cáncer que en el resto de los pacientes. También hay bacterias que son marcadoras de algún cáncer no detectado o que afectan más a pacientes neutropénicos que a individuos normoinmunes. La alteración de la reacción inflamatoria, la linfoproliferación mediada por antígenos bacterianos y la inducción de hormonas que aumentan la proliferación de las células epiteliales podrían ser causas de la oncogénesis bacteriana. Los ejemplos clásicos son el adenocarcinoma gástrico inducido por Helicobacter pylori, la asociación de la bacteriemia por estreptococos del grupo bovis y el cáncer de colon y los linfomas de tejido linfoide asociado a mucosas (MALT en vinculación con especies de Helicobacter (MALT gástricos y con Chlamydophila spp. (MALT oculares. El aislamiento de alguno de estos patógenos debería ser un llamado de atención para inducir al estudio de alguna enfermedad maligna.

Associations between circadian and stress response cortisol in children

OpenAIRE

Simons, S.S.H.; Cillessen, A.H.N.; Weerth, C. de

2017-01-01

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning is characterized by the baseline production of cortisol following a circadian rhythm, as well as by the superimposed production of cortisol in response to a stressor. However, it is relatively unknown whether the basal cortisol circadian rhythm is associated with the cortisol stress response in children. Since alterations in cortisol stress responses have been associated with mental and physical health, this study investigated whether the ...

Hair cortisol and cortisol awakening response are associated with criteria of the metabolic syndrome in opposite directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehl, Linn K; Hinkelmann, Kim; Muhtz, Christoph; Dettenborn, Lucia; Wingenfeld, Katja; Spitzer, Carsten; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Wiedemann, Klaus; Otte, Christian

2015-01-01

Findings on the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and metabolic risk are equivocal. Different methods of measuring HPA activity might indicate adverse vs. beneficial effects of HPA activity on metabolic risk thus contributing to heterogenous findings. In this study, we aimed to determine whether (1) the salivary cortisol awakening response (CAR) as a marker of awakening-induced activation of the HPA axis and (2) hair cortisol as a marker of long-term cortisol secretion are associated with criteria of the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, we recruited 41 healthy individuals (26 women, mean age: 41.2 years) and 44 patients with major depression (28 women, 41.4 years) and assessed CAR and hair cortisol values as well as all criteria of the metabolic syndrome (abdominal obesity, blood pressure, plasma glucose, triglycerides and high-density cholesterol levels) according to the International Diabetes Federation. CAR and hair cortisol values were divided into tertiles. Across groups, participants with hair cortisol or hair cortisone in the highest tertile showed significantly more criteria of the metabolic syndrome compared to participants in the medium or low tertile (F2,64=3.37, p=.04). These results were corroborated by significant positive correlations between mean hair cortisol values with waist circumference (r=.29, p=.03), triglycerides (r=.34, p=.01) and systolic blood pressure (r=.29, p=.04) and between mean hair cortisone and triglycerides (r=.46, pcortisol and hair cortisone levels but lower CAR values are associated with an unfavorable metabolic and cardiovascular risk profile. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zinc oxide nanostructures for electrochemical cortisol biosensing

Science.gov (United States)

Vabbina, Phani Kiran; Kaushik, Ajeet; Tracy, Kathryn; Bhansali, Shekhar; Pala, Nezih

2014-05-01

In this paper, we report on fabrication of a label free, highly sensitive and selective electrochemical cortisol immunosensors using one dimensional (1D) ZnO nanorods (ZnO-NRs) and two dimensional nanoflakes (ZnO-NFs) as immobilizing matrix. The synthesized ZnO nanostructures (NSs) were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), selective area diffraction (SAED) and photoluminescence spectra (PL) which showed that both ZnO-NRs and ZnO-NFs are single crystalline and oriented in [0001] direction. Anti-cortisol antibody (Anti-Cab) are used as primary capture antibodies to detect cortisol using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The charge transfer resistance increases linearly with increase in cortisol concentration and exhibits a sensitivity of 3.078 KΩ. M-1 for ZnO-NRs and 540 Ω. M -1 for ZnO-NFs. The developed ZnO-NSs based immunosensor is capable of detecting cortisol at 1 pM. The observed sensing parameters are in physiological range. The developed sensors can be integrated with microfluidic system and miniaturized potentiostat to detect cortisol at point-of-care.

DEGRADACIÓN DE SUELOS POR ACTIVIDADES ANTRÓPICAS EN EL NORTE DE TAMAULIPAS, MÉXICO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Espinosa Ramírez

2011-01-01

Full Text Available La degradación de los suelos es un proceso que puede estar inducido por el hombre y que disminuye la capacidad actual y/o futura para sostener la vida humana. En este trabajo se estudia la Zona II de la Cuenca de Burgos (México con el objetivo de evaluar y conocer los distintos tipos de degradación, originada por la acción antrópica. Para ello se delimitaron los tipos de suelo, se seleccionaron áreas representativas para realizar perfiles de suelos y se evaluó la degradación de los mismos siguiendo la metodología de ASSOD (Van Lyden, 1997. Los resultados muestran como el 74% del área estudiada presenta evidencias de degradación. Los tipos dominantes son: erosión hídrica, compactación y erosión eólica. Las causas principales son el sobrepastoreo y las prácticas agrícolas superficiales, a lo que hay que añadir las actividades industriales recientes de PEMEX. La degradación más acusada se presenta en Calcisoles. Los Leptosoles, por el contrario, tienen menor degradación, pero es en donde se da la mayor actividad industrial.

Cortisol salival como indicador de estrés fisiológico en niños y adultos: revisión sistemática

OpenAIRE

M. J. Aguilar Cordero; A. M. Sánchez López; N. Mur Villar; I. García García; M. A. Rodríguez López; A. Ortegón Piñero; E. Cortes Castell

2014-01-01

El cortisol salival es una hormona esteoridea producida en el eje hipotálamo-pitutitario-adrenal que se segrega en la saliva, sobre todo cuando las personas se estresan. Un nivel elevado de cortisol en saliva puede ser producido por muchos factores diferentes, entre los que se encuentran algunas alteraciones, como la obesidad y otras afecciones psicológicas. Los artículos seleccionados para ser incluidos en esta revisión se tomaron de Google Scholar y Medline, y con un total de 57 artículos. ...

Seasonal Variation in Human Salivary Cortisol Concentration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, Roger; Garde, Anne Helene; Hansen, Åse Marie

2008-01-01

Measurement of cortisol concentration can contribute important information about an individual's ability to adjust to various environmental demands of both physical and psychosocial origin. However, one uncertainty that affects the possibilities of correctly interpreting and designing field studies...... is the lack of observations of the impact of seasonal changes on cortisol excretion. For this reason, the month-to-month changes in diurnal cortisol concentration, the awakening cortisol response (ACR), maximum morning concentration, and fall during the day were studied in a group of 24 healthy men and women...... 32 to 61 yrs of age engaged in active work. On one workday for 12 consecutive months, participants collected saliva at four time points for determination of cortisol: at awakening, +30 min, +8 h, and at 21:00 h. Data were analyzed by a repeated measures design with month (12 levels) and time...

Effort reward imbalance, and salivary cortisol in the morning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eller, Nanna Hurwitz; Nielsen, Søren Feodor; Blønd, Morten

2012-01-01

Effort reward imbalance (ERI) is suggested to increase risk for stress and is hypothesized to increase cortisol levels, especially the awakening cortisol response, ACR.......Effort reward imbalance (ERI) is suggested to increase risk for stress and is hypothesized to increase cortisol levels, especially the awakening cortisol response, ACR....

Radioimmunoassay of plasma cortisol and its clinical application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninomiya, Tetsuhiro; Ishitobi, Kazuyuki; Harada, Yoshimichi

1975-01-01

A system for the radioimmunoassay of plasma cortisol was developed together with a nonchromatographic method for the assay. An anti-cortisol serum, produced by immunization of rabbits with cortisol-21-hemisuccinate-BSA, proved to have a high affinity and a high specificity for cortisol. The results determined by this system were satisfactory. The nonchromatographic method correlated well with the chromatographic one in normal subjects, who showed 66.2 +- 34.8 ng/ml (case number 22) plasma cortisol levels from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Various provocation tests were applied to normal subjects and to patients with endocrine disease, and the results were discussed. (auth.)

Hair cortisol measurement in mitotane-treated adrenocortical cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Manenschijn, L; Quinkler, M; van Rossum, E F C

2014-04-01

The only approved drug for the treatment of adrenocortical cancer (ACC) is mitotane. Mitotane is adrenolytic and therefore, hydrocortisone replacement therapy is necessary. Since mitotane increases cortisol binding globulin (CBG) and induces CYP3A4 activity, high doses of hydrocortisone are thought to be required. Evaluation of hydrocortisone therapy in mitotane-treated patients has been difficult since there is no good marker to evaluate hydrocortisone therapy. Measurement of cortisol in scalp hair is a novel method that offers the opportunity to measure long-term cortisol levels. Our aim was to evaluate whether hair cortisol measurements could be useful in evaluating recent hydrocortisone treatment in mitotane-treated ACC patients. Hair cortisol levels were measured in 15 mitotane-treated ACC patients on hydrocortisone substitution and 96 healthy individuals. Cortisol levels were measured in 3 cm hair segments, corresponding to a period of 3 months. Hair cortisol levels were higher in ACC patients compared to healthy individuals (pcortisol levels above the reference range. None of the patients had hair cortisol levels below normal. In contrast to hydrocortisone doses (β=0.03, p=0.93), hair cortisol levels were associated with BMI (β=0.53, p=0.042). There was no correlation between hair cortisol levels and hydrocortisone doses (β=0.41, p=0.13). Almost half of the ACC patients had high hair cortisol levels, suggesting long-term over-substitution of hydrocortisone in some of the patients, whereas none of the patients was under-substituted. Hair cortisol measurements might be useful in long-term monitoring hydrocortisone treatment in mitotane-treated ACC patients. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Hair cortisol concentrations and cortisol stress reactivity predict PTSD symptom increase after trauma exposure during military deployment.

Science.gov (United States)

Steudte-Schmiedgen, Susann; Stalder, Tobias; Schönfeld, Sabine; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Trautmann, Sebastian; Alexander, Nina; Miller, Robert; Kirschbaum, Clemens

2015-09-01

Previous evidence on endocrine risk markers for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been inconclusive. Here, we report results of the first prospective study to investigate whether long-term hair cortisol levels and experimentally-induced cortisol stress reactivity are predictive of the development of PTSD symptomatology in response to trauma during military deployment. Male soldiers were examined before deployment to Afghanistan and at a 12-month post-deployment follow-up using dimensional measures for psychopathological symptoms. The predictive value of baseline (i) hair cortisol concentrations (HCC, N=90) and (ii) salivary cortisol stress reactivity (measured by the Trier Social Stress Test, N=80) for the development of PTSD symptomatology after being exposed to new-onset traumatic events was analyzed. Baseline cortisol activity significantly predicted PTSD symptom change from baseline to follow-up upon trauma exposure. Specifically, our results consistently revealed that lower HCC and lower cortisol stress reactivity were predictive of a greater increase in PTSD symptomatology in soldiers who had experienced new-onset traumatic events (explaining 5% and 10.3% of variance, respectively). Longitudinal analyses revealed an increase in HCC from baseline to follow-up and a trend for a negative relationship between HCC changes and the number of new-onset traumatic events. Additional pre-deployment analyses revealed that trauma history was reflected in lower HCC (at trend level) and that HCC were negatively related to stressful load. Our data indicate that attenuated cortisol secretion is a risk marker for subsequent development of PTSD symptomatology upon trauma exposure. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings in other samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cortisol and politics: variance in voting behavior is predicted by baseline cortisol levels.

Science.gov (United States)

French, Jeffrey A; Smith, Kevin B; Alford, John R; Guck, Adam; Birnie, Andrew K; Hibbing, John R

2014-06-22

Participation in electoral politics is affected by a host of social and demographics variables, but there is growing evidence that biological predispositions may also play a role in behavior related to political involvement. We examined the role of individual variation in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis parameters in explaining differences in self-reported and actual participation in political activities. Self-reported political activity, religious participation, and verified voting activity in U.S. national elections were collected from 105 participants, who were subsequently exposed to a standardized (nonpolitical) psychosocial stressor. We demonstrated that lower baseline salivary cortisol in the late afternoon was significantly associated with increased actual voting frequency in six national elections, but not with self-reported non-voting political activity. Baseline cortisol predicted significant variation in voting behavior above and beyond variation accounted for by traditional demographic variables (particularly age of participant in our sample). Participation in religious activity was weakly (and negatively) associated with baseline cortisol. Our results suggest that HPA-mediated characteristics of social, cognitive, and emotional processes may exert an influence on a trait as complex as voting behavior, and that cortisol is a better predictor of actual voting behavior, as opposed to self-reported political activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cortisol and Politics: Variance in Voting Behavior is Predicted by Baseline Cortisol Levels

Science.gov (United States)

French, Jeffrey A.; Smith, Kevin B.; Alford, John R.; Guck, Adam; Birnie, Andrew K.; Hibbing, John R.

2014-01-01

Participation in electoral politics is affected by a host of social and demographics variables, but there is growing evidence that biological predispositions may also play a role in behavior related to political involvement. We examined the role of individual variation in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis parameters in explaining differences in self-reported and actual participation in political activities. Self-reported political activity, religious participation, and verified voting activity in U.S. national elections were collected from 105 participants, who were subsequently exposed to a standardized (nonpolitical) psychosocial stressor. We demonstrated that lower baseline salivary cortisol in the late afternoon was significantly associated with increased actual voting frequency in six national elections, but not with self-reported non-voting political activity. Baseline cortisol predicted significant variation in voting behavior above and beyond variation accounted for by traditional demographic variables (particularly age of participant in our sample). Participation in religious activity was weakly (and negatively) associated with baseline cortisol. Our results suggest that HPA-mediated characteristics of social, cognitive, and emotional processes may exert an influence on a trait as complex as voting behavior, and that cortisol is a better predictor of actual voting behavior, as opposed to self-reported political activity. PMID:24835544

FKBP5 methylation as a possible marker for cortisol state and transient cortisol exposure in healthy human subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkler, Britta K; Lehnert, Hendrik; Oster, Henrik; Kirchner, Henriette; Harbeck, Birgit

2017-10-01

Current glucocorticoid replacement regimens, in adrenal insufficiency, fail to mimic the physiological cortisol secretion, thereby fostering serious side effects. To experimentally evaluate the impact of CpG methylation within the FKBP5 gene as a possible short- and long-term marker for cortisol exposure in humans. An ACTH-stimulation test was carried out and methylation status of the FKBP5 gene in leukocytes was determined. A negative correlation between basal levels of methylation and serum cortisol was observed. Individual changes in FKBP5 methylation after 24 h correlated with cortisol responses. Considering previous studies conducted with murine leucocytes, FKBP5 methylation may be suitable as a long-term biomarker, rather than acute glucocorticoid exposure, also in humans.

Improved radioimmunoassay of plasma cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donohue, J.; Sgoutas, D.

1975-01-01

We report a simplified radioimmunoassay procedure for determination of plasma cortisol. The method offers the advantage that tracer, antibody, and assay buffer are added in a single step with the use of semi-automated equipment. Thus, critical pipetting procedures are minimized, and assay time is reduced to 4 h. No prior extraction or chromatographic purification of cortisol is required. The procedure is simple, reliable, and accurate. For either between-assay or within-assay determinations, the coefficients of variation are about 6 percent. Our results compare well with those obtained from a procedure that included extraction and chromatographic purification of cortisol in several plasma samples. Conditions for optimizing the assay are also discussed. (auth)

Low plasma cortisol and fecal cortisol metabolite measures as indicators of compromised welfare in domestic horses (Equus caballus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jodi Pawluski

Full Text Available The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis response to chronic stress is far from straight forward, particularly with regards to animal welfare. There are reports of no effect as well as both decreases and increases in cortisol after chronic stressors. Therefore, the first aim of the present study was to determine how measures of compromised welfare, such as chronic pain and haematological anomalies, related to cortisol levels in domestic horses (Equus caballus. Domestic horses are an informative model to investigate the impact of chronic stress (due to environment, pain, work, housing conditions… on the HPA axis. The second aim was to determine whether levels of fecal cortisol metabolites (FCM may be used as an indicator of welfare measures. The present study used fifty-nine horses (44 geldings and 15 mares, from three riding centres in Brittany, France. The primary findings show that horses whose welfare was clearly compromised (as indicated by an unusual ears backward position, presence of vertebral problems or haematological anomalies, e.g. anaemia also had lower levels of both FCM and plasma cortisol. This work extends our previous findings showing that withdrawn postures, indicators of depressive-like behavior in horses, are associated with lower plasma cortisol levels. We also found that evening plasma cortisol levels positively correlated with FCM levels in horses. Future research aims to determine the extent to which factors of influence on welfare, such as living conditions (e.g. single stalls versus group housing in pasture or paddocks, early life factors, and human interaction, act as mediators of cortisol levels in horses.

Cortisol in urine and saliva

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hurwitz Eller, N; Netterstrøm, B; Hansen, Åse Marie

2001-01-01

The objective of the study was to analyse the relations between excretion of cortisol in urine and saliva and the intima media thickness (IMT) of the artery carotis communis.......The objective of the study was to analyse the relations between excretion of cortisol in urine and saliva and the intima media thickness (IMT) of the artery carotis communis....

Radioligand binding assay of cortisol using horse transcortin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dash, R.J.; Sharma, B.R.; Lata, V.

1979-01-01

A modified radioligand binding assay was developed to measure cortisol in a single methylene chloride extract of human plasma/serum. The assay utilises 5 percent horse serum for cortisol binding and 3 H-cortisol as tracer. Except for a cross reaction of 13.3 percent for cortisone and 7 percent for prednisolone that for other steroids tested was negligible. The assay sensitivity at the lower 95 percent inhibition of buffer controls was 20 pg/tube. The log dose logit response standard curve was linear between 80 pg and 5 ng/tube. Recovery(Y) of cortisol added (x) to male and pregnant female plasma was quantitated (y = 0.983 X-0.47, r = 0.98). Regression analysis of cortisol estimates obtained in 51 plasma/serum samples with this assay system and a specific radioimmunoassay (using cortisol-3-BSA antiserum) for plasma cortisol gave a coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.95 and a regression coefficient (b) of 0.97. The method was found to be simple and highly reproducible. Availability of all reagents in the aqueous phase permitted handling of a large number of samples by a single technician. (auth.)

Direct immune-detection of cortisol by chemiresistor graphene oxide sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yo-Han; Lee, Kyungmin; Jung, Hunsang; Kang, Hee Kyung; Jo, Jihoon; Park, In-Kyu; Lee, Hyun Ho

2017-12-15

In this study, a biosensor to detect a stress biomarker of cortisol using cortisol monoclonal antibody (c-Mab) covalently immobilized on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) channel as electrical sensing element was demonstrated. Highly specific immune-recognition between the c-Mab and the cortisol was identified and characterized on a basis of resistance change at the rGO channel based chemiresistor sensor achieving the limit of detection of 10pg/mL (27.6 pM). In addition, cortisol concentrations of real human salivary sample and buffer solution of rat adrenal gland acute slices, which could secret the cortisol induced by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), were directly measured by the chemiresistor corresponding to the specific sensing of the cortisol. The rGO chemiresistor could selectively measure the cortisol levels in spite of diverse neuroendocrine's existence. The potential perspective of this study can be a protocol of new cortisol sensor development, which will be applicable to point-of-care testing (POCT) targeted for salivary cortisol, in vitro psychobiological study on cortisol induction, and implantable sensor chip in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noise Induce Stress Assessment via Salivary Cortisol Measuring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2013-02-01

Result: On the rest day and work day, between morning salivary cortisol was no significant difference in two groups. Comparing evening cortisol concentrations in work day with rest day a significant difference was observed, in worker group, but it was not significant in the other group. The evening cortisol in the working day in was significantly higher among workers than officers. .Conclusion: This study revealed that industrial noise exposure with levels higher than 80 dBA has a significant effect on salivary cortisol elevation.

Stress, breakfast cereal consumption and cortisol.

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Smith, A P

2002-04-01

Recent research has shown that regular consumption of breakfast cereal is associated with lower stress levels and reports of better physical and mental health. The present study examined this issue using an objective indicator of stress, salivary cortisol. The results showed that stress was associated with higher cortisol levels and daily consumption of breakfast cereal was associated with lower cortisol levels. Although it was not possible to rule out all the alternative explanations of the association between breakfast cereal consumption and cortisol, analyses did show that the effect could not be accounted for by general health or nutritional status. The effects of breakfast cereal consumption and stress were also independent, which shows that the effects of breakfast found here cannot be due to stress buffering. Further research manipulating the nutrient content of the breakfast cereal is now required to provide further information about the mechanisms underlying this effect.

Long-term stability of salivary cortisol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garde, A H; Hansen, Åse Marie

2005-01-01

either stored in small vials or spiked to polyester Salivette tampons before analysis for cortisol using Spectria RIA kits. The effects of storage were evaluated by a linear regression model (mixed procedure) on a logarithmic scale. No effects on cortisol concentrations were found after storage of saliva......The measurement of salivary cortisol provides a simple, non-invasive, and stress-free measure frequently used in studies of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. In research projects, samples are often required to be stored for longer periods of time either because of the protocol...... of the project or because of lack of funding for analysis. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of long-term storage of samples on the amounts of measurable cortisol. Ten pools of saliva were collected on polyester Salivette tampons from five subjects. After centrifugation the samples were...

Circadian variation in serum cortisol during hydrocortisone replacement is not attributable to changes in cortisol-binding globulin concentrations.

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Chung, T T; Gunganah, K; Monson, J P; Drake, W M

2016-04-01

Patients taking hydrocortisone (HC) replacement for primary or secondary adrenal failure require individual adjustment of their dose. In addition to modifying the administered doses of HC for each patient, physicians are increasingly interested in variations in the bioavailability of glucocorticoid replacement. One potential determinant of the bioavailability of replaced HC is a variation in serum cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) concentration, which may, in turn, affect interpretation of cortisol profiles and individual dose selection for patients on hydrocortisone replacement therapy. To investigate the hypothesis that there is a circadian variation in CBG levels. A total of 34 male patients divided into 3 groups (10 patients with non-somatotroph structural pituitary disease on HC replacement, 11 patients with treated acromegaly on HC replacement and 13 patients with treated acromegaly not on HC replacement) and 10 healthy volunteers were included. Cortisol and CBG levels were measured at 6 time points (0800, 1100, 1300, 1500, 1700 and 1900). No significant circadian variation in CBG concentration was found in any of the 4 groups. Circadian variation in serum cortisol during hydrocortisone replacement is not attributable to changes in cortisol-binding globulin concentration. Changes in serum cortisol levels may thus be explained by other factors including 11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 activity or circadian changes in the binding properties of CBG. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biological Markers and Salivary Cortisol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Åse Marie; Gunnarsson, Lars-Gunnar; Harris, Anette

2011-01-01

This chapter focuses on salivary cortisol in relation to biological markers. Specifically, associations with conventional cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic abnormalities (body mass index, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, lipid status, glucose, blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate...... variations and pharmacological interventions were also excluded. After meeting all exclusion criteria, 42 papers remained. In total, 273 associations between salivary cortisol and any of the markers mentioned were studied, comprising 241 associations on metabolic abnormalities, 30 on inflammation, and 2...... on stress hormones. Of the salivary cortisol measures reported for evaluations of all markers tested were 136 (49%) single time points, 100 (37%) deviations, 36 (13%) AUC, and 1 (1%) dexamethasone test. Of these, 72 (26%) were statistically significant, and 201 (74%) indicated non-significant findings...

Prenatal maternal cortisol concentrations predict neurodevelopment in middle childhood.

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Davis, Elysia Poggi; Head, Kevin; Buss, Claudia; Sandman, Curt A

2017-01-01

Glucocorticoids (cortisol in humans) are the end product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and are proposed as a key mechanism for programming fetal brain development. The present prospective longitudinal study evaluates the association between prenatal maternal cortisol concentrations and child neurodevelopment. Participants included a low risk sample of 91 mother-child pairs. Prenatal maternal plasma cortisol concentrations were measured at 19 and 31 gestational weeks. Brain development and cognitive functioning were assessed when children were 6-9 years of age. Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired and cortical thickness was determined. Child cognitive functioning was evaluated using standardized measures (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV and Expressive Vocabulary Test, Second Edition). Higher maternal cortisol concentrations during the third trimester were associated with greater child cortical thickness primarily in frontal regions. No significant associations were observed between prenatal maternal cortisol concentrations and child cortical thinning. Elevated third trimester maternal cortisol additionally was associated with enhanced child cognitive performance. Findings in this normative sample of typically developing children suggest that elevated maternal cortisol during late gestation exert lasting benefits for brain development and cognitive functioning 6-9 years later. The benefits of fetal exposure to higher maternal cortisol during the third trimester for child neurodevelopment are consistent with the role cortisol plays in maturation of the human fetus. It is plausible that more extreme elevations in maternal cortisol concentrations late in gestation, as well as exposure to pharmacological levels of synthetic glucocorticoids, may have neurotoxic effects on the developing fetal brain. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cortisol, Cytokines, and Hippocampal Volume in the Elderly

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Keith Daniel Sudheimer

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Separate bodies of literature report that elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines and cortisol negatively affect hippocampal structure and cognitive functioning, particularly in older adults. Although interactions between cytokines and cortisol occur through a variety of known mechanisms, few studies consider how their interactions affect brain structure. In this preliminary study, we assess the impact of interactions between circulating levels of IL-1Beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-alpha, and waking cortisol on hippocampal volume. Twenty-eight community-dwelling older adults underwent blood draws for quantification of circulating cytokines and saliva collections to quantify the cortisol awakening response. Hippocampal volume measurements were made using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Elevated levels of waking cortisol in conjunction with higher concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were associated with smaller hippocampal volumes. In addition, independent of cortisol, higher levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were also associated with smaller hippocampal volumes. These data provide preliminary evidence that higher cortisol, in conjunction with higher IL-6 and TNF-alpha, are associated with smaller hippocampal volume in older adults. We suggest that the dynamic balance between the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis and inflammation processes may explain hippocampal volume reductions in older adults better than either set of measures do in isolation.

Summary cortisol reactivity indicators: Interrelations and meaning

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Jennifer E. Khoury

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Research on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA axis has involved a proliferation of cortisol indices. We surveyed recently published HPA-related articles and identified 15 such indices. We sought to clarify their biometric properties, specifically, how they interrelate and what they mean, because such information is rarely offered in the articles themselves. In the present article, the primary samples consist of community mothers and their infants (N = 297, who participated in two challenges, the Toy Frustration Paradigm and the Strange Situation Procedure. We sought to cross-validate findings from each of these samples against the other, and also against a clinically depressed sample (N = 48 and a sample of healthy older adults (N = 51 who participated in the Trier Social Stress Test. Cortisol was collected from all participants once before and twice after the challenges. These heterogenous samples were chosen to obtain the greatest possible range in cortisol levels and stress response regulation. Using these data, we computed the 15 summary cortisol indices identified in our literature survey. We assessed inter-relations amongst indices and determined their underlying dimensions via principal component analysis (PCA. The PCAs consistently extracted two components, accounting for 79%–93% of the variance. These components represent “total cortisol production” and “change in cortisol levels.” The components were highly congruent across challenge, time, and sample. High variable loadings and explained factor variance suggest that all indices represent their underlying dimensions very well. Thus the abundance of summary cortisol indices currently represented in the literature appears superfluous.

The Cortisol Paradox of Trauma-Related Disorders: Lower Phasic Responses but Higher Tonic Levels of Cortisol Are Associated with Sexual Abuse in Childhood.

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Inga Schalinski

Full Text Available Inconsistent findings exist for the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis in patients with stress related disorders. Recent studies point towards early life stress as a potential modulator.We investigated the impact of childhood sexual abuse on phasic (saliva cortisol reactivity and tonic (hair cortisol regulation. Furthermore, we assessed predictors on cortisol accumulation in hair. Women (N = 43 with stress-related disorders underwent a standardized assessment of idiographic adverse and traumatic experiences and psychopathology, while measuring salivary cortisol and, heart rate and blood pressure.Comparing women with and without childhood sexual abuse revealed lower rates of responders and distinct levels of salivary cortisol to the interview in conjunction with a lower heart rate for the abused group. Childhood adversities, traumatic experiences, and depression contributed to higher hair cortisol levels.Our finding of lower response rate and distinct salivary cortisol pattern in individuals with childhood sexual abuse compared to individuals without early sexual abuse supports the role of environmental programming for the HPA axis. Both, childhood adversities and traumatic stress emerge as crucial factors for long-term cortisol secretion. Lower or suppressed phasic cortisol responses to trauma-related stimuli may therefore be associated with higher tonic values. Thus, early exposure to adversities may result in a biological distinct phenotype in adult patients with stress-related disorders.

The Cortisol Paradox of Trauma-Related Disorders: Lower Phasic Responses but Higher Tonic Levels of Cortisol Are Associated with Sexual Abuse in Childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Schalinski, Inga; Elbert, Thomas; Steudte-Schmiedgen, Susann; Kirschbaum, Clemens

2015-01-01

Inconsistent findings exist for the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with stress related disorders. Recent studies point towards early life stress as a potential modulator. We investigated the impact of childhood sexual abuse on phasic (saliva cortisol reactivity) and tonic (hair cortisol) regulation. Furthermore, we assessed predictors on cortisol accumulation in hair. Women (N = 43) with stress-related disorders underwent a standardized assessment of idiographic adverse and traumatic experiences and psychopathology, while measuring salivary cortisol and, heart rate and blood pressure. Comparing women with and without childhood sexual abuse revealed lower rates of responders and distinct levels of salivary cortisol to the interview in conjunction with a lower heart rate for the abused group. Childhood adversities, traumatic experiences, and depression contributed to higher hair cortisol levels. Our finding of lower response rate and distinct salivary cortisol pattern in individuals with childhood sexual abuse compared to individuals without early sexual abuse supports the role of environmental programming for the HPA axis. Both, childhood adversities and traumatic stress emerge as crucial factors for long-term cortisol secretion. Lower or suppressed phasic cortisol responses to trauma-related stimuli may therefore be associated with higher tonic values. Thus, early exposure to adversities may result in a biological distinct phenotype in adult patients with stress-related disorders.

Efecto de la ingesta de cereales enriquecidos con triptófano sobre el sueño, melatonina, serotonina, cortisol y estado antioxidante en personas mayores

OpenAIRE

Matito Celaya, Sergio

2015-01-01

Teniendo en cuenta el concepto de Crononutrición y la secreción de melatonina, serotonina, cortisol durante el día y la noche, nuestro objetivo ha sido analizar como el consumo de cereales enriquecidos con triptófano, precursor de Serotonina y Melatonina, puede ayudar a la reestructuración del ciclo sueño / vigilia, como actúa sobre la secreción de Cortisol matutino y como la Melatonina ayuda a la excreción de radicales libres en orina por su capacidad antioxidante. Para objetivar como afec...

Dolor óseo inducido por cáncer metastásico: fisiopatología y tratamiento

OpenAIRE

Isaías Salas-Herrera; Luis Carlos Huertas-Gabert

2004-01-01

Se estima que de un 60 a 84% de los pacientes con cáncer desarrollan metástasis óseas. De estos un 70% experimentan síndrome s dolorosos de difícil manejo, de los cuales un 50% muere sin un adecuado alivio del dolor con una pobre calidad de vida. Por tanto, es necesario contar con medicamentos accesibles y efectivos para el manejo de esta patología. El objetivo de este artículo es revisar la fisiopatología del dolor en hueso y describir los medicamentos que se utilizan con más frecuencia en e...

Whole-body cortisol response of zebrafish to acute net handling stress

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsay, J.M.; Feist, G.W.; Varga, Z.M.; Westerfield, M.; Kent, M.L.; Schreck, C.B.

2009-01-01

Zebrafish, Danio rerio, are frequently handled during husbandry and experimental procedures in the laboratory, yet little is known about the physiological responses to such stressors. We measured the whole-body cortisol levels of adult zebrafish subjected to net stress and air exposure at intervals over a 24 h period; cortisol recovered to near control levels by about 1 h post-net-stress (PNS). We then measured cortisol at frequent intervals over a 1 h period. Cortisol levels were more than 2-fold higher in net stressed fish at 3 min PNS and continued to increase peaking at 15 min PNS, when cortisol levels were 6-fold greater than the control cortisol. Mean cortisol declined from 15 to 60 min PNS, and at 60 min, net-stressed cortisol was similar to control cortisol. Because the age of fish differed between studies, we examined resting cortisol levels of fish of different ages (3, 7, 13, and 19 months). The resting cortisol values among tanks with the same age fish differed significantly but there was no clear effect of age. Our study is the first to report the response and recovery of cortisol after net handling for laboratory-reared zebrafish. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Efeito de exercícios físicos e de lazer sobre os níveis de cortisol plasmático em pacientes com Aids

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Aurea Regina Telles Pupulin

Full Text Available Resumo O advento dos antiretrovirais para o tratamento dos indivíduos com Aids proporcionou aumento no tempo de sobrevida, porém o paciente, apesar de apresentar-se muitas vezes assintomático, pode apresentar importantes transtornos na esfera psicossocial, dentre eles o enfraquecimento das relações sociais, as quais se perdem com a descoberta da contaminação. A prática regular de exercícios físicos pode ser uma estratégia interessante de combate a problemas psicológicos associados à infecção pelo HIV. Indivíduos engajados em um programa de treinamento físico podem apresentar melhoria do bem-estar, elevação da autoestima e diminuição dos sintomas de depressão e ansiedade, que proporcionam maior interação social. Pacientes infectados com o HIV geralmente têm maior cortisol basal sérico e alguns estudos apontam que altos níveis de cortisol podem comprometer a função do sistema imune e atuar como aceleradores da progressão viral e do desenvolvimento da Aids. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de exercícios físicos e de lazer sobre os níveis de cortisol plasmático em pacientes com Aids. Pacientes selecionados foram divididos em dois grupos: Grupo I participou de atividades de exercício físico e Grupo II participou de atividades de lazer, ambos por 16 semanas. A avaliação consistiu da dosagem do cortisol plasmático antes do início das atividades e após 16 semanas: 57% dos pacientes apresentaram melhoria nos níveis do cortisol plasmático após o programa aplicado. Este trabalho sugere que o exercício físico e o lazer induzem uma melhoria fisiológica da resposta do cortisol em pacientes com Aids.

Pregnancy Anxiety and Prenatal Cortisol Trajectories

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Kane, Heidi S.; Schetter, Christine Dunkel; Glynn, Laura M.; Hobel, Calvin J.; Sandman, Curt A.

2014-01-01

Pregnancy anxiety is a potent predictor of adverse birth and infant outcomes. The goal of the current study was to examine one potential mechanism whereby these effects may occur by testing associations between pregnancy anxiety and maternal salivary cortisol on 4 occasions during pregnancy in a sample of 448 women. Higher mean levels of pregnancy anxiety over the course of pregnancy predicted steeper increases in cortisol trajectories compared to lower pregnancy anxiety. Significant differences between cortisol trajectories emerged between 30 to 31 weeks of gestation. Results remained significant when adjusted for state anxiety and perceived stress. Neither changes in pregnancy anxiety over gestation, nor pregnancy anxiety specific to only a particular time in pregnancy predicted cortisol. These findings provide support for one way in which pregnancy anxiety may influence maternal physiology and contribute to a growing literature on the complex biological pathways linking pregnancy anxiety to birth and infant outcomes. PMID:24769094

The Cortisol Awakening Response and Cognition across the Adult Lifespan

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Ennis, Gilda E.; Moffat, Scott D.; Hertzog, Christopher

2016-01-01

Although the hippocampus is thought to play a central role in the regulation of the cortisol awakening response (CAR), results from past studies examining the relationship between the CAR and hippocampally-mediated memory and cognition have been mixed. Inconsistent findings may be due to the use of cortisol samples collected on only 1 to 2 days since reduced sampling can permit unstable situational factors to bias results. We used cortisol assessments from 10 consecutive days to test the relationship of the CAR to episodic memory, working memory, and processing speed in a sample of healthy young, middle-aged, and older adults (age range: 23 – 79 years; N = 56). We tested if the relationship between the CAR and cognition would depend upon age and also tested if other cortisol measures, specifically waking cortisol, diurnal cortisol output (i.e., area under the curve) and diurnal cortisol slope (linear and quadratic), would be related to cognition. We found that a more positive CAR slope was related to better episodic memory and that this relationship did not depend upon age. The CAR was not significantly related to working memory. The relationship of the CAR to processing speed was not significant when using a CAR measure that corrected for non-compliant cortisol sampling. We also found that higher waking cortisol was significantly related to better working memory, but not episodic memory or processing speed. Neither diurnal cortisol output nor diurnal linear cortisol slope was significantly related to cognitive functioning. Future work should investigate the mechanisms underpinning the relationship of the cortisol awakening process to cognitive functioning. PMID:27105036

Cortisol levels in hair of East Greenland polar bears.

Science.gov (United States)

Bechshøft, T Ø; Sonne, C; Dietz, R; Born, E W; Novak, M A; Henchey, E; Meyer, J S

2011-01-15

To demonstrate the ability to assess long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity in polar bears (Ursus maritimus), a pilot study was conducted in which cortisol concentrations was analyzed in hair from 7 female (3-19 years) and 10 male (6-19 years) East Greenland polar bears sampled in 1994-2006. The hair was chosen as matrix as it is non-invasive, seasonally harmonized, and has been validated as an index of long-term changes in cortisol levels. The samples were categorized according to contamination: eight were clean (2 females, 6 males), 5 had been contaminated with bear blood (2 F, 3 M), and 4 with bear fat (3 F, 1 M). There was no significant difference in cortisol concentration between the three categories after external contamination was removed. However, contaminated hair samples should be cleaned before cortisol determination. Average hair cortisol concentration was 8.90 pg/mg (range: 5.5 to 16.4 pg/mg). There was no significant correlation between cortisol concentration and age (p=0.81) or sampling year (p=0.11). However, females had higher mean cortisol concentration than males (females mean: 11.0 pg/mg, males: 7.3 pg/mg; p=0.01). The study showed that polar bear hair contains measurable amounts of cortisol and that cortisol in hair may be used in studies of long-term stress in polar bears. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cortisol intermediates and hydrocortisone responsiveness in critical neonatal disease.

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Khashana, Abdelmoneim; Saarela, Timo; Ramet, Mika; Hallman, Mikko

2017-07-01

Therapy-resistant hypotension complicates diseases in neonates. Our objective was to investigate whether lack of therapeutic response to plasma expanders and inotropes associates with serum levels of cortisol and its precursors. We investigated 96 infants with hypotension and critical neonatal disease for cortisol metabolism and are divided into responders and non-responders to plasma expanders and inotropes. Serum concentrations of steroids were analysed soon after the onset of volume expansion and inotrope treatment for shock. The 48 non-responders were treated with intravenous hydrocortisone (HC) and serum cortisol concentrations were monitored a week later. The mean cortisol concentrations did not differ between the responders and non-responders: 13.6 ± 2.5 and 12.5 ± 4.5 μg/dL, respectively. Dehydroepiandrosterone (37.3 ± 19.5 versus 324.0 ± 106.3; p cortisol and cortisone between the responders and non-responders. Hydrocortisone administration acutely increased blood pressure. Six non-responders who died despite HC administration had low levels of cortisol. The responders had normal serum cortisol after HC treatment. Precursors of cortisol, proximal to the 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, accumulated in neonates with hypotension, responding to HC treatment.

Salivary Cortisone Reflects Cortisol Exposure Under Physiological Conditions and After Hydrocortisone.

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Debono, Miguel; Harrison, Robert F; Whitaker, Martin J; Eckland, David; Arlt, Wiebke; Keevil, Brian G; Ross, Richard J

2016-04-01

In this study we tested the use of salivary cortisol and cortisone as alternatives to serum cortisol. Salivary cortisol is often undetectable and contaminated by hydrocortisone. Salivary cortisone strongly reflects serum cortisol.

The effect of cortisol on emotional responses depends on order of cortisol and placebo administration in a within-subject design.

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Wirth, Michelle M; Scherer, Sean M; Hoks, Roxanne M; Abercrombie, Heather C

2011-08-01

Cortisol does not exhibit a straightforward relationship with mood states; administration of glucocorticoids to human subjects has produced mixed effects on mood and emotional processing. In this study, participants (N=46) received intravenous hydrocortisone (synthetic cortisol; 0.1mg/kg body weight) and placebo in randomized order over two sessions 48h apart. Following the infusion, participants rated neutral and unpleasant pictures. In Session 1, participants reported elevated negative affect (NA) following the picture-rating task, regardless of treatment. In Session 2, however, only participants who received cortisol (and thus who had received placebo in Session 1) reported elevated NA. Arousal ratings for unpleasant pictures followed a similar pattern. These findings suggest that the effects of cortisol on emotion vary based on situational factors, such as drug administration order or familiarity with the tasks and setting. Such factors can influence cortisol's effects on emotion in two ways: (A) cortisol may only potentiate NA and arousal ratings in the absence of other, overwhelming influences on affect, such as the novelty of the setting and tasks in Session 1; and (B) cortisol in Session 1 may facilitate learning processes (e.g., habituation to the stimuli and setting; extinction of aversive responses) such that emotional responses to the pictures are lessened in Session 2. This interpretation is compatible with a body of literature on the effects of glucocorticoids on learning and memory processes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asma induzida pelo exercício: aspectos atuais e recomendações Asma inducido por el ejercicio: aspectos actuales y recomendaciones Exercise-induced asthma: current aspects and recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orlando Laitano

2007-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Descrever os mecanismos da asma induzida pelo exercício (AIE, bem como os efeitos de diferentes tipos de treinamento físico na função pulmonar e nas capacidades aeróbia e anaeróbia. Destaca-se a importância de um diagnóstico correto mediante o teste de exercício e, no manejo, o uso de drogas beta-adrenérgicas e anticolinérgicas. FONTE DOS DADOS: Os artigos foram criteriosamente escolhidos utilizando as bases de dados PubMed e Scielo pelo ano de publicação e dando preferência a ensaios clínicos randomizados, com critérios de seleção da amostra bem definidos. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: Os mecanismos para explicar a AIE permanecem sem conclusão, mas parece haver uma interação fisiológica entre as hipóteses aqui apresentadas. O uso de medicamentos e as freqüentes crises durante o exercício aparecem como fatores limitantes para a prática de exercícios físicos, conduzindo para um estilo de vida sedentário. CONCLUSÃO: Deve-se incentivar a prática de exercícios devidamente prescritos e minimizar as restrições aos sujeitos com AIE.OBJETIVO: Describir los mecanismos del asma inducido por el ejercicio (AIE, así como los efectos de diferentes tipos de entrenamiento físico sobre la función pulmonar y las capacidades aeróbica y anaeróbica. Se destaca la importancia de un diagnóstico correcto mediante el test de ejercicio y el manejo o uso de drogas beta-adrenérgicas y anticolinérgicas. FUENTES: Los artículos fueron cuidadosamente escogidos utilizando las bases de dados de PubMed y Scielo por el año de publicación, dando preferencia a ensayos clínicos randomizados, con criterios de selección de muestra bien definidos. SÍNTESES DE DATOS: Los mecanismos para explicar la AIE permanecen sin conclusión, pero parece haber una interacción fisiológica entre las hipótesis aquí presentadas. El uso de medicamentos y las frecuentes crisis durante el ejercicio aparecen como factores limitantes para la práctica de

Effect of cortisol on gluconeogenesis in goats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sastradipradja, D.

1976-01-01

Three non-pregnant goats of local Malaysian breed with body weights between 15.9 and 22.6 kg were arranged in a 3 x 3 Latin square design to study the effect of daily cortisol injections for 5-6 days on gluconeogenesis. The treatments consisted of cortisol injection at a daily level of 1 mg/kg BW (body weight), 2.5 mg/kg BW, and a control. An extra goat (14.0 kg) received the same treatments for comparison and to check the accuracy of the methods employed. NaH 14 CO 3 , preceded by a primer dose, was infused continuously for 4-5 h to estimate quantitatively the extent to which gluconeogenesis may be affected by cortisol administration. Glucose-2- 3 H was also injected as a single pulse to assess kinetic parameters of the glucose pool. There was strong tendency (P=0.08) indicating that cortisol administration increased plasma glucose concentration. The mean increases above pre-treatment levels were 6.6, 21.3 and 53.5 mg/100 ml plasma for control, low and high cortisol treatment respectively. The transfer quotient from CO 2 to glucose for the treatments was significantly different (P 2 fixation expressed in absolute amounts was not significantly different among treatments (0.24, 0.33 and 0.36 mg/min per kg BW for control, low and high cortisol doses respectively). The insignificant result of the statistical test seemed to be caused by the low precision inherent in the experimental design. The data also show that glucose utilization was not impaired following cortisol treatment, and rather suggest normal glucose utilization at a higher level of plasma glucose concentration. (author)

Associations between circadian and stress response cortisol in children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Simons, S.S.H.; Cillessen, A.H.N.; Weerth, C. de

2017-01-01

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning is characterized by the baseline production of cortisol following a circadian rhythm, as well as by the superimposed production of cortisol in response to a stressor. However, it is relatively unknown whether the basal cortisol circadian rhythm

Specificity and sensitivity of binding proteins in the radioimmunoassay of cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gijzen, A.H.J.

1977-01-01

A comparison concerning avidity towards cortisol and 10 other steroids was made between several binding proteins either in solution or bound to cellulose as so called ''solid phase'' reagent. Human blood cortisol binding protein (CBP, transcortin), and two distinctly different cortisol-binding rabbit antisera and the isolated immunoglobulins thereof were compared in their avidity to bind cortisol and several other steroids. The antisera were harvested from rabbits immunized with either cortisol-21-succinyl-albumin (CSA) or cortisol-3-oxim-albumin (COA). The latter antiserum, having the highest titre in cortisol titration, showed the greatest specificity and was most useful as a binding reagent in cortisol radioimmunoassay when used as a solid phase reagent. The determination of cortisol in micro samples of blood serum is possible without steroid extraction or serum protein denaturation and with only minor influence of steroid impurities in the sample to be analyzed. Affinity constants for all compared binding reagents and steroids are given

Sexual dimorphism in cortisol secretion starts after age 10 in healthy children: urinary cortisol metabolite excretion rates during growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Wudy, Stefan A; Hartmann, Michaela F; Remer, Thomas

2007-10-01

Detailed data on the physiological pattern of adrenocortical activity during normal growth are lacking. An established method to determine adrenocortical glucocorticoid secretion is the measurement of 24-h excretion rates of major urinary cortisol metabolites (C21). To test the hypothesis that the frequently reported higher cortisol secretion in men than in women develops during puberty, we examined C21 together with excretions of combined urinary free and conjugated cortisol (F(comb)) in 400 healthy boys and girls aged 3-18 yr using GC-MS. Daily excretion rates of C21, F(comb), and body surface area (BSA)-corrected F(comb) significantly increased with age in both sexes. In contrast, C21/BSA (microgxm(-2).day(-1)) declined from the age of 3-4 yr to 7-8 yr in boys and girls (P activity (allotetrahydrocortisol/tetrahydrocortisol) in females compared with males. Our results demonstrate dynamic changes in adrenocortical activity in healthy children resulting in an emerging sexual dimorphism in cortisol secretion after age 11. The latter can be explained, at least partly, by diverging 5alpha-reductase activities in boys and girls. F(comb), a frequently analyzed GC-MS parameter, proved not to reflect dynamic changes in cortisol secretion. In conclusion, the varying metabolic need for cortisol during normal growth may have implications for future improvements in glucocorticoid replacement therapy.

Attenuation of cortisol across development for victims of sexual abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Trickett, Penelope K; Noll, Jennie G; Susman, Elizabeth J; Shenk, Chad E; Putnam, Frank W

2010-01-01

Inconsistencies exist in literature examining hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in children and adults who have experienced childhood abuse. Hence, the extent and manner to which childhood abuse may disrupt HPA axis development is largely unknown. To address these inconsistencies, the developmental course of nonstress cortisol in a long-term longitudinal study was assessed at six time points from childhood through adolescence and into young adulthood to determine whether childhood abuse results in disrupted cortisol activity. Nonstress, morning cortisol was measured in 84 females with confirmed familial sexual abuse and 89 nonabused, comparison females. Although dynamically controlling for co-occurring depression and anxiety, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) showed that relative to comparison females, the linear trend for abused females was significantly less steep when cortisol was examined across development from age 6 to age 30, t (1, 180) = -2.55, p cortisol activity starting in adolescence with significantly lower levels of cortisol by early adulthood, F (1, 162) = 4.78, p cortisol activity was initially significantly higher, t (1, 425) = 2.18, p cortisol hyposecretion subsequent to a period of heightened secretion.

Long-term cortisol levels measured in scalp hair of obese patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Wester, Vincent L; Staufenbiel, Sabine M; Veldhorst, Margriet A B; Visser, Jenny A; Manenschijn, Laura; Koper, Jan W; Klessens-Godfroy, Francoise J M; van den Akker, Erica L T; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C

2014-09-01

In obese subjects a relatively high cortisol output in urine has been observed compared to nonobese individuals. However, cortisol levels in blood, saliva, and urine in association with obesity have been inconsistent across studies, possibly due to the high variability of systemic cortisol levels. Cortisol levels measured in scalp hair provide a marker for long-term cortisol exposure, and have been associated with cardiovascular disease in an elderly population and to disease course in Cushing's disease. We aimed to compare hair cortisol levels between obese patients and nonobese controls. Hair cortisol levels of 47 obese patients (median BMI 38.8, range 31.1-65.8), 41 overweight, and 87 normal-weight subjects using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were measured. Obese patients had higher hair cortisol levels than overweight and normal weight subjects (respectively 30.8 vs 8.5 and 8.4 pg/mg hair, P cortisol levels was found between normal weight and overweight subjects. Our results suggest a higher long-term cortisol exposure in obese patients, which may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. Future research will determine whether long-term cortisol levels provide a novel treatment target in the management of cardiovascular disease risk in obesity. © 2014 The Obesity Society.

Sleep Characteristics and Daytime Cortisol Levels in Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Ethan; Schumm, L Philip; McClintock, Martha; Waite, Linda; Lauderdale, Diane S

2017-05-01

Older adults frequently report sleep problems and are at increased risk of cardiometabolic disruption. Experimental sleep restriction of younger adults has suggested that cortisol may be on the pathway between sleep restriction and cardiometabolic disease. We investigated whether the natural variation in sleep among older adults is associated with daytime cortisol level. Salivary cortisol samples and actigraphy sleep data were collected from a random subsample of participants in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, a nationally representative probability sample of adults aged 62-90 (N = 672). Salivary cortisol was measured with 3 timed samples at the beginning, middle, and end of a 2-hr in-home interview. Sleep characteristics were derived from wrist actigraphy (fragmentation, wake after sleep onset [WASO], and duration) and from survey responses about usual sleep duration and sleep problems. For each individual, a single summary daytime cortisol level was estimated by fitting a marginal longitudinal model for the 3 time-stamped cortisol samples. The resulting estimates were then regressed on each sleep measure, adjusting for sociodemographics, health behaviors, and comorbidities. From actigraphy, both higher fragmentation score (β = 0.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.00 to 0.03) and longer WASO (β = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.51) were significantly associated with higher daytime cortisol; sleep duration was not. Self-reported sleep duration and sleep problems were also not associated with cortisol. Actigraph measures of sleep disturbance are associated with higher daytime cortisol among older adults. However, cross-sectional data cannot distinguish causal direction or whether cortisol and sleep disruption have a common cause. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Homocysteine, Cortisol, Diabetes Mellitus, and Psychopathology

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K. Kontoangelos

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. This study investigates the association of homocysteine and cortisol with psychological factors in type 2 diabetic patients. Method. Homocysteine, cortisol, and psychological variables were analyzed from 131 diabetic patients. Psychological factors were assessed with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ, Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire (HDHQ, the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL 90-R, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZDRS, and the Maudsley O-C Inventory Questionnaire (MOCI. Blood samples were taken by measuring homocysteine and cortisol in both subgroups during the initial phase of the study (T0. One year later (T1, the uncontrolled diabetic patients were reevaluated with the use of the same psychometric instruments and with an identical blood analysis. Results. The relation of psychoticism and homocysteine is positive among controlled diabetic patients (P value = 0.006<0.05 and negative among uncontrolled ones (P value = 0.137. Higher values of cortisol correspond to lower scores on extraversion subscale (rp=-0.223, P value = 0.010. Controlled diabetic patients showed a statistically significant negative relationship between homocysteine and the act-out hostility subscale (rsp=-0.247, P=0.023. There is a statistically significant relationship between homocysteine and somatization (rsp=-0.220, P=0.043. Conclusions. These findings support the notion that homocysteine and cortisol are related to trait and state psychological factors in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2.

Double Antibody EIA of Cortisol Using Peroxidase As Label

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karim, F.M.; Hamad, A.W.R.; Hashim, A.M.

1998-01-01

An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique for plasma cortisol was established by using cortisol-3 (carboxymethyl) oxime covalently linked to the horseradish peroxidase as the label. An antibody raised in the rabbits against cortisol-3-(carboxy-methyl) oxime-bovline serum albumin was used as the first anti-body. Sheep anti-rabbit gamma-globulin serum with 8 percent poly-ethyleneglycol were used to separate antibody-bound and free cortisol. The enzyme activity of the bound fraction was measured with ortho-phenylene diamine as substrate. The procedure performed at room temperature was evaluated by sensitivity (50 pg/ tube). The correlation coefficient between our enzyme immunoassay technique and radioimmunoassay technique for determination of plasma cortisol was 97 percent

Increased Cortisol and Cortisone Levels in Overweight Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Lanling; Shen, Kangwei; Liu, Ping; Ye, Kan; Wang, Yu; Li, Chen; Kang, Xuejun; Song, Yuan

2017-02-09

BACKGROUND It has been unclear whether relatively high cortisol and cortisone levels are related to overweight in childhood, parental body mass index (BMI), and family dietary habits. The aim of this study was to compare cortisol and cortisone levels in urine and saliva from overweight and normal children, as well as correlations between children's BMI, parental BMI and family dietary behavior questionnaire score (QS). MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed the data from 52 overweight children and 53 age- and sex-matched normal-weight children aged 4-5 years. The concentrations of salivary cortisol (SF), salivary cortisone (SE), urinary cortisol (UF) and urinary cortisone (UE) were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The family dietary behavior QS was answered by the parent mainly responsible for the family diet. RESULTS Average cortisol and cortisone levels were significantly higher in overweight children. There was no significant difference in the ratio of cortisol to cortisone (Rcc) and the marker of 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) activities. The results displayed correlations among cortisol, cortisone, and Rcc. Positive correlations were weak-to-moderate between BMI and SF, SE, UF, and UE. There were correlations between BMI and maternal BMI (mBMI), and BMI was significantly associated with QS. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that cortisol and cortisone levels are associated with overweight in children, but the 11β-HSD2 activities showed no significant differences. Unhealthy family diet was associated with higher BMI, UF, and UE, and families with maternal overweight or obesity had a higher prevalence of children's overweight or obesity.

Cortisol secretion in patients with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boesgaard, S; Hagen, C; Andersen, A N

1988-01-01

with normoprolactinemic amenorrhea have elevated basal serum cortisol, the reason probably being hypersecretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone. Secondly that dopaminergic blockade with metoclopramide stimulates ACTH and cortisol secretion in patients presumed to have raised dopaminergic activity....

The impact of cortisol in steatotic and non-steatotic liver surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornide-Petronio, María Eugenia; Bujaldon, Esther; Mendes-Braz, Mariana; Avalos de León, Cindy G; Jiménez-Castro, Mónica B; Álvarez-Mercado, Ana I; Gracia-Sancho, Jordi; Rodés, Juan; Peralta, Carmen

2017-10-01

The intent of this study was to examine the effects of regulating cortisol levels on damage and regeneration in livers with and without steatosis subjected to partial hepatectomy under ischaemia-reperfusion. Ultimately, we found that lean animals undergoing liver resection displayed no changes in cortisol, whereas cortisol levels in plasma, liver and adipose tissue were elevated in obese animals undergoing such surgery. Such elevations were attributed to enzymatic upregulation, ensuring cortisol production, and downregulation of enzymes controlling cortisol clearance. In the absence of steatosis, exogenous cortisol administration boosted circulating cortisol, while inducing clearance of hepatic cortisol, thus maintaining low cortisol levels and preventing related hepatocellular harm. In the presence of steatosis, cortisol administration was marked by a substantial rise in intrahepatic availability, thereby exacerbating tissue damage and regenerative failure. The injurious effects of cortisol were linked to high hepatic acethylcholine levels. Upon administering an α7 nicotinic acethylcholine receptor antagonist, no changes in terms of tissue damage or regenerative lapse were apparent in steatotic livers. However, exposure to an M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist protected livers against damage, enhancing parenchymal regeneration and survival rate. These outcomes for the first time provide new mechanistic insight into surgically altered steatotic livers, underscoring the compelling therapeutic potential of cortisol-acetylcholine-M3 muscarinic receptors. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Ray Acceleration by Magnetic Reconnection in Newborn Pulsars

OpenAIRE

Pino, E. M. de Gouveia Dal; Lazarian, A.

2000-01-01

Investigamos la posibilidad de que los rayos c osmicos ultra energ eticos (UHECR) observados arriba del l mite GZK sean protones acelerados en zonas de reconecci on localizadas sobre la magnet osfera de pulsares de milisegundos reci en formados por un colapso inducido por acreci on (AIC).

Nongenomic actions of cortisol in the teleost lactotroph model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borski, Russell J; Tipsmark, Christian Kølbæk; Mita, M

2006-01-01

of the present study was to investigate the role of phospholipase C (PLC)-IP3 in mediating cortisol's actions. During 30 min and 4-hour incubation, chicken GnRH-II induces a 2-4 fold increase in PRL release from the tilapia pituitary. The stimulatory effect of cGnRH-II was reduced by cortisol, cortisol-21......-hemisuccinate (HEF) and its membrane impermeant analog, HEF-BSA. Since GnRH induces PRL release, in part, via activation of PLC this suggests that cortisol may rapidly inhibit GnRH-induced PRL release by suppressing PLC activity. We also found that cortisol rapidly inhibits IP3 accumulation in tilapia RPD under...... stimulation by angiotensin II, a factor known to exert its cellular effects through stimulation of the PLC-IP3 pathway. Further studies demonstrate that cortisol reduces PLC activity (measured by the hydrolysis of 3H-PIP2) in a dose dependent manner from crude tilapia lactotroph membrane preparations. SRIF...

Deconvolution of serum cortisol levels by using compressed sensing.

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Rose T Faghih

Full Text Available The pulsatile release of cortisol from the adrenal glands is controlled by a hierarchical system that involves corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH from the hypothalamus, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH from the pituitary, and cortisol from the adrenal glands. Determining the number, timing, and amplitude of the cortisol secretory events and recovering the infusion and clearance rates from serial measurements of serum cortisol levels is a challenging problem. Despite many years of work on this problem, a complete satisfactory solution has been elusive. We formulate this question as a non-convex optimization problem, and solve it using a coordinate descent algorithm that has a principled combination of (i compressed sensing for recovering the amplitude and timing of the secretory events, and (ii generalized cross validation for choosing the regularization parameter. Using only the observed serum cortisol levels, we model cortisol secretion from the adrenal glands using a second-order linear differential equation with pulsatile inputs that represent cortisol pulses released in response to pulses of ACTH. Using our algorithm and the assumption that the number of pulses is between 15 to 22 pulses over 24 hours, we successfully deconvolve both simulated datasets and actual 24-hr serum cortisol datasets sampled every 10 minutes from 10 healthy women. Assuming a one-minute resolution for the secretory events, we obtain physiologically plausible timings and amplitudes of each cortisol secretory event with R (2 above 0.92. Identification of the amplitude and timing of pulsatile hormone release allows (i quantifying of normal and abnormal secretion patterns towards the goal of understanding pathological neuroendocrine states, and (ii potentially designing optimal approaches for treating hormonal disorders.

Correlates and consequences of toddler cortisol reactivity to fear.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiel, Elizabeth J; Kalomiris, Anne E

2016-02-01

Cortisol reactivity to fear-eliciting stimuli during toddlerhood may represent an indicator of risk for anxiety spectrum problems and other maladjustment. Thus, it is important to understand factors that may contribute to cortisol reactivity as well as those that determine its predictive relation to early emerging anxiety. In this vein, the current study investigated maternal comforting behaviors, both solicited and unsolicited by the toddler, as correlates of cortisol reactivity at 2years of age. Furthermore, we investigated maternal comforting behaviors and behavioral indicators of fear in both a low-threat and a high-threat context as moderators of the relation between cortisol reactivity at age 2 and change in anxiety from age 2 to age 3. The sample comprised 99 2-year-old toddlers and their mothers. Toddlers provided saliva samples at baseline and after a fear-eliciting stimulus that were assayed for cortisol. Mothers were observed for comforting behavior while interacting with their toddlers in laboratory tasks and completed questionnaires about their toddlers' anxiety. Results indicated that unsolicited (spontaneous) comforting behavior related to toddler cortisol reactivity above and beyond solicited comforting and the level of fear toddlers displayed in the same task. Moreover, fear in a low-threat context, but not in a high-threat context, moderated the relation between cortisol reactivity and change in anxiety, such that cortisol reactivity had a positive relation to anxiety at extreme levels of low-threat fear. Results suggest the importance of considering the caregiving environment and context-specific fear in understanding the nature of cortisol reactivity during the toddler years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testosterone suppression of CRH-stimulated cortisol in men.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubinow, David R; Roca, Catherine A; Schmidt, Peter J; Danaceau, Merry A; Putnam, Karen; Cizza, Giovanni; Chrousos, George; Nieman, Lynnette

2005-10-01

Despite observations of age-dependent sexual dimorphisms in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, the role of androgens in the regulation of HPA axis activity in men has not been examined. We assessed this role by performing CRH stimulation tests in 10 men (ages 18-45 years) during gonadal suppression with leuprolide acetate and during testosterone addition to leuprolide. CRH-stimulated cortisol levels as well as peak cortisol and greatest cortisol excursion were significantly lower (pcortisol area under the curve was lower at a trend level (pcortisol : ACTH ratio, a measure of adrenal sensitivity, was lower during testosterone replacement (pcortisol. These data demonstrate that testosterone regulates CRH-stimulated HPA axis activity in men, with the divergent effects on ACTH and cortisol suggesting a peripheral (adrenal) locus for the suppressive effects on cortisol. Our results further demonstrate that the enhanced stimulated HPA axis activity previously described in young men compared with young women cannot be ascribed to an activational upregulation of the axis by testosterone.

Modified-release hydrocortisone to provide circadian cortisol profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Debono, Miguel; Ghobadi, Cyrus; Rostami-Hodjegan, Amin; Huatan, Hiep; Campbell, Michael J; Newell-Price, John; Darzy, Ken; Merke, Deborah P; Arlt, Wiebke; Ross, Richard J

2009-05-01

Cortisol has a distinct circadian rhythm regulated by the brain's central pacemaker. Loss of this rhythm is associated with metabolic abnormalities, fatigue, and poor quality of life. Conventional glucocorticoid replacement cannot replicate this rhythm. Our objectives were to define key variables of physiological cortisol rhythm, and by pharmacokinetic modeling test whether modified-release hydrocortisone (MR-HC) can provide circadian cortisol profiles. The study was performed at a Clinical Research Facility. Using data from a cross-sectional study in healthy reference subjects (n = 33), we defined parameters for the cortisol rhythm. We then tested MR-HC against immediate-release hydrocortisone in healthy volunteers (n = 28) in an open-label, randomized, single-dose, cross-over study. We compared profiles with physiological cortisol levels, and modeled an optimal treatment regimen. The key variables in the physiological cortisol profile included: peak 15.5 microg/dl (95% reference range 11.7-20.6), acrophase 0832 h (95% confidence interval 0759-0905), nadir less than 2 microg/dl (95% reference range 1.5-2.5), time of nadir 0018 h (95% confidence interval 2339-0058), and quiescent phase (below the mesor) 1943-0531 h. MR-HC 15 mg demonstrated delayed and sustained release with a mean (sem) maximum observed concentration of 16.6 (1.4) microg/dl at 7.41 (0.57) h after drug. Bioavailability of MR-HC 5, 10, and 15 mg was 100, 79, and 86% that of immediate-release hydrocortisone. Modeling suggested that MR-HC 15-20 mg at 2300 h and 10 mg at 0700 h could reproduce physiological cortisol levels. By defining circadian rhythms and using modern formulation technology, it is possible to allow a more physiological circadian replacement of cortisol.

The low single nucleotide polymorphism heritability of plasma and saliva cortisol levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Alexander; Direk, Nese; Crawford, Andrew A; Mirza, Saira; Adams, Hieab; Bolton, Jennifer; Hayward, Caroline; Strachan, David P; Payne, Erin K; Smith, Jennifer A; Milaneschi, Yuri; Penninx, Brenda; Hottenga, Jouke J; de Geus, Eco; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; van der Most, Peter J; de Rijke, Yolanda; Walker, Brian R; Tiemeier, Henning

2017-11-01

Cortisol is an important stress hormone affected by a variety of biological and environmental factors, such as the circadian rhythm, exercise and psychological stress. Cortisol is mostly measured using blood or saliva samples. A number of genetic variants have been found to contribute to cortisol levels with these methods. While the effects of several specific single genetic variants is known, the joint genome-wide contribution to cortisol levels is unclear. Our aim was to estimate the amount of cortisol variance explained by common single nucleotide polymorphisms, i.e. the SNP heritability, using a variety of cortisol measures, cohorts and analysis approaches. We analyzed morning plasma (n=5705) and saliva levels (n=1717), as well as diurnal saliva levels (n=1541), in the Rotterdam Study using genomic restricted maximum likelihood estimation. Additionally, linkage disequilibrium score regression was fitted on the results of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) performed by the CORNET consortium on morning plasma cortisol (n=12,597) and saliva cortisol (n=7703). No significant SNP heritability was detected for any cortisol measure, sample or analysis approach. Point estimates ranged from 0% to 9%. Morning plasma cortisol in the CORNET cohorts, the sample with the most power, had a 6% [95%CI: 0-13%] SNP heritability. The results consistently suggest a low SNP heritability of these acute and short-term measures of cortisol. The low SNP heritability may reflect the substantial environmental and, in particular, situational component of these cortisol measures. Future GWAS will require very large sample sizes. Alternatively, more long-term cortisol measures such as hair cortisol samples are needed to discover further genetic pathways regulating cortisol concentrations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of drugs on beta-endorphin and cortisol in smokers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Tongxin; Wang Zizheng; Wang Shukui

2001-01-01

The authors observed the effects of drugs on beta-endorphin and cortisol in smokers and their correlation. The levels of plasma beta-endorphin and cortisol of smokers before and after cigarette withdrawal were detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The Levels of plasma beta-endorphin and cortisol in smokers is significantly higher than in controls. After natural withdrawal, the levels of plasma cortisol increased significantly, while beta-endorphin decreased significantly. After drug treatment, the levels of beta-endorphin and cortisol balanced. The drugs may play the role of cigarette withdrawal by improving the secretion of endogenous opium and the axis of hypothalamus-pituitary adrenal

SÍNTESIS DE ÓXIDOS CONDUCTORES TRANSPARENTES DE ÓXIDO DE ZINC DOPADO CON ALUMINIO POR COPRECIPITACIÓN QUÍMICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Maioco

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Los óxidos de zinc dopados con Al (AZO son promisorios reemplazantes de los óxidos de indio dopados con Sn (ITO pero sus películas delgadas muestran un amplio rango de propiedades fuertemente dependientes de las condiciones del proceso de deposición. Se examinan cerámicos de granulometría submicrométrica de óxido de zinc dopado con 1% de aluminio, preparados por coprecipitación en solución acuosa, a partir de Zn(NO32 y Al(NO33, sinterizados a 1200°C y subsecuentemente templados en atmósfera controlada de 10-16 atm de oxígeno, a 1000°C. La resistividad eléctrica disminuye en dos órdenes de magnitud en las primeras dos horas de templado y el coeficiente Seebeck cambia de -140 a -50 μV/K gradualmente en 8 h. Se concluye que el aumento de la movilidad domina sobre el de densidad de portadores, inducido por cambios de la estequiometria metal oxígeno.

Basal or stress-induced cortisol and asthma development : the TRAILS study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, Nienke M; Boezen, Hendrika; Postma, Dirkje S; Rosmalen, Judith G M

We examined the association between: 1) cortisol levels and asthma or asthma development; 2) cortisol levels upon stress and asthma. In addition, we performed a post hoc meta-analysis on results from the literature. Cortisol, cortisol upon stress, asthma (doctor diagnosis of asthma and/or symptoms

Determinants of cortisol during pregnancy - The ABCD cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Bleker, Laura S; Roseboom, Tessa J; Vrijkotte, Tanja G; Reynolds, Rebecca M; de Rooij, Susanne R

2017-09-01

Psychosocial stress during pregnancy has been proposed as a major contributor of glucocorticoid-mediated programming of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, with later adverse health consequences. However, evidence linking maternal stress to maternal cortisol values during pregnancy is inconclusive. A possible explanation for this is that other maternal factors overshadow any potential effects of stress on cortisol levels. We studied a large cohort of pregnant women with extensive data on pregnancy characteristics to determine the respective contributions of biological, environmental and psychosocial stress factors to cortisol levels in pregnancy. We used data from 3039 women from the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development-study cohort. Serum cortisol was measured in blood, collected at the first prenatal visit, at different gestational ages (median=91days, range=40-256days), and at various time points during the day (median=11:45h, range=08:00-18:30h). We assessed associations between maternal serum cortisol in pregnancy and biological factors, lifestyle factors and stress factors, including depression, anxiety, pregnancy-related anxiety, work stress, parenting stress and fatigue. In multivariable analysis, variables that were associated with higher cortisol levels in pregnancy were lower maternal age [1.5nmol/l, 95%CI (0.6-2.4)], being nulliparous [21.5 nmol/l (15.9-27.1)], lower pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) [1.3nmol/l (0.3-2.4)], higher C-reactive protein (CRP) [1.0nmol/l (0.4-1.5)], carrying a female fetus [9.2nmol/l (1.8-16.5)], non-smoking [14.2nmol/l (0.6-27.7)], sufficient sleep [8.5nmol/l (0.9-16.1)], and being unemployed [12.7nmol/l (2.2-23.2)]. None of the psychosocial stressors was significantly associated with serum cortisol levels in pregnancy. A total of 32% of all variance in cortisol was explained by gestational age, maternal age, time of day, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, CRP, fetal sex, smoking behavior, self

Testosterone Suppression of CRH-stimulated Cortisol in Men

OpenAIRE

Rubinow, David R.; Roca, Catherine A.; Schmidt, Peter J.; Danaceau, Merry A.; Putnam, Karen; Cizza, Giovanni; Chrousos, George; Nieman, Lynnette

2005-01-01

Despite observations of age-dependent sexual dimorphisms in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, the role of androgens in the regulation of HPA axis activity in men has not been examined. We assessed this role by performing CRH stimulation tests in ten men (ages 18–45) during gonadal suppression with leuprolide acetate and during testosterone addition to leuprolide. CRH-stimulated cortisol levels as well as peak cortisol and greatest cortisol excursion were significantly lower ...

Children's diurnal cortisol responses to negative events at school and home.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Sunhye; Robles, Theodore F; Reynolds, Bridget M; Repetti, Rena L

2017-09-01

This study examined the within-and between-person associations between daily negative events - peer problems, academic problems and interparental conflict - and diurnal cortisol in school-age children. Salivary cortisol levels were assessed four times per day (at wakeup, 30min later, just before dinner and at bedtime) on eight days in 47 youths ages 8-13 years old (60% female; M age=11.28, SD=1.50). The relative contributions of within- and between-person variances in each stressor were estimated in models predicting same-day diurnal cortisol slope, same-day bedtime cortisol, and next morning wakeup cortisol. Children who reported more peer problems on average showed flatter slopes of cortisol decline from wakeup to bedtime. However, children secreted more cortisol at wakeup following days when they had reported more peer or academic problems than usual. Interparental conflict was not significantly associated with diurnal cortisol. Findings from this study extend our understanding of short-term cortisol responses to naturally occurring problems in daily life, and help to differentiate these daily processes from the cumulative effects of chronic stress. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Salivary cortisol assessment in the evaluation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahn, S.E.; Maxwell, J.U.; Barron, J.L.

1984-01-01

A simple, short and sensitive direct radio-immunoassay technique for the determination of salivary cortisol concentration was employed to assess saliva as a medium for evaluating cortisol response during endocrine testing in 9 controls and 40 patients. Results in controls suggested that an adequate salivary cortisol response to insulin hypoglycaemia was an increase of 150% above the basal value with a minimum peak of 15 nmol/l. Thirty-three patients were classified as being either good or poor responders to insulin hypoglycaemia on the basis of criteria for plasma cortisol levels. When the defined salivary cortisol response was used for assessment, all 33 patients were correctly categorized into the same response groups. The salivary cortisol response to intramuscular tetracosactin in 3 patients and an intravenous dexamethasone infusion in 4 patients confirmed the value of saliva as an assay medium. These studies show that the salivary cortisol response parallels that of total plasma cortisol in all cases. However, with sampling at short intervals a lag in secretion of the free fraction from the plasma into the saliva becomes apparent. The relative change in cortisol levels from the basal value is greater in saliva than in plasma

Automated-immunosensor with centrifugal fluid valves for salivary cortisol measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masaki Yamaguchi

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Point-of-care measurement of the stress hormone cortisol will greatly facilitate the timely diagnosis and management of stress-related disorders. We describe an automated salivary cortisol immunosensor, incorporating centrifugal fluid valves and a disposable disc-chip that allows for truncated reporting of cortisol levels (<15 min. The performance characteristics of the immunosensor are optimized through select blocking agents to prevent the non-specific adsorption of proteins; immunoglobulin G (IgG polymer for the pad and milk protein for the reservoirs and the flow channels. Incorporated centrifugal fluid valves allow for rapid and repeat washings to remove impurities from the saliva samples. An optical reader and laptop computer automate the immunoassay processes and provide easily accessible digital readouts of salivary cortisol measurements. Linear regression analysis of the calibration curve for the cortisol immunosensor showed 0.92 of coefficient of multiple determination, R2, and 38.7% of coefficient of variation, CV, for a range of salivary cortisol concentrations between 0.4 and 11.3 ng/mL. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve analysis of human saliva samples indicate potential utility for discriminating stress disorders and underscore potential application of the biosensor in stress disorders. The performance of our salivary cortisol immunosensor approaches laboratory based tests and allows noninvasive, quantitative, and automated analysis of human salivary cortisol levels with reporting times compatible with point-of-care applications. Keywords: Immunosensor, Centrifugal fluid valve, Automation, Cortisol, Saliva

Effects of shampoo and water washing on hair cortisol concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamel, Amanda F; Meyer, Jerrold S; Henchey, Elizabeth; Dettmer, Amanda M; Suomi, Stephen J; Novak, Melinda A

2011-01-30

Measurement of cortisol in hair is an emerging biomarker for chronic stress in human and nonhuman primates. Currently unknown, however, is the extent of potential cortisol loss from hair that has been repeatedly exposed to shampoo and/or water. Pooled hair samples from 20 rhesus monkeys were subjected to five treatment conditions: 10, 20, or 30 shampoo washes, 20 water-only washes, or a no-wash control. For each wash, hair was exposed to a dilute shampoo solution or tap water for 45 s, rinsed 4 times with tap water, and rapidly dried. Samples were then processed for cortisol extraction and analysis using previously published methods. Hair cortisol levels were significantly reduced by washing, with an inverse relationship between number of shampoo washes and the cortisol concentration. This effect was mainly due to water exposure, as cortisol levels following 20 water-only washes were similar to those following 20 shampoo treatments. Repeated exposure to water with or without shampoo appears to leach cortisol from hair, yielding values that underestimate the amount of chronic hormone deposition within the shaft. Collecting samples proximal to the scalp and obtaining hair washing frequency data may be valuable when conducting human hair cortisol studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aggression as an independent entity even in psychosis - The role of cortisol.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Sourav; Sengupta, Soumik; Pathak, Kangkan; Sah, Divyashree; Mehta, Sumit; Avinash, Priya Ranjan; Baruah, Aparajeeta; Deuri, Sailendra Kumar; Sarmah, Anil; Gogoi, Vijay; Kalita, Kamal Narayan; Hazarika, Jyoti

2018-01-01

Aggression is a common entity in psychiatric disorders, particularly psychotic disorders. Glucocorticoid hypofunction has been linked to abnormal forms of aggressive behavior in various studies in a 'possibly causal' role. We hypothesise that aggression, even among those having psychosis is associated with glucocorticoid alterations similar to those who are aggressive but not psychotic. To our knowledge, this is the first study attempting to look at the cortisol functioning in relation to both aggression and psychosis. The present study included 80 participants divided into four groups depending upon presence or absence of aggression and psychosis. Morning cortisol, afternoon cortisol and their variability were measured using ELISA. The groups were compared on measures of aggression, psychosis, morning cortisol, afternoon cortisol and their variability using standard statistical instruments. The present study found lower levels of morning cortisol, afternoon cortisol and cortisol variability among the aggressive group (vs. non aggressive group) and among the diseased group (vs. non diseased group). The differences were most marked for cortisol variability which was related to both aggression and psychosis independently. There were statistically significant correlation between cortisol variability and aggression, which was retained even after controlling for psychosis. There was no significant correlation of cortisol variability with psychosis severity (after controlling for aggression score) or with age, gender or duration of psychosis. We conclude that aggression, even among patients with psychosis, is an independent entity characterized by lower levels of morning cortisol and cortisol variability. The etio-pathology may lie in some altered neuro-immune parameters executed by cortisol and psychosis as trigger. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A mathematical model of aging-related and cortisol induced hippocampal dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jones Janette JL

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The hippocampus is essential for declarative memory synthesis and is a core pathological substrate for Alzheimer's disease (AD, the most common aging-related dementing disease. Acute increases in plasma cortisol are associated with transient hippocampal inhibition and retrograde amnesia, while chronic cortisol elevation is associated with hippocampal atrophy. Thus, cortisol levels could be monitored and managed in older people, to decrease their risk of AD type hippocampal dysfunction. We generated an in silicomodel of the chronic effects of elevated plasma cortisol on hippocampal activity and atrophy, using the systems biology mark-up language (SBML. We further challenged the model with biologically based interventions to ascertain if cortisol associated hippocampal dysfunction could be abrogated. Results The in silicoSBML model reflected the in vivoaging of the hippocampus and increased plasma cortisol and negative feedback to the hypothalamic pituitary axis. Aging induced a 12% decrease in hippocampus activity (HA, increased to 30% by acute and 40% by chronic elevations in cortisol. The biological intervention attenuated the cortisol associated decrease in HA by 2% in the acute cortisol simulation and by 8% in the chronic simulation. Conclusion Both acute and chronic elevations in cortisol secretion increased aging-associated hippocampal atrophy and a loss of HA in the model. We suggest that this first SMBL model, in tandem with in vitroand in vivostudies, may provide a backbone to further frame computational cortisol and brain aging models, which may help predict aging-related brain changes in vulnerable older people.

Time-dependent effects of cortisol on the contextualization of emotional memories.

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van Ast, Vanessa A; Cornelisse, Sandra; Meeter, Martijn; Joëls, Marian; Kindt, Merel

2013-12-01

The inability to store fearful memories into their original encoding context is considered to be an important vulnerability factor for the development of anxiety disorders like posttraumatic stress disorder. Altered memory contextualization most likely involves effects of the stress hormone cortisol, acting via receptors located in the memory neurocircuitry. Cortisol via these receptors induces rapid nongenomic effects followed by slower genomic effects, which are thought to modulate cognitive function in opposite, complementary ways. Here, we targeted these time-dependent effects of cortisol during memory encoding and tested subsequent contextualization of emotional and neutral memories. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 64 men were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) received 10 mg hydrocortisone 30 minutes (rapid cortisol effects) before a memory encoding task; 2) received 10 mg hydrocortisone 210 minutes (slow cortisol) before a memory encoding task; or 3) received placebo at both times. During encoding, participants were presented with neutral and emotional words in unique background pictures. Approximately 24 hours later, context dependency of their memories was assessed. Recognition data revealed that cortisol's rapid effects impair emotional memory contextualization, while cortisol's slow effects enhance it. Neutral memory contextualization remained unaltered by cortisol, irrespective of the timing of the drug. This study shows distinct time-dependent effects of cortisol on the contextualization of specifically emotional memories. The results suggest that rapid effects of cortisol may lead to impaired emotional memory contextualization, while slow effects of cortisol may confer protection against emotional memory generalization. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry.

21 CFR 862.1205 - Cortisol (hydrocortisone and hydroxycorticosterone) test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Cortisol (hydrocortisone and hydroxycorticosterone... Clinical Chemistry Test Systems § 862.1205 Cortisol (hydrocortisone and hydroxycorticosterone) test system. (a) Identification. A cortisol (hydrocortisone and hydroxycorticosterone) test system is a device...

Urinary cortisol and depression in early pregnancy: role of adiposity and race.

Science.gov (United States)

Luiza, John W; Gallaher, Marcia J; Powers, Robert W

2015-02-13

Depression before and during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes including low birth weight and preterm birth. Abnormal maternal cortisol has been hypothesized as one mediator between depression and adverse birth outcomes. The relationship between cortisol and depression in pregnancy is exhibited most strongly in the African American population, and most studies have focused either on circulating or placental levels of cortisol. The utility of urinary cortisol in early pregnancy related to depression and adiposity has not been investigated. Twenty-five pregnant African American women identified by the Edinburgh Depression Scale as having depression were investigated and matched by body mass index (BMI), age, race, and infant birth weight centile to non-depressed subjects. Maternal urine and plasma cortisol in early pregnancy were quantified and investigated in relation to depression and adiposity. Morning urine cortisol levels tracked positively with plasma cortisol (r(2) = 0.25, p cortisol between depressed and non-depressed pregnant women. Plasma cortisol was significantly negatively associated with several measures of maternal adiposity including percent body fat (r(2) = -0.10, p obese women were found to have significantly higher cortisol levels compared to women with depression, obesity or both (p obese pregnant women evidence atypical cortisol levels compared to non-depressed non-obese pregnant women. Plasma cortisol in early pregnancy is negatively associated with measures of maternal adiposity. Atypical low circulating maternal cortisol among depressed (lean and obese) and non-depressed obese pregnant African American women may indicate hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction in early pregnancy.

Pathogenesis of canine cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kool, Miriam

2015-01-01

In dogs, hypercortisolism is one of the most frequently observed endocrine disorders, with an estimated incidence of about 1-2 cases per 1000 dogs per year. Approximately 15% of these cases is due to a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumor (AT). Cortisol-secreting ATs are characterized by

Friendship network position and salivary cortisol levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornienko, Olga; Clemans, Katherine H; Out, Dorothée; Granger, Douglas A

2013-01-01

We employed a social network analysis approach to examine the associations between friendship network position and cortisol levels. The sample consisted of 74 first-year students (93% female, ages 22-38 years, M = 27) from a highly competitive, accelerated Nursing program. Participants completed questionnaires online, and the entire group met at one time to complete a series of sociometric nominations and donated a saliva sample. Saliva was later assayed for cortisol. Metrics derived from directed friendship nominations indexed each student's friendship network status regarding popularity, gregariousness, and degree of interconnectedness. Results revealed that (1) individuals with lower gregariousness status (i.e., lowest number of outgoing ties) had higher cortisol levels, and (2) individuals with higher popularity status (i.e., higher numbers of incoming ties) had higher cortisol levels. Popularity and gregariousness-based network status is significantly associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Implications for prevailing theories of the social determinants of individual differences in biological sensitivity and susceptibility to context are discussed.

The effect of cortisol on emotional responses depends on order of cortisol and placebo administration in a within-subjects design

Science.gov (United States)

Wirth, Michelle M.; Scherer, Sean M.; Hoks, Roxanne M.; Abercrombie, Heather C.

2010-01-01

Cortisol does not exhibit a straightforward relationship with mood states; administration of glucocorticoids to human subjects has produced mixed effects on mood and emotional processing. In this study, participants (N=46) received intravenous hydrocortisone (synthetic cortisol; 0.1 mg/kg body weight) and placebo in randomized order over two sessions 48 hours apart. Following the infusion, participants rated neutral and unpleasant pictures. In Session 1, participants reported elevated negative affect (NA) following the picture-rating task, regardless of treatment. In Session 2, however, only participants who received cortisol (and thus who had received placebo in Session 1) reported elevated NA. Arousal ratings for unpleasant pictures followed a similar pattern. These findings suggest that the effects of cortisol on emotion vary based on situational factors, such as drug administration order or familiarity with the tasks and setting. Such factors can influence cortisol’s effects on emotion in two ways: A) cortisol may only potentiate NA and arousal ratings in the absence of other, overwhelming influences on affect, such as the novelty of the setting and tasks in Session 1; and B) cortisol in Session 1 may facilitate learning processes (e.g. habituation to the stimuli and setting; extinction of aversive responses) such that emotional responses to the pictures are lessened in Session 2. This interpretation is compatible with a body of literature on the effects of glucocorticoids on learning and memory processes. PMID:21232874

Determination of cortisol in blood plasma by isotopic dilution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, T.

1978-01-01

A method to measure cortisol in blood plasma is developed using tritium a tracer. Thin-layer chromatographer is used for very accurate separation and determination of cortisol free of impurities. Results show a concentration of 14,02+-5,79 μg/100ml for cortisol in blod. This method appears to be especially useful when interfering substances are present [pt

Development of cortisol circadian rhythm in infancy.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weerth, C. de; Zijl, R.H.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cortisol is the final product of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. It is secreted in a pulsatile fashion that displays a circadian rhythm. Infants are born without a circadian rhythm in cortisol and they acquire it during their first year of life. Studies do not

Similarities of cellular receptors for interferon and cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filipic, B.; Schauer, P.; Likar, M.

1977-01-01

Cellular receptors are molecules located on the cell membrane. Their function is to bind different molecules to the cell surface. These molecules can penetrate into the cytoplasm and trigger cellular changes. One kind of such bound molecules are interferons and corticosteroids. Until very recently very little was known about interferon's receptors on the cell surface, mechanisms of interferon's binding to them or about kinetics of such binding. On the basis of results published elsewhere and on the basis of experimental results, the authors suggest: receptors for interferon and cortisol are glycoproteins located on the cell surface, in analogy with PHA receptors they are chemically sialoglycoproteins, binding kinetics of cortisol and interferon is similar, interferon and cortisol compete for cellular receptors, binding of cortisol or interferon is dependent on allosteric configuration of receptor molecules. (author)

A Pharmacokinetic Model of a Tissue Implantable Cortisol Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Michael A; Bakh, Naveed; Bisker, Gili; Brown, Emery N; Strano, Michael S

2016-12-01

Cortisol is an important glucocorticoid hormone whose biochemistry influences numerous physiological and pathological processes. Moreover, it is a biomarker of interest for a number of conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder, Cushing's syndrome, Addison's disease, and others. An implantable biosensor capable of real time monitoring of cortisol concentrations in adipose tissue may revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders, as well as provide an invaluable research tool. Toward this end, a mathematical model, informed by the physiological literature, is developed to predict dynamic cortisol concentrations in adipose, muscle, and brain tissues, where a significant number of important processes with cortisol occur. The pharmacokinetic model is applied to both a prototypical, healthy male patient and a previously studied Cushing's disease patient. The model can also be used to inform the design of an implantable sensor by optimizing the sensor dissociation constant, apparent delay time, and magnitude of the sensor output versus system dynamics. Measurements from such a sensor would help to determine systemic cortisol levels, providing much needed insight for proper medical treatment for various cortisol-related conditions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

COMPLICACIONES PSIQUIÁTRICAS DEL ABORTO

OpenAIRE

Manuel Gurpegui; Dolores Jurado

2009-01-01

Introducción: Las consecuencias psiquiátricas del aborto inducido siguen siendo objeto de controversia. Las reacciones de cualquier mujer al descubrir que ha concebido pueden ser muy variables. El embarazo, inicialmente intencionado o no deseado, puede provocar estrés; y el aborto espontáneo puede acarrear sentimientos de pérdida y reacciones de duelo, por lo que no es de extrañar que el aborto inducido, con las implicaciones emocionales añadidas (sentimientos de alivio, vergüenza y culpa), s...

Interferences in the radioimmunological determination of urinary free cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoeneshoefer, M.; Fenner, A.; Dulce, H.J.

1980-01-01

The magnitude of interferences arising in the radioimmunological assessment of urinary free cortisol is studied (a) by comparing cortisol immunoreactivities from crude urine, after organic solvent extraction of different selectivity and after additional chromatography by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and (b) by evaluation of the profile of immunoreactivity resulting from the fractions eluted by HPLC. Three antisera from different sources have been investigated. Values of cortisol-immunoreactivity in crude urine were about six times and values of a simple dichloromethane extract about three times higher than values obtained after HPLC. The main part of the interfering compounds arising in organic extracts have a polarity similar to cortisol, which cannot be easily eliminated by simple solvent extraction procedures. Specific estimation of urinary cortisol by radioimmunoassay requires a preceding chromatographic technique of high efficiency, such as HPLC, which represents an adequate tool for the routine laboratory. (Auth.)

Influence of the typicality of the actions in a mugging script on retrieval-induced forgetting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malen Migueles

2006-01-01

Full Text Available La investigación ha mostrado que el simple acto de recordar puede causar olvido temporal o inhibición de contenidos relacionados en la memoria. En este estudio se amplía el efecto del olvido inducido por la recuperación a la memoria de las acciones de un suceso. A partir de un estudio normativo se seleccionaron acciones de tipicidad alta y baja de un robo a una persona en la calle. Los participantes estudiaron hechos comprobados (acciones de tipicidad alta y hechos no comprobados (acciones de tipicidad baja. Después recuperaron la mitad de las acciones de tipicidad alta, baja o, en el caso del grupo control, sin práctica de recuperación. En la prueba final los tres grupos recordaron los hechos comprobados y no comprobados estudiados. En las acciones de tipicidad baja se obtuvo el olvido inducido por la recuperación convencional, pero no se produjo inhibición en las acciones de tipicidad alta. Este resultado sugiere que la activación del guión del suceso pudo proteger la información de tipicidad alta del olvido inducido por la recuperación. La integración de las acciones que forman el guión del suceso hace que sean resistentes a procesos inhibitorios.

Associations between basal cortisol levels and memory retrieval in healthy young individuals

OpenAIRE

Ackermann, Sandra; Hartmann, Francina; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique J-F; Rasch, Björn

2013-01-01

Cortisol is known to affect memory processes. On the one hand, stress-induced or pharmacologically induced elevations of cortisol levels enhance memory consolidation. On the other hand, such experimentally induced elevations of cortisol levels have been shown to impair memory retrieval. However, the effects of individual differences in basal cortisol levels on memory processes remain largely unknown. Here we tested whether individual differences in cortisol levels predict picture learning and...

Associations between basal cortisol levels and memory retrieval in healthy young individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ackermann, Sandra; Hartmann, Francina; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique J F; Rasch, Björn

2013-11-01

Cortisol is known to affect memory processes. On the one hand, stress-induced or pharmacologically induced elevations of cortisol levels enhance memory consolidation. On the other hand, such experimentally induced elevations of cortisol levels have been shown to impair memory retrieval. However, the effects of individual differences in basal cortisol levels on memory processes remain largely unknown. Here we tested whether individual differences in cortisol levels predict picture learning and recall in a large sample. A total of 1225 healthy young women and men viewed two different sets of emotional and neutral pictures on two consecutive days. Both sets were recalled after a short delay (10 min). On Day 2, the pictures seen on Day 1 were additionally recalled, resulting in a long-delay (20 hr) recall condition. Cortisol levels were measured three times on Days 1 and 2 via saliva samples before encoding, between encoding and recall as well as after recall testing. We show that stronger decreases in cortisol levels during retrieval testing were associated with better recall performance of pictures, regardless of emotional valence of the pictures or length of the retention interval (i.e., 10 min vs. 20 hr). In contrast, average cortisol levels during retrieval were not related to picture recall. Remarkably during encoding, individual differences in average cortisol levels as well as changes in cortisol did not predict memory recall. Our results support previous findings indicating that higher cortisol levels during retrieval testing hinders recall of episodic memories and extend this view onto interindividual changes in basal cortisol levels.

Oxytocin, cortisol and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: neurohormonal aspects of recreational 'ecstasy'.

Science.gov (United States)

Parrott, Andrew C

2016-12-01

Most research into 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has debated its psychobiological effects in relation to neurotransmission. This article debates the contributory roles of the neurohormones oxytocin and cortisol for their psychobiological effects in humans. The empirical literature on these neurohormones is reviewed and suggestions for future research outlined. Acute MDMA or 'ecstasy' can generate increased levels of oxytocin and cortisol, and these neurohormonal changes may be important for its mood-enhancing and energy-activation effects in humans. However, an initial finding of enhanced sociability correlating with oxytocin levels has not been replicated. Potential reasons are debated. There may be dynamic interactions between the two neurohormones, with greater activation under cortisol, facilitating stronger positive feelings under oxytocin. Chronic regular use of MDMA can adversely affect cortisol in several ways. Regular users show increased cortisol in 3-month hair samples, changes to the cortisol awakening response, and indications of greater daily stress. Furthermore, these cortisol findings suggest changes to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The effects of chronic MDMA usage on oxytocin still need to be investigated. It is concluded that the neurohormones oxytocin and cortisol contribute in various ways to the psychobiological effects of recreational ecstasy/MDMA.

Characterization of 24-h cortisol release in obese and non-obese hyperandrogenic women.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, J E; Bray, M A; Faiman, C; Reyes, F I

1994-12-01

Excessive androgen output is a well-recognized feature of adrenocortical oversecretion in women with ovarian hyperandrogenism, or polycystic ovary disease (PCOD). However, evidence of a concomitant alteration of cortisol secretion is lacking even though obesity per se, a common clinical feature of PCOD, has been shown to be associated with cortisol oversecretion. To clarify whether a subtle alteration in cortisol secretion exists, a study of 24-h episodic cortisol release and post-prandial cortisol responses was undertaken in eight women with PCOD and eight normal women comprising equal numbers of obese and non-obese subjects. All four groups showed normal biphasic 24-h cortisol secretion profiles but cortisol pulse frequency was increased in the PCOD groups. Independently, both hyperandrogenism and obesity were associated with an accelerated cortisol clearance rate. These changes, together with normal or only slightly elevated 24-h cortisol integrated area under the curve, suggest an increased compensatory cortisol production in women with PCOD. Furthermore, subjects with PCOD and subjects with obesity showed different post-prandial cortisol responses to normal non-obese women. In conclusion, these subtle cortisol abnormalities may be a manifestation of altered central regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and peripheral metabolic abnormalities, and may be linked to the pathophysiology of PCOD.

Low Impact of Urinary Cortisol in the Assessment of Hydrocortisone Replacement Therapy.

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Haas, C S; Rahvar, A-H; Danneberg, S; Lehnert, H; Moenig, H; Harbeck, B

2016-09-01

Hydrocortisone replacement therapy is a cornerstone in the treatment of adrenal insufficiency (AI). While urinary cortisol has been used as a diagnostic tool for AI, it remains unclear whether it is a useful parameter to monitor hydrocortisone replacement therapy. Aim of this study was to evaluate possible differences in cortisol metabolism between adrenal insufficient patients and healthy subjects and to assess the value of urinary cortisol in AI management. In a case-control study, urinary cortisol excretion was determined in 14 patients with primary and secondary AI receiving hydrocortisone infusions from midnight to 8:00 AM. Results were correlated with serum cortisol levels and compared to urinary values obtained from 53 healthy volunteers. Urinary cortisol excretion in healthy subjects was 14.0±7.8 μg/8 h (range: 0.24-35.4), levels did not differ between 3 groups aged 20-34 years, 35-49 years, and ≥50 years. Patients with AI receiving hydrocortisone infusions demonstrated significantly higher rates of urinary cortisol excretion (51.6±37.8 μg/8 h; range 17.1-120.0, p<0.001); the values correlated with serum cortisol levels (r(2)=0.98). Of interest, patients with secondary AI showed significantly higher serum cortisol levels after hydrocortisone infusion than those with primary AI, conceivably due to residual adrenal function. In conclusion, we showed that: (i) there is a wide inter-individual variability in urinary cortisol excretion rates; (ii) cortisol metabolism in adrenal insufficient patients differs when compared to controls; (iii) there is a strong correlation between urinary and serum cortisol levels; and (iv) urinary cortisol levels despite their variability may help to discriminate between secondary and primary adrenal insufficiency. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Cortisol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Neurohormonal Aspects of Bioenergetic Stress in Ecstasy Users

Science.gov (United States)

Parrott, A.C.

2009-01-01

Aims 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) can affect both neurotransmitter and neurohormonal activity. This review will debate the role of the metabolic activation hormone cortisol for the psychobiological effects of ecstasy/MDMA. Methods The empirical literature on cortisol release following acute MDMA administration and cortisol functioning in drug-free recreational ecstasy/MDMA users will be reviewed. This will be followed by an overview of cortisol as a bioenergetic stress neurohormone, and a debate on how it could be modulating the acute and chronic psychobiological effects of MDMA. Results Cortisol release is increased by stimulatory factors, including physical activity, thermal stress and stimulant drugs. In laboratory studies MDMA leads to an acute cortisol increase of around 150% in sedentary humans. In MDMA-using dance clubbers, the cortisol levels are increased by around 800%, possibly due to the combined factors of stimulant drug, physical exertion and psychosocial stimulation. Regular ecstasy/MDMA users also demonstrate changes in baseline cortisol levels and cortisol reactivity, with compromised hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity. Nonpharmacological research has shown how cortisol is important for psychological aspects such as memory, cognition, sleep, impulsivity, depression and neuronal damage. These same functions are often impaired in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users, and cortisol may be an important modulatory co-factor. Conclusions The energizing hormone cortisol is involved in the psychobiology of MDMA, probably via its effects on energy metabolism. Acute cortisol release may potentiate the stimulating effects of MDMA in dance clubbers. Chronically, cortisol may contribute to the variance in functional and structural consequences of repeated ecstasy usage. PMID:19893332

Correlations of hair level with salivary level in cortisol and cortisone.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Quan; Chen, Zheng; Chen, Shenghuo; Yu, Tian; Wang, Juxia; Wang, Weiwen; Deng, Huihua

2018-01-15

Contrary findings exist on the consistency between hair cortisol and salivary cortisol in assessing the basal activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The mismatches in temporal characteristic and the indices of hair and salivary cortisol might be potential reasons for the inconsistency. The aim of this study was to investigate the consistency between hair and salivary levels in cortisol and cortisone by directly examining the correlation between hair level and salivary level with different temporal characteristics (acute, short-term and long-term levels) and reflecting different HPA functions (basal level and reactivity level) in the well-matched time span. A longitudinal design within a five-week period was conducted in a sample of 44 healthy female college students (mean age: 18.8yrs.; age range: 18-22yrs) of Han nationality with the exclusion criteria, such as use of oral contraceptives or glucocorticoids and bleached hairs, etc. Four saliva samples (awakening, awakening+30min, awakening+4h and awakening+9h) were collected from an identical participant on three separate days with an interval of one week and 1-cm hair segment nearest to the scalp was collected two weeks later after completing saliva collection. Cortisol and cortisone in saliva and hair were simultaneously measured with high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. There were significantly moderate correlations in cortisol and cortisone between hair level and three-day average of single-day salivary level, but low to moderate correlations between hair level and single-point and single-day salivary level. Hair cortisol and cortisone were unrelated to single-day level and three-day average of diurnal slope and cortisol awakening response of salivary cortisol and cortisone, respectively. The considerable consistency between hair level and long-term salivary level in cortisol and cortisone implies that cortisol and cortisone in hair are valid biomarkers of

Cortisol, hedonics, and maternal responsiveness in human mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, A S; Steiner, M; Corter, C

1997-10-01

New mothers are more attracted to the body odor of newborn infants than are nonmothers. In this study we investigated the relation of postpartum hormones and of prior experience with infants to this enhanced maternal attraction to infant odors. New mothers were asked to complete a hedonics task, using a pleasantness scale to provide an attraction score to different odorants presented on a cotton substrate in a 1-pt Baskin-Robbins container. Mothers were "blind" to the contents of the container. Participants also completed an extensive set of 100-item likert scales concerning their attitudes toward infants, care taking, own maternal adequacy, and other interpersonal relations. Mothers were videotaped interacting with their infants and provided salivary samples prior to the interaction. Salivary samples were assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) for salivary concentrations of cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone. Results show that first-time mothers with higher cortisol concentrations were more attracted to their own infant's body odor. Mothers with higher cortisol levels were also better able to recognize their own infants' odors. While cortisol was not related to attitudinal measures of maternal responsiveness, mothers with more prior experience interacting with infants exhibited both more attraction to infant odors and more positive maternal attitudes. Together, prior maternal experience and postpartum cortisol explain a significant proportion of the variance in mothers' attraction to newborn infant odors. These relations are discussed in terms of the variety of "meanings" cortisol could have during the postpartum period. Copyright 1997 Academic Press.

Alteraciones del desarrollo embrionario, poliaminas y estrés oxidativo inducidos por plaguicidas organofosforados en Rhinella Arenarum Alterations in embryonic development, polyamines and oxidative stress induced by organophosphates in Rhinella arenarum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecilia Inés Lascano

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Los plaguicidas organofosforados (OP son masivamente aplicados en el Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén, afectando al ecosistema. Utilizamos un modelo embrionario de anfibios (Rhinella arenarum para estudiar mecanismos por los cuales OP como metilazinfos (MA y clorpirifos (CP podrían provocar teratogénesis. Los embriones fueron desarrollados en diferentes concentraciones de MA o CP hasta opérculo completo (OC, analizando: malformaciones, histología, glutatión reducido (GSH y enzimas antioxidantes, poliaminas, actividad de ornitina-decarboxilasa (ODC y proteínaquinasa- C (PKC. Ambos OP provocaron un incremento tiempo/concentración-dependiente de malformaciones, llegando a 100% de teratogénesis en estadios avanzados y a las mayores concentraciones, incluyendo: exogastrulación, curvaturas de aleta caudal, acortamiento axial, edema, y atrofia branquial. Se evidenció una condición de estrés oxidativo creciente: las enzimas GSH-dependientes (S-transferasa (GST, peroxidasa y reductasa fueron inducidas tempranamente a bajas concentraciones, pero inhibidas en el estadio de OC a altas concentraciones, junto con una caída significativa de GSH (62% para MA. MA incrementó significativamente (18X la actividad de ODC en OC, aumentando los niveles de putrescina (60% pero disminuyendo espermidina (56% y espermina (100%; CP disminuyó en estadios tempranos la actividad de ODC y niveles de poliaminas. La disminución de poliaminas podría deberse al incremento de degradación por poliamino-oxidasa, contribuyendo al estrés oxidativo inducido por OP. Esto causaría la disminución de GSH, y la activación de PKC en OC (55%, que participaría en el control positivo de GST y ODC. Finalmente, el estrés oxidativo y la disminución en los niveles de poliaminas podrían ser causantes de alteraciones del desarrollo embrionario.Organophosphate (OP pesticides are widely applied in the region of Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén, affecting the ecosystem. We

Cortisol acutely reduces selective attention for erotic words in healthy young men.

Science.gov (United States)

Putman, Peter; Berling, Sylvia

2011-10-01

Psychological stress prompts activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis resulting in increased release of cortisol. Long-term HPA aberrations have been observed for stress-related affective disorders but research into acute effects of cortisol on affect-regulation has only recently begun. Previous studies reported that exogenous cortisol acutely attenuated automatic attentional processing of task-irrelevant threatening information. This has been taken to suggest that cortisol may have acute anxiolytic properties, possibly through facilitating inhibition of threatening information. However, the role of cortisol in attentional inhibition of non-threatening arousing stimuli remained unclear. Therefore acute effects of 40 mg cortisol on performance of a masked and unmasked emotional Stroop task (EST) were assessed. Results for only the unmasked task demonstrated EST interference (interpreted as increased automatic attention) for erotic stimuli which was abolished by cortisol administration. This implies that effects of cortisol may not be restricted to attenuation of specifically anxiogenic information processing, as previously suggested. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radioimmunological determination of apparent free cortisol concentration: Some physiological and clinical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clerico, A.; Del Chicca, M.G.; Ghione, S.; Zucchelli, G.C.

1979-01-01

A new method has been developed for the determination of the apparent free plasma cortisol concentration by means of direct radioimmunological measurement of dialyzed cortisol. This method is characterized by a sufficient degree of reproducibility and high sensitivity. Apparent free cortisol concentration in 40 control subjects of both sexes (blood drawn at 8 a.m.) was 9.00 +- 4.6 ng/ml. The mean value of free cortisol concentration in blood samples drawn at 11-12 p.m. from 21 of these subjects was highly significantly different (2.3 +- 1.6 ng/ml, p < 0.001). In addition, in 13 of these subjects circadian variation of the apparent free cortisol concentration showed a pattern similar to that of total cortisol concentration. The mean free cortisol concentration found in a group of women during normal pregnancy was significant higher than in non-pregnant women. Patients with renal insufficiency do not show a significant difference in free cortisol plasma levels, whereas higher values were found in hepatic cyrrhosis. (Auth.)

Salivary cortisol in depressed patients versus control persons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knorr, Ulla; Vinberg, Maj; Kessing, Lars V

2010-01-01

The pathophysiology of depression has been associated to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the use of salivary cortisol measures is increasingly being incorporated into research. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether salivary cortisol differs...... for patients with depression and control persons. We did a systematic review with sequential meta-analysis and meta-regression according to the PRISMA Statement based on comprehensive database searches for studies of depressed patients compared to control persons in whom salivary cortisol was measured. Twenty...... case-control studies, including 1354 patients with depression and 1052 control persons were identified. In a random-effects meta-analysis salivary cortisol was increased for depressed patients as compared to control persons on average 2.58 nmol/l (95% C.I.: 0.95-4.21) p=0.002 in the morning...

Effects of Cortisol on Short and Long Term Diet and Morphology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peiman, Kathryn S.; Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Larsen, Martin Hage

2017-01-01

Glucocorticoids such as cortisol are released during stressful events. However, many of the effects of cortisol on animals in the wild are still poorly documented. We evaluated the effects of artificially elevated cortisol on diet and morphology over the short term (2 weeks) and long term (4 months......) using a wild population of juvenile semi-anadromous brown trout (Salmo trutta) in Denmark. We caught, tagged and manipulated juvenile fish while in their natal freshwater streams in the fall. Manipulations consisted of an exogenous intracoelomic injection of cortisol suspended in vegetable shortening...... using geometric morphometrics. Cortisol affected carbon stable isotope signatures but had minimal effects on nitrogen isotopes and morphology. Irrespective of treatment, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values increased over time. This study shows that cortisol can have both short and long term...

Effect of cortisol on muscle sympathetic nerve activity in Pima Indians and Caucasians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vozarova, Barbora; Weyer, Christian; Snitker, Soren

2003-01-01

. Although glucocorticoids inhibit SNS activity, Pima Indians are not hypercortisolemic compared with Caucasians. This does not exclude the possibility that the SNS is more responsive to an inhibitory effect of cortisol in the former than in the latter group. We measured fasting plasma ACTH and cortisol...... (metyrapone) followed by cortisol replacement (hydrocortisone) on plasma ACTH, cortisol, and MSNA. There were no ethnic differences in fasting plasma ACTH or cortisol, but MSNA adjusted for percent body fat was lower in Pimas than in Caucasians (P cortisol...... to a tonic inhibitory effect of cortisol. However, an acute release of cortisol is likely to more effectively contain sympathoexcitation during stress in Pima Indians than in Caucasians, which may be an important mechanism of cardioprotection in this Native American population....

Daily variations in cortisol levels and binge eating disorder.

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Sitton, Sarah; Porn, Patricia M; Shaeffer, Stephanie

2002-12-01

Morning and afternoon levels of cortisol for 73 volunteers (67 women and 6 men) were compared in relation to their Binge Eating Disorder scores, Body Mass Indexes, and self-reports of mood and hunger. Cortisol level was not significantly correlated with binge eating or mood or hunger for either time period. However, it was inversely related to body mass, with lower cortisol levels associated with greater body mass.

Ambulatory assessed implicit affect is associated with salivary cortisol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joram eMossink

2015-02-01

Full Text Available One of the presumed pathways linking negative emotions to adverse somatic health is an overactive HPA-axis, usually indicated by elevated cortisol levels. Traditionally, research has focused on consciously reported negative emotions. Yet, given that the majority of information processing occurs without conscious awareness, stress physiology might also be influenced by affective processes that people are not aware of. In a 24-hour ambulatory study we examined whether cortisol levels were associated with two implicit measures. Implicit affect was assessed using the Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test, and implicit negative memory bias was assessed with the word fragment completion tasks. In 55 healthy participants, we measured subjective stress levels, worries, implicit and explicit affect each hour during waking hours. Also, saliva samples were collected at three fixed times during the day, as well as upon waking and 30 minutes thereafter (cortisol awakening response. Multilevel analyses of the daytime cortisol levels revealed that the presence of an implicit negative memory bias was associated with increased cortisol levels. Additionally, implicit PA and, unexpectedly, implicit NA were negatively associated with cortisol levels. Finally, participants demonstrating higher levels of implicit sadness during the first measurement day, had a stronger cortisol rise upon awakening at the next day. Contrary to previous research, no associations between explicit affect and cortisol were apparent. The current study was the first to examine the concurrent relation between implicit measures and stress physiology in daily life. The results suggest that the traditional focus on consciously reported feelings and emotions is limited, and that implicit measures can add to our understanding of how stress and emotions contribute to daily physiological activity and, in the long term, health problems.

Interleukin-1 Antagonism Decreases Cortisol Levels in Obese Individuals.

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Urwyler, Sandrine Andrea; Schuetz, Philipp; Ebrahimi, Fahim; Donath, Marc Y; Christ-Crain, Mirjam

2017-05-01

Increased cortisol levels in obesity may contribute to the associated metabolic syndrome. In obesity, the activated innate immune system leads to increased interleukin (IL)-1β, which is known to stimulate the release of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH). We hypothesized that in obesity IL-1 antagonism would result in downregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to decreased cortisol levels. In this prospective intervention study, we included 73 patients with obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) and at least one additional feature of the metabolic syndrome. The primary end point was change in morning cortisol from baseline to after the administration of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra/Kineret®, total dose 3 × 100 mg). Secondary end points were effects on salivary cortisol and ACTH. Median age was 56 years, 50.7% of patients were female, and median BMI was 36.3 kg/m2. Median morning serum cortisol levels (nmol/L) decreased significantly after IL-1 antagonism [from baseline, 452 to 423; absolute difference, -38.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), -64 to -13.4; P = 0.0019]. Similar effects were found for salivary cortisol levels (-2.8; 95% CI, -4.4 to -1.3; P = 0.0007), ACTH levels (-2.2; 95% CI; -4.2 to -0.1; P = 0.038), systolic blood pressure (-5.2, 95% CI, -8.5 to -1.8; P = 0.0006), and heart rate (-2.9; 95% CI, -4.7 to -1.0; P = 0.0029). IL-1 antagonism in obese individuals with features of the metabolic syndrome leads to a decrease in serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and ACTH levels along with a reduction in systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Detection of endogenous cortisol in equine tears and blood at rest and after simulated stress.

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Monk, Caroline S; Hart, Kelsey A; Berghaus, Roy D; Norton, Natalie A; Moore, Phillip A; Myrna, Kathern E

2014-07-01

To determine whether cortisol is present in equine tears at rest and during simulated stress and compare tear cortisol to serum free and total cortisol. Fourteen healthy adult horses were included. Paired tear total cortisol and serum total and free cortisol concentrations were measured with ELISA, chemiluminescent immunoassay, and ultrafiltration methodology, respectively, in 10 horses at rest once daily for five consecutive days. In an additional four horses, paired tear and serum samples were collected for cortisol measurement before and after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation (cosyntropin, 1 μg/kg IV). Cortisol was detectable in equine tears at rest. Following ACTH stimulation, tear cortisol increased significantly from baseline at 60-120 min (P ≤ 0.001). Serum total and free cortisol also increased significantly at 30-180 min after ACTH stimulation (P ≤ 0.001). Both serum and tear cortisol returned to baseline concentrations by 360 min. Changes in tear cortisol were similarly associated with changes in serum total and free cortisol, although high tear cortisol concentrations suggest a portion of tear cortisol may be protein-bound. Cortisol is present in equine tears and increases in concert with serum cortisol following ACTH stimulation. Further study is needed to determine whether endogenous cortisol in tears contributes to ocular pathology. © 2013 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Hair cortisol concentration and glycated hemoglobin in African American adults.

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Lehrer, H Matthew; Dubois, Susan K; Maslowsky, Julie; Laudenslager, Mark L; Steinhardt, Mary A

2016-10-01

African Americans have higher diabetes prevalence compared to Whites. They also have elevated cortisol levels - indicating possible HPA axis dysregulation - which may raise blood glucose as part of the biological response to physiological and psychosocial stress. Little is known about chronic cortisol levels in African Americans, and even less about the role of chronically elevated cortisol in type 2 diabetes development in this racial group. We used analysis of cortisol in hair to examine associations of long-term (∼3months) cortisol levels with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in a group of African American adults. In exploratory analyses, we also studied the relationship of hair dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) with HbA1c. Participants were 61 community-dwelling African American adults (85% female; mean age 54.30 years). The first 3cm of scalp-near hair were analyzed for cortisol and DHEA concentration using enzyme-linked immunoassay analysis. Glycated hemoglobin was assessed, and regression analyses predicting HbA1c from hair cortisol and DHEA were performed in the full sample and in a subsample of participants (n=20) meeting the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disease (NIDDK) criteria for type 2 diabetes (HbA1c≥6.5%). In the full sample, HbA1c increased with hair cortisol level (β=0.22, p=0.04, f(2)=0.10), independent of age, sex, chronic health conditions, diabetes medication use, exercise, and depressive symptoms. In the subsample of participants with an HbA1c≥6.5%, hair cortisol was also positively related to HbA1c (β=0.45, p=0.04, f(2)=0.32), independent of diabetes medication use. Glycated hemoglobin was unrelated to hair DHEA in both the full sample and HbA1c≥6.5% subsample. Long-term HPA axis dysregulation in the form of elevated hair cortisol is associated with elevated HbA1c in African American adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MDMA, cortisol, and heightened stress in recreational ecstasy users.

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Parrott, Andrew C; Montgomery, Cathy; Wetherell, Mark A; Downey, Luke A; Stough, Con; Scholey, Andrew B

2014-09-01

Stress develops when an organism requires additional metabolic resources to cope with demanding situations. This review will debate how recreational 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') can increase some aspects of acute and chronic stress in humans. Laboratory studies on the acute effects of MDMA on cortisol release and neurohormone levels in drug-free regular ecstasy/MDMA users have been reviewed, and the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in chronic changes in anxiety, stress, and cognitive coping is debated. In the laboratory, acute ecstasy/MDMA use can increase cortisol levels by 100-200%, whereas ecstasy/MDMA-using dance clubbers experience an 800% increase in cortisol levels, because of the combined effects of the stimulant drug and dancing. Three-month hair samples of abstinent users revealed cortisol levels 400% higher than those in controls. Chronic users show heightened cortisol release in stressful environments and deficits in complex neurocognitive tasks. Event-related evoked response potential studies show altered patterns of brain activation, suggestive of increased mental effort, during basic information processing. Chronic mood deficits include more daily stress and higher depression in susceptible individuals. We conclude that ecstasy/MDMA increases cortisol levels acutely and subchronically and that changes in the HPA axis may explain why recreational ecstasy/MDMA users show various aspects of neuropsychobiological stress.

The Cortisol Paradox of Trauma-Related Disorders: Lower Phasic Responses but Higher Tonic Levels of Cortisol Are Associated with Sexual Abuse in Childhood

OpenAIRE

Schalinski, Inga; Elbert, Thomas; Steudte-Schmiedgen, Susann; Kirschbaum, Clemens

2015-01-01

ObjectivesInconsistent findings exist for the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with stress related disorders. Recent studies point towards early life stress as a potential modulator.MethodsWe investigated the impact of childhood sexual abuse on phasic (saliva cortisol reactivity) and tonic (hair cortisol) regulation. Furthermore, we assessed predictors on cortisol accumulation in hair. Women (N = 43) with stress-related disorders underwent a standardized a...

Cortisol and testosterone increase financial risk taking and may destabilize markets

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Cueva, Carlos; Roberts, R. Edward; Spencer, Tom; Rani, Nisha; Tempest, Michelle; Tobler, Philippe N.; Herbert, Joe; Rustichini, Aldo

2015-01-01

It is widely known that financial markets can become dangerously unstable, yet it is unclear why. Recent research has highlighted the possibility that endogenous hormones, in particular testosterone and cortisol, may critically influence traders’ financial decision making. Here we show that cortisol, a hormone that modulates the response to physical or psychological stress, predicts instability in financial markets. Specifically, we recorded salivary levels of cortisol and testosterone in people participating in an experimental asset market (N = 142) and found that individual and aggregate levels of endogenous cortisol predict subsequent risk-taking and price instability. We then administered either cortisol (single oral dose of 100 mg hydrocortisone, N = 34) or testosterone (three doses of 10 g transdermal 1% testosterone gel over 48 hours, N = 41) to young males before they played an asset trading game. We found that both cortisol and testosterone shifted investment towards riskier assets. Cortisol appears to affect risk preferences directly, whereas testosterone operates by inducing increased optimism about future price changes. Our results suggest that changes in both cortisol and testosterone could play a destabilizing role in financial markets through increased risk taking behaviour, acting via different behavioural pathways. PMID:26135946

Optimizing the radioimmunologic determination methods for cortisol and calcitonin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stalla, G.

1981-01-01

In order to build up a specific 125-iodine cortisol radioimmunoassay (RIA) pure cortisol-3(0-carbodxymethyl) oxim was synthesized for teh production of antigens and tracers. The cortisol was coupled with tyrosin methylester and then labelled with 125-iodine. For the antigen production the cortisol derivate was coupled with the same method to thyreoglobulin. The major part of the antisera, which were obtained like this, presented high titres. Apart from a high specificity for cortisol a high affinity was found in the acid pH-area and quantified with a particularly developed computer program. An extractive step in the cortisol RIA could be prevented by efforts. The assay was carried out with an optimized double antibody principle: The reaction time between the first and the second antiserum was considerably accelerated by the administration of polyaethylenglycol. The assay can be carried out automatically by applying a modular analysis system, which operates fast and provides a large capacity. The required quality and accuracy controls were done. The comparison of this assay with other cortisol-RIA showed good correlation. The RIA for human clacitonin was improved. For separating bound and freely mobile hormones the optimized double-antibody technique was applied. The antiserum was examined with respect to its affinity to calcitonin. For the 'zero serum' production the Florisil extraction method was used. The criteria of the quality and accuracy controls were complied. Significantly increased calcitonin concentrations were found in a patient group with medullar thyroid carcinoma and in two patients with an additional phaechromocytoma. (orig./MG) [de

Radioimmunoassay and chemical ionization/mass spectrometry compared for plasma cortisol determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindberg, C.; Johnson, S.; Hedner, P.; Gustafsson, A.

1982-01-01

A method is described for determination of cortisol in plasma and urine, based on chemical ionization/mass spectrometry with deuterium-labeled cortisol as the internal standard. The within-run precision (CV) was 2.5-5.7%, the between-run precision 4.6%. Results by this method were compared with those by a radioimmunological method (RIANEN Cortisol, New England Nuclear) for 395 plasma samples. The latter method gave significantly higher (approx. 25%) cortisol values

Salivary cortisol day curves in Addison's disease in patients on hydrocortisone replacement.

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Ross, I L; Levitt, N S; Van der Walt, J S; Schatz, D A; Johannsson, G; Haarburger, D H; Pillay, T S

2013-01-01

Using salivary cortisol (SC) measurements, cortisol exposure in Addison's disease patients on hydrocortisone replacement was determined and compared with healthy controls. Cortisol pharmacokinetics was assessed in 31 patients with Addison's disease on replacement hydrocortisone doses (median daily dose 20 mg; range 5-50 mg) and 30 healthy control subjects. Saliva samples (n=16) were collected between 08:00 and 00:00 h in 1 day, using a passive drool technique. Cortisol exposure was evaluated by noncompartmental approach. In the patients, cortisol exposure was significantly higher than in controls: median inter-quartile range (IQR) peak cortisol (C(max)) 174.5 (59.3-837.0) vs. 6.50 (4.7-19.3) nmol/l, p=0.0001; area under the curve (AUC) 390.1 (177.1-928.9) vs. 21.4 (14.6-28.4) minutes*nmol/l, p=0.0001, trough cortisol level (C(min)) 0.49 (0.49-0.96) vs. 0.49 (0.49-0.49) nmol/l, p=0.02, occurring at 480.0 (0.1-660.0) vs. 405.0 (180.0-570.0) min, p=0.56. First peak cortisol was 174.5 (53.0-754.7) vs. 6.27 (3.90-8.47) nmol/l, p=0.0001 and second peak cortisol 18.90 (5.22-76.9) vs. 3.12 (1.76-4.79) nmol/l, p=0.0001. The time to first peak cortisol differed between the 2 groups, 30 (30-75) vs. 0.1 (0.1-30) minutes; p=0.0001. At doses studied, hydrocortisone replacement therapy results in cortisol pharmacokinetics being markedly different from endogenous cortisol profiles in healthy control subjects. Addison's disease patients had significantly higher SC levels compared to healthy control subjects. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis.

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Thompson, Simon B N

2011-11-01

Yawning has become an interesting and curious scientific conundrum. Links between several neurological disorders can be found through the commonality of yawning episodes and contagious yawning. However, the reasons why we yawn are uncertain. Cortisol levels are known to rise during stress and fatigue; yawning may occur when we are under stress or tired. We do not know whether cortisol levels fluctuate during yawning. Potentially, yawning and cortisol levels may provide a valuable diagnostic tool and warning of untoward underlying neurological problems. A new hypothesis is proposed that links cortisol levels with yawning episodes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hair cortisol content in patients with adrenal insufficiency on hydrocortisone replacement therapy.

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Gow, Rachel; Koren, Gideon; Rieder, Michael; Van Uum, Stan

2011-06-01

Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) require life-long replacement therapy with exogenous glucocorticoids. Several studies have shown impaired subjective health status in these patients as well as increased morbidity and mortality risk, which may be caused by glucocorticoid over-replacement. As a measure of long-term cortisol exposure, the usefulness of hair cortisol analysis in patients receiving glucocorticoid replacement therapy was investigated. Hair samples, demographics, medical history and perceived stress scale questionnaires were collected from 93 patients across North America diagnosed with primary or secondary AI. Sixty-two household partners served as a control group. Cortisol was measured in the proximal 2 cm of hair, representing the most recent 2 months of exposure. A modified enzyme immunoassay was used for the measurement of cortisol. The male patients had significantly higher hair cortisol levels than the male controls (P cortisol content correlated significantly with glucocorticoid dose (r = 0·3, P cortisol content correlates with hydrocortisone (HC) dose in patients with AI. Our results suggest that some AI patients may be over-treated and hence may be at risk for the adverse effects of cortisol. Measurement of HC in hair may become a useful monitoring tool for long-term cortisol exposure in patients treated with glucocorticoids. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, blood glucose ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Stress is an extremely adaptive phenomenon in human beings and cortisol is a known stress hormone. Examination has been described as a naturalistic stressor capable of affecting human health. Objectives: To estimate the relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and ...

Morning cortisol is lower in obese individuals with normal glucose tolerance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Praveen EP

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Edavan P Praveen1, Jaya Prakash Sahoo1, Bindu Kulshreshtha2, Madan L Khurana3, Nandita Gupta1, Sada Nand Dwivedi3, Guresh Kumar3, Ariachery C Ammini11Department of Endocrinology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 2Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, 3Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IndiaBackground: There is no consensus on the role of cortisol in the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the relationship of morning plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH levels with body mass index (BMI and glucose tolerance.Subjects and methods: The sample frame was the “Offspring of individuals with diabetes study” database. A total of 358 offspring of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM and 287 individuals without a known family history of T2DM were recruited for the study. Subjects who were ≥10 years of age were selected from the database for analysis. Subjects with T2DM were excluded. All participants underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, and blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, and 120 minutes for glucose, insulin and C-peptide. Plasma cortisol, ACTH, and lipid profile were estimated from the fasting sample.Results: Four hundred and ninety-five participants (305 males [62%] and 190 females [38%] were included in the analysis. ACTH and cortisol levels were higher in normal-weight subjects than in overweight/obese subjects. Both ACTH and cortisol increased as fasting plasma glucose increased. Cortisol levels were significantly lower in offspring of T2DM subjects with MS than in offspring of T2DM subjects without MS. When adjusted for BMI, the significance was marginal. In males, cortisol levels were negatively correlated with early insulin secretion during OGTT (insulinogenic index [0–30] and positively with waist circumference and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In females, fasting

Reassessing the reliability of the salivary cortisol assay for the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.

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Zhang, Qian; Dou, Jingtao; Gu, Weijun; Yang, Guoqing; Lu, Juming

2013-10-01

The cortisol concentration in saliva is 10-fold lower than total serum cortisol and accurately reflects the serum concentration, both levels being lowest around midnight. The salivary cortisol assay measures free cortisol and is unaffected by confounding factors. This study analysed published data on the sensitivity and specificity of salivary cortisol levels in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. Data from studies on the use of different salivary cortisol assay techniques in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome, published between 1998 and 2012 and retrieved using Ovid MEDLINE®, were analysed for variance and correlation. For the 11 studies analysed, mean sensitivity and specificity of the salivary cortisol assay were both >90%. Repeated measurements were easily made with this assay, enabling improved diagnostic accuracy in comparison with total serum cortisol measurements. This analysis confirms the reliability of the saliva cortisol assay as pragmatic tool for the accurate diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. With many countries reporting a rising prevalence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity--in which there is often a high circulating cortisol level--salivary cortisol measurement will help distinguish these states from Cushing syndrome.

Endogenous Cortisol: Acute Modulation of Cytokine Gene Expression in Bovine PBMCs

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Cortisol suppresses many aspects of immune function. However, recent publications suggest acute cortisol exposure may actually enhance immune function (Dhabhar, Neuroimmunomod 2009;16:300). The objective of this study was to determine the influence of acute increases in endogenous cortisol on expres...

Sex differences in cortisol's regulation of affiliative behavior.

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Sherman, Gary D; Rice, Leslie K; Jin, Ellie Shuo; Jones, Amanda C; Josephs, Robert A

2017-06-01

A contribution to a special issue on Hormones and Human Competition. A stress perspective is used to illuminate how competitive defeat and victory shape biology and behavior. We report a field study examining how change in cortisol following perceived defeat (vs. victory) in a competition-in this case, a dog agility competition-relates to affiliative behavior. Following competition, we measured cortisol change and the extent to which dog handlers directed affiliative behaviors toward their dogs. We found striking sex differences in affiliation. First, men were more affiliative toward their dogs after victory, whereas women were more affiliative after defeat. Second, the greater a female competitor's increase in cortisol, the more time she spent affiliating with her dog, whereas for men, the pattern was the exact opposite: the greater a male competitor's increase in cortisol, the less time he spent affiliating with his dog. This pattern suggests that, in the wake of competition, men and women's affiliative behavior may serve different functions-shared celebration for men; shared consolation for women. These sex differences show not only that men and women react very differently to victory and defeat, but also that equivalent changes in cortisol across the sexes are associated with strikingly different behavioral consequences for men and women. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modulatory mechanisms of cortisol effects on emotional learning and memory: novel perspectives.

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van Ast, Vanessa A; Cornelisse, Sandra; Marin, Marie-France; Ackermann, Sandra; Garfinkel, Sarah N; Abercrombie, Heather C

2013-09-01

It has long been known that cortisol affects learning and memory processes. Despite a wealth of research dedicated to cortisol effects on learning and memory, the strength or even directionality of the effects often vary. A number of the factors that alter cortisol's effects on learning and memory are well-known. For instance, effects of cortisol can be modulated by emotional arousal and the memory phase under study. Despite great advances in understanding factors that explain variability in cortisol's effects, additional modulators of cortisol effects on memory exist that are less widely acknowledged in current basic experimental research. The goal of the current review is to disseminate knowledge regarding less well-known modulators of cortisol effects on learning and memory. Since several models for the etiology of anxiety, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), incorporate stress and the concomitant release of cortisol as important vulnerability factors, enhanced understanding of mechanisms by which cortisol exerts beneficial as opposed to detrimental effects on memory is very important. Further elucidation of the factors that modulate (or alter) cortisol's effects on memory will allow reconciliation of seemingly inconsistent findings in the basic and clinical literatures. The present review is based on a symposium as part of the 42nd International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology Conference, New York, USA, that highlighted some of those modulators and their underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cortisol covariation within parents of young children: Moderation by relationship aggression.

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Saxbe, Darby E; Adam, Emma K; Schetter, Christine Dunkel; Guardino, Christine M; Simon, Clarissa; McKinney, Chelsea O; Shalowitz, Madeleine U

2015-12-01

Covariation in diurnal cortisol has been observed in several studies of cohabiting couples. In two such studies (Liu et al., 2013; Saxbe and Repetti, 2010), relationship distress was associated with stronger within-couple correlations, suggesting that couples' physiological linkage with each other may indicate problematic dyadic functioning. Although intimate partner aggression has been associated with dysregulation in women's diurnal cortisol, it has not yet been tested as a moderator of within-couple covariation. This study reports on a diverse sample of 122 parents who sampled salivary cortisol on matched days for two years following the birth of an infant. Partners showed strong positive cortisol covariation. In couples with higher levels of partner-perpetrated aggression reported by women at one year postpartum, both women and men had a flatter diurnal decrease in cortisol and stronger correlations with partners' cortisol sampled at the same timepoints. In other words, relationship aggression was linked both with indices of suboptimal cortisol rhythms in both members of the couples and with stronger within-couple covariation coefficients. These results persisted when relationship satisfaction and demographic covariates were included in the model. During some of the sampling days, some women were pregnant with a subsequent child, but pregnancy did not significantly moderate cortisol levels or within-couple covariation. The findings suggest that couples experiencing relationship aggression have both suboptimal neuroendocrine profiles and stronger covariation. Cortisol covariation is an understudied phenomenon with potential implications for couples' relationship functioning and physical health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Childhood maltreatment and diurnal cortisol patterns in women with chronic pain.

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Nicolson, Nancy A; Davis, Mary C; Kruszewski, Denise; Zautra, Alex J

2010-06-01

To assess whether alleged childhood maltreatment is associated with daily cortisol secretion in women with chronic pain. Women with fibromyalgia (FM group, n = 35) or with osteoarthritis only (OA group, n = 35) completed diaries and collected three saliva samples daily for 30 days, with compliance monitored electronically. Childhood abuse and neglect were assessed by self-report (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-short form [CTQ-sf]). Multilevel regression analyses estimated associations between maltreatment and diurnal cortisol levels and slopes, controlling for depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and daily experience variables. Women reporting more severe childhood maltreatment had higher cortisol throughout the day. The estimated effect of CTQ on log cortisol (beta = 0.007, p = .001) represents a 0.7% increase in raw cortisol level for every unit increase in maltreatment score, which ranged from 25 (no maltreatment) to 106 in this sample. Although different forms of maltreatment were interrelated, emotional and sexual abuse were most closely linked to cortisol levels. Fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis groups showed similar secretory patterns, and maltreatment was associated with elevated cortisol in both. Although maltreatment was related to symptoms of depression, PTSD, and averaged daily reports of positive and negative affect, none of these variables mediated the link between maltreatment and cortisol. In women with chronic pain, self-reported childhood maltreatment was associated with higher diurnal cortisol levels. These results add to the evidence that abuse in childhood can induce long-term changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical activity. They further underscore the importance of evaluating childhood maltreatment in fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.

Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Castro M.

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Salivary cortisol is an index of plasma free cortisol and is obtained by a noninvasive procedure. We have been using salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological and diagnostic studies, among them the emergence of circadian rhythm in preterm and term infants. The salivary cortisol circadian rhythm in term and premature infants was established between 8 and 12 postnatal weeks. In the preterm infants the emergence of circadian rhythm was parallel to the onset of sleep rhythm. We also studied the use of salivary cortisol for screening for Cushing's syndrome (CS in control and obese outpatients based on circadian rhythm and the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone (DEX suppression test. Salivary cortisol was suppressed to less than 100 ng/dl after 1 mg DEX in control and obese patients. A single salivary cortisol measurement at 23:00 h and again after 1 mg DEX above the 90th percentile of the obese group values had sensitivity and specificity of 93 and 93% (23:00 h, and 91 and 94% (after DEX, respectively. The sensitivity improved to 100% when we combined both parameters. We also studied 11 CS children and 21 age-matched primary obese children for whom salivary cortisol sensitivity and specificity were 100/95% (23:00 h, and 100/95% (1 mg DEX, respectively. Similar to adults, sensitivity and specificity of 100% were obtained by combining 23:00 h and 1 mg DEX. The measurement of salivary cortisol is a useful tool for physiological studies and for the diagnosis of CS in children and adults on an outpatient basis.

An exploratory study of competition scores and salivary cortisol concentrations in Warmblood horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Munk, R; Jensen, R B; Palme, R; Munksgaard, L; Christensen, J W

2017-10-01

The main objective of this explorative study was to describe the relationship between competition scores and salivary cortisol concentrations in young horses during dressage and showjumping competitions. The study also investigated whether the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol concentrations was affected by competition over consecutive days compared with the home environment. Saliva samples were collected from 126 dressage horses and showjumpers in their home environment and at 3 different events. The relationship between scores given by judges at the competition and cortisol concentrations at the event was assessed. The results demonstrated that competition scores correlated positively to baseline cortisol concentrations at one of 3 events (r = 0.53, P cortisol concentrations followed a diurnal rhythm with the highest concentrations measured in the morning and the lowest in the evening, both at home and in the competition environment (P cortisol concentrations were greater during the competitions than at home (P cortisol concentrations at competition, and exercise caused cortisol concentrations to increase in both showjumpers and dressage horses (P cortisol concentrations was maintained in the novel environment. Dressage horses demonstrated greater baseline cortisol concentrations at competition than showjumpers, suggesting that they may perceive the novel environment as more stressful. Furthermore, there was no consistent relationship between baseline salivary cortisol concentrations and competition scores across the events. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cerebrospinal fluid cortisol levels are higher in patients with delirium versus controls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

White Timothy O

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High plasma cortisol levels can cause acute cognitive and neuropsychiatric dysfunction, and have been linked with delirium. CSF cortisol levels more closely reflect brain exposure to cortisol, but there are no studies of CSF cortisol levels in delirium. In this pilot study we acquired CSF specimens at the onset of spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery, and compared CSF and plasma cortisol levels in delirium cases versus controls. Findings Delirium assessments were performed the evening before or on the morning of operation with a standard battery comprising cognitive tests, mental status assessments and the Confusion Assessment Method. CSF and plasma samples were obtained at the onset of the operation and cortisol levels measured. Twenty patients (15 female, 5 male aged 62 - 93 years were studied. Seven patients were diagnosed with delirium. The mean ages of cases (81.4 (SD 7.2 and controls (80.5 (SD 8.7 were not significantly different (p = 0.88. The median (interquartile range CSF cortisol levels were significantly higher in cases (63.9 (40.4-102.1 nmol/L than controls (31.4 (21.7-43.3 nmol/L; Mann-Whitney U, p = 0.029. The median (interquartile range of plasma cortisol was also significantly higher in cases (968.8 (886.2-1394.4 nmol/L, than controls (809.4 (544.0-986.4 nmol/L; Mann Whitney U, p = 0.036. Conclusions These findings support an association between higher CSF cortisol levels and delirium. This extends previous findings linking higher plasma cortisol and delirium, and suggests that more definitive studies of the relationship between cortisol levels and delirium are now required.

Increased cortisol in the cerebrospinal fluid of women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Science.gov (United States)

Brundu, Benedetta; Loucks, Tammy L; Adler, Lauri J; Cameron, Judy L; Berga, Sarah L

2006-04-01

The proximate cause of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is reduced GnRH drive. The concomitant increase in circulating cortisol suggests that psychogenic stress plays an etiologic role, but others have argued for a strictly metabolic cause, such as undernutrition or excessive exercise. Indeed, our finding that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of CRH was not elevated in FHA cast doubt about the extent of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation in FHA and, therefore, we wondered whether central cortisol levels were elevated. We tested the null hypothesis that CSF cortisol levels would be comparable in FHA and eumenorrheic women (EW). The study is a cross-sectional comparison. The study was set in a general clinical research center at an academic medical center. Fifteen women with FHA who were of normal body weight and 14 EW participated. Blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals for 24 h, followed by procurement of 25 ml CSF. Cortisol, cortisol-binding globulin (CBG), and SHBG levels in blood and CSF were the main outcome measures. CSF cortisol concentrations were 30% greater when serum cortisol was 16% higher in FHA compared with EW. Circulating CBG, but not SHBG, was increased in FHA and, thus, the circulating free cortisol index was similar in FHA and EW. Because CBG and SHBG were nil in CSF, the increase in CSF cortisol in FHA was unbound. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is activated in FHA. The maintenance of CRH drive despite increased CSF cortisol indicates resistance to cortisol feedback inhibition. The mechanisms mediating feedback resistance likely involve altered hippocampal corticosteroid reception and serotonergic and GABAergic neuromodulation.

Association of copeptin and cortisol in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranowska-Bik, Agnieszka; Kochanowski, Jan; Uchman, Dorota; Litwiniuk, Anna; Kalisz, Malgorzata; Martynska, Lidia; Wolinska-Witort, Ewa; Baranowska, Boguslawa; Bik, Wojciech

2015-05-15

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Obesity may increase the risk of developing MS. The aim of this study was to evaluate copeptin and cortisol plasma levels in newly diagnosed untreated MS patients and to determine whether copeptin and cortisol are related to the patients' clinical statuses. We report that copeptin and cortisol were higher in overweight/obese MS patients. Positive correlations were observed between the two parameters. We conclude that alterations of copeptin and cortisol levels in multiple sclerosis patients may be related to adiposity. An increase in cortisol may also be associated with copeptin secretion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationship between salivary cortisol levels and regional cerebral glucose metabolism in nondemented elderly subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwak, Young Bin; Cho, Sang Soo; Lee, Sung Ha; Chey, Jean Yung; Kim, Sang Eun

2004-01-01

Cortisol is a primary stress hormone for flight-or-fight response in human. Increased levels of cortisol have been associated with memory and learning impairments. However, little is known about the role of cortisol on brain/cognitive functions in older adults. We compared regional cerebral glucose metabolism between elderly subjects with high and low cortisol levels using FDG PET. Salivary cortisol levels were measured four times during a day, and an average of the four measurements was used as the standard cortisol level for the analyses. From a population of 120 nondemented elderly subjects, 19 (mean age, 70.1±4.9 y: 2 males and 17 females) were identified as the high (> mean + 1 SD of the total population) cortisol subjects (mean cortisol, 0.69±0.09 μ g/dL), while 14 (mean age, 67.2±4.5 y: all females) as the low (< mean 1 SD) cortisol (mean cortisol, 0.27±0.03 μ g/dL). A voxel-wise comparison of FDG PET images from the high and low cortisol subjects was performed using SPM99. When compared with the low cortisol group, the high cortisol group had significant hypometabolism in the right middle temporal gyrus, left precuneus, right parahippocampal gyrus, right inferior temporal and superior temporal gyri (P < 0.01 uncorrected, k = 100). There was no significant increase of glucose metabolism in the high cortisol group compared with the low cortisol group (P < 0.01 uncorrected, k = 100). The high cortisol elderly subjects had hypometabolism in the parahippocampal and temporal gyri and precuneus, regions involved in memory and other cognitive functions. This may represent the preclinical metabolic correlates of forthcoming cognitive dysfunction associated with stress in the elderly. Longitudinal studies of brain metabolism and cognitive function are warranted

Relationship between salivary cortisol levels and regional cerebral glucose metabolism in nondemented elderly subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwak, Young Bin; Cho, Sang Soo; Lee, Sung Ha; Chey, Jean Yung; Kim, Sang Eun [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2004-07-01

Cortisol is a primary stress hormone for flight-or-fight response in human. Increased levels of cortisol have been associated with memory and learning impairments. However, little is known about the role of cortisol on brain/cognitive functions in older adults. We compared regional cerebral glucose metabolism between elderly subjects with high and low cortisol levels using FDG PET. Salivary cortisol levels were measured four times during a day, and an average of the four measurements was used as the standard cortisol level for the analyses. From a population of 120 nondemented elderly subjects, 19 (mean age, 70.1{+-}4.9 y: 2 males and 17 females) were identified as the high (> mean + 1 SD of the total population) cortisol subjects (mean cortisol, 0.69{+-}0.09 {mu} g/dL), while 14 (mean age, 67.2{+-}4.5 y: all females) as the low (< mean 1 SD) cortisol (mean cortisol, 0.27{+-}0.03 {mu} g/dL). A voxel-wise comparison of FDG PET images from the high and low cortisol subjects was performed using SPM99. When compared with the low cortisol group, the high cortisol group had significant hypometabolism in the right middle temporal gyrus, left precuneus, right parahippocampal gyrus, right inferior temporal and superior temporal gyri (P < 0.01 uncorrected, k = 100). There was no significant increase of glucose metabolism in the high cortisol group compared with the low cortisol group (P < 0.01 uncorrected, k = 100). The high cortisol elderly subjects had hypometabolism in the parahippocampal and temporal gyri and precuneus, regions involved in memory and other cognitive functions. This may represent the preclinical metabolic correlates of forthcoming cognitive dysfunction associated with stress in the elderly. Longitudinal studies of brain metabolism and cognitive function are warranted.

Cortisol, Health, and Coping in Patients with Nonspecific Low Back Pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sveinsdottir, Vigdis; Eriksen, Hege R; Ursin, Holger

2016-01-01

SHC, fatigue, pain, coping, and social support. The patients showed a seemingly normal cortisol profile. However, CAR was larger among patients compared to the reference population. Patients with low cortisol reactivity had more SHC, pain, and fatigue, and those with higher evening cortisol reported...

Body mass index and its effect on serum cortisol level | Odeniyi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: Cortisol measurement is indicated in suspected over or underproduction of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. The finding of low cortisol can create concern and initiate further investigations for the exclusion of adrenal insufficiency. Cushing's syndrome is frequently included in the differential diagnosis of obesity.

Relationship between effort-reward imbalance and hair cortisol concentration in female kindergarten teachers.

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Qi, Xingliang; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Yapeng; Ji, Shuang; Chen, Zheng; Sluiter, Judith K; Deng, Huihua

2014-04-01

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and hair cortisol concentration among teachers to examine whether hair cortisol can be a biomarker of chronic work stress. Hair samples were collected from 39 female teachers from three kindergartens. Cortisol was extracted from the hair samples with methanol, and cortisol concentrations were measured with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Work stress was measured using the effort-reward imbalance scale. The ratio of effort to reward showed significantly positive association with hair cortisol concentration. The cortisol concentration in the system increases with the effort-reward imbalance. Measurement of hair cortisol can become a useful biomarker of chronic work stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Education and levels of salivary cortisol over the day in US adults.

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Dowd, Jennifer B; Ranjit, Nalini; Do, D Phuong; Young, Elizabeth A; House, James S; Kaplan, George A

2011-02-01

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is hypothesized to be an important pathway linking socioeconomic position and chronic disease. This paper tests the association between education and the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol. Up to eight measures of cortisol (mean of 5.38 per respondent) over 2 days were obtained from 311 respondents, aged 18-70, drawn from the 2001-2002 Chicago Community Adult Health Study. Multi-level models with linear splines were used to estimate waking level, rates of cortisol decline, and area-under-the-curve over the day, by categories of education. Lower education (0-11 years) was associated with lower waking levels of cortisol, but not the rate of decline of cortisol, resulting in a higher area-under-the-curve for more educated respondents throughout the day. This study found evidence of lower cortisol exposure among individuals with less education and thus does not support the hypothesis that less education is associated with chronic over-exposure to cortisol.

Overweight and obese children have lower cortisol levels than normal weight children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kjölhede, E Allansson; Gustafsson, P E; Gustafsson, P A; Nelson, N

2014-03-01

The stress hormone cortisol is vital to survival, and a disturbed circadian rhythm can be deleterious to health. However, little is known about cortisol levels in healthy children. The aim of this study was to examine cortisol levels in relation to body mass index (BMI), age and sex. Salivary samples were collected in early morning, late morning and evening, on four consecutive days, from 342 children aged 6-12 years using Salivette(®) tubes. Samples were analysed using a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA). School nurses measured the children's height and weight, and these measurements were used to calculate their BMI. The children displayed a circadian rhythm in cortisol secretion, with morning zeniths and evening nadirs. Average cortisol levels in early morning, late morning and evening were significantly lower in overweight and obese children than in their normal weight counterparts. Cortisol levels did not vary significantly with age or sex. Our findings may suggest cortisol suppression in overweight and obese children. We found no evidence that sex or age influences cortisol levels. These findings highlight the need for further research on the relationship between stress and obesity in children. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

New, advantageous approach to the direct radioimmunoassay of cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tilden, R.L.

1977-01-01

Radioimmunoassay of serum cortisol is simplified by a unique solution to the problem of eliminating competition between cortisol-binding globulin and cortisol immunoglobulin. Increasing incubation temperature tends to release cortisol from its carrier protein while favoring the immunoglobulin reaction. We applied this methodology, using reagents supplied as a commercial kit. Serum, 5 μl, is diluted with 125 I-containing tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer and incubated at 45 0 C for 1 h, then aspirated. All standards are constituted in steroid-deprived serum. The clinical validity of the method is supported by comparisons with conventional methods during months of use under routine laboratory conditions. The simplified method also offers improved performance characteristics and, as described, is fully instrumented. The significance of this use of thermodynamic properties is discussed in terms of more general applicability

The Association between Midnight Salivary Cortisol and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Adults

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Yun-Mi Jang

2012-06-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe common characteristics of metabolic syndrome (MetS and Cushing's syndrome suggest that excess cortisol may be involved in the pathogenesis of MetS. Salivary cortisol measurements are simple and can be surrogates for plasma free cortisol, which is the most biologically active form. We evaluated the association between levels of midnight salivary cortisol and MetS in Korean adults.MethodsA total of 46 subjects, aged 20 to 70 years, who visited the Health Care Center at Konkuk University Hospital from August 2008 to August 2009 were enrolled. We compared the levels of midnight salivary cortisol in subjects with MetS with those in subjects without MetS. We analyzed the associations between midnight salivary cortisol levels and components of MetS.ResultsMidnight salivary cortisol levels were higher in the MetS group (70±42.4 ng/dL, n=12 than that in the group without MetS (48.1±36.8 ng/dL, n=34 (P=0.001. Positive correlations were observed between midnight salivary cortisol levels and waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. The risk for MetS was significantly higher in subjects with midnight salivary cortisol levels ≥100 ng/dL than in those with levels <50 ng/dL (odds ratio, 5.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.35 to 36.4.ConclusionThe results showed a positive correlation between midnight salivary cortisol levels and MetS, suggesting that hypercortisolism may be related to MetS.

Análisis de la respuesta de edificios unifamiliares adosados de obra de fábrica sometidos a asentamientos inducidos por tunelación

OpenAIRE

Gálvez Buezo, Javier

2012-01-01

En el presente trabajo se estudia el comportamiento de la obra de fábrica como elemento estructural portante. La obra de fábrica es un material que por su constitución presenta una capacidad nula o prácticamente nula de resistir tracciones. Por ello, los edificios proyectados con este material se diseñan con formas geométricas priorizando las compresiones, como pueden ser las paredes de carga, los pilares, arcos y bóvedas. El problema resulta cuando, por razones imprevistas, la estructura ...

Work hours and cortisol variation from non-working to working days.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchand, Alain; Durand, Pierre; Lupien, Sonia

2013-07-01

This study aims at modelling the relationship between the number of work hours per week and cortisol variation across 3 days by comparing non-working day to working day in a population of day-shift workers. Questionnaire data and saliva samples for cortisol analysis were collected on 132 day-shift workers employed in 13 workplaces in Canada. Consenting workers provided 5 saliva samples a day (awaking, 30 min after awaking, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., bedtime) repeated 3 times (Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday) over a week, to provide measures at work and non-work times and settings. Multilevel regression models were estimated from cortisol measurements at each occasion within a day at level-1, days at level-2 and workers at level-3. Controlling for gender and age, results revealed significant variations in salivary cortisol concentration between sample, day and worker levels. Cortisol increases linearly from non-working day to work days and work hours per week interacted with days, revealing a positive association between the number of work hours per week and cortisol concentrations during these days. Work hours per week did not interact with awaking, 30 min after awaking, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and bedtime cortisol concentrations. Gender and age had neither main effects nor interaction effects. No significant cortisol variations were found between workplaces. These results suggest that work hours act as a stressor that is associated with significant variations in cortisol concentrations over working days. Non-working days may contribute to stress reduction in workers who experience longer work hours.

Síncope inducido por el ejercicio: Reporte de un caso Exercise-induced syncope: case report

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Andrés Alvarado

2011-04-01

Full Text Available El síncope asociado con el ejercicio es una condición que debe alertar al médico tratante; en primera instancia, se descartan alteraciones estructurales cardiacas que predispongan a muerte súbita, y en segundo lugar se evalúa la presencia de arritmias que potencialmente causen esta condición. En pacientes mayores de 35 años se descartan la enfermedad coronaria y las valvulopatías como eventuales causas. En sujetos que entrenan de manera frecuente, el tono vagal aumentado es una condición adaptativa común que a veces puede causar síncope cardioinhibitorio asociado con el ejercicio, cuya presentación puede variar desde bradiarritmias hasta asistolia, por lo cual constituye un reto diagnóstico.Exercise-induced syncope is a condition that should alert the treating physician; structural cardiac abnormalities that predispose to sudden death should be discarded, and the presence of arrhythmias that may potentially cause this condition are evaluated. In patients over 35 years, coronary and valvular disease are ruled-out as a possible cause of syncope associated with exercise. In subjects who train frequently, increased vagal tone is a common adaptive condition that may sometimes cause cardio-inhibitory syncope associated with exercise, whose presentation may vary from bradyarrhythmia to asystolia, thereby providing a diagnostic challenge.

Circulating angiogenic cell function is inhibited by cortisol in vitro and associated with psychological stress and cortisol in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Aschbacher, Kirstin; Derakhshandeh, Ronak; Flores, Abdiel J; Narayan, Shilpa; Mendes, Wendy Berry; Springer, Matthew L

2016-05-01

Psychological stress and glucocorticoids are associated with heightened cardiovascular disease risk. We investigated whether stress or cortisol would be associated with reduced circulating angiogenic cell (CAC) function, an index of impaired vascular repair. We hypothesized that minority-race individuals who experience threat in interracial interactions would exhibit reduced CAC function, and that this link might be explained by cortisol. To test this experimentally, we recruited 106 African American participants for a laboratory interracial interaction task, in which they received socially evaluative feedback from Caucasian confederates. On a separate day, a subset of 32 participants (mean age=26years, 47% female) enrolled in a separate biological substudy and provided blood samples for CAC isolation and salivary samples to quantify the morning peak in cortisol (the cortisol awakening response, CAR). CAC function was quantified using cell culture assays of migration to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and secretion of VEGF into the culture medium. Heightened threat in response to an interracial interaction and trait anxiety in vivo were both associated with poorer CAC migratory function in vitro. Further, threat and poorer sustained attention during the interracial interaction were associated with a higher CAR, which in turn, was related to lower CAC sensitivity to glucocorticoids. In vitro, higher doses of cortisol impaired CAC migratory function and VEGF protein secretion. The glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486 reversed this functional impairment. These data identify a novel, neuroendocrine pathway by which psychological stress may reduce CAC function, with potential implications for cardiovascular health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Circulating Angiogenic Cell Function is Inhibited by Cortisol in Vitro and Associated with Psychological Stress and Cortisol in Vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Aschbacher, Kirstin; Derakhshandeh, Ronak; Flores, Abdiel J.; Narayan, Shilpa; Mendes, Wendy Berry; Springer, Matthew L.

2016-01-01

Psychological stress and glucocorticoids are associated with heightened cardiovascular disease risk. We investigated whether stress or cortisol would be associated with reduced circulating angiogenic cell (CAC) function, an index of impaired vascular repair. We hypothesized that minority-race individuals who experience threat in interracial interactions would exhibit reduced CAC function, and that this link might be explained by cortisol. To test this experimentally, we recruited 106 African American participants for a laboratory interracial interaction task, in which they received socially evaluative feedback from Caucasian confederates. On a separate day, a subset of 32 participants (mean age = 26 years, 47% female) enrolled in a separate biological substudy and provided blood samples for CAC isolation and salivary samples to quantify the morning peak in cortisol (the cortisol awakening response, CAR). CAC function was quantified using cell culture assays of migration to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and secretion of VEGF into the culture medium. Heightened threat in response to an interracial interaction and trait anxiety in vivo were both associated with poorer CAC migratory function in vitro. Further, threat and poorer sustained attention during the interracial interaction were associated with a higher CAR, which in turn, was related to lower CAC sensitivity to glucocorticoids. In vitro, higher doses of cortisol impaired CAC migratory function and VEGF protein secretion. The glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486 reversed this functional impairment. These data identify a novel, neuroendocrine pathway by which psychological stress may reduce CAC function, with potential implications for cardiovascular health. PMID:26925833

Shift work parameters and disruption of diurnal cortisol production in female hospital employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Eleanor Wai Man; Aronson, Kristan J; Leung, Michael; Day, Andrew; Tranmer, Joan

2016-01-01

Shift work is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Disruption of cortisol production is a potential underlying mechanism. This study explored the associations of diurnal quantity and pattern of cortisol production in relation to (1) current shift work status (exclusive day versus rotating days and nights), (2) years of past shift work and (3) parameters of rotating shift work (timing, length and intensity). Female hospital employees (160 day workers and 168 rotating shift workers) from southeastern Ontario, Canada, participated in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire and measures of body height, weight, and waist circumference were taken. Midstream urine samples were collected over two separate 24-hour periods to measure creatinine-adjusted cortisol. Total diurnal cortisol production and pattern were described with two measures of the area under the curve. The effect of shift work on cortisol was modeled using multivariable linear regression analyses. Cortisol production in day workers and shift workers on their day shift were similar; however, shift workers on the night shift had flatter diurnal cortisol curves and produced less cortisol. This suggests that night work is associated with an acute attenuation of cortisol production.

Aging, health behaviors, and the Diurnal rhythm and awakening response of salivary cortisol

OpenAIRE

Heaney, Jennifer L. J.; Phillips, Anna C.; Carroll, Douglas

2012-01-01

This study compared the awakening response and diurnal rhythm of cortisol in young versus older adults in relation to health behaviours. Older adults displayed significantly reduced cortisol upon awakening, a lower cortisol awakening response and a flatter diurnal profile represented by a reduced area under the curve and cortisol slope. There was also a significant interaction of age, cortisol and diet; younger adults with a higher fat and lower fruit and vegetable intake exhibited the flatte...

Children's Cortisol Patterns and the Quality of the Early Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Sajaniemi, Nina; Suhonen, Eira; Kontu, Elina; Rantanen, Pekka; Lindholm, Harri; Hyttinen, Sirpa; Hirvonen, Ari

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of early educational quality on children's cortisol levels. It was hypothesised that the environmental stressors might load children's immature stress regulative systems thus affecting their diurnal cortisol levels. The study sample consisted of 146 preschool-aged children. Cortisol was measured…

Cortisol and melatonin in the cutaneous stress response system of fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulczykowska, Ewa; Kalamarz-Kubiak, Hanna; Gozdowska, Magdalena; Sokołowska, Ewa

2018-04-01

The stress hormone cortisol, together with antioxidants, melatonin (Mel) and its biologically active metabolites, 5-methoxykynuramines, including AFMK, set up a local stress response system in mammalian skin. Our in vitro study of the European flounder (Platichthys flesus) was designed to examine whether Mel and AFMK would respond to cortisol while a glucocorticoid is added to the incubation medium. The concentrations of cortisol in the incubation medium mimic plasma cortisol levels seen in fish exposed to different types of stresses such as handling, confinement, high density, food-deprivation or air-exposure. We measured Mel and AFMK in skin explants and culture media using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. We also analysed melanosome response (dispersion/aggregation) in the explants subjected to the different treatments. Cortisol stimulated the release of Mel and AFMK from skin explants in a dose-dependent manner. Melanosome dispersion and a darkening of the skin explants were observed after incubation with cortisol. This study is the first to demonstrate the interrelationship between cortisol and Mel/AFMK in fish skin. Our data strongly suggest that the cutaneous stress response system (CSRS) is present in fish. The question remains whether Mel, AFMK or cortisol are synthetized locally in fish skin and/or transported by the bloodstream. The presence of the CSRS should be taken into account during elaboration of new indicators of fish welfare both in aquaculture and in the wild. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simplified ultrafiltration method for determination of serum free cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacMahon, W.; Sgoutas, D.

1983-01-01

The authors describe the suitability of the Amicon MPS-1 centrifugal ultrafiltration device and the YMB membrane for measuring free cortisol in serum. The method combines two independent assays: total cortisol and the ultrafiltrate fraction of added [ 3 H]cortisol. The unbound fraction is determined in 0.25-0.30 ml of ultrafiltrate collected from 0.6 to 1 ml of serum that has been equilibrated with [ 3 H]cortisol at 37 0 C for 20 min. The assay is rapid (less than 1 h), practical (no more than 0.6 ml of serum is necessary) and repeatable (CV: 3.8% within-assay and 12.2% in different assays). Error introduced in free cortisol measurement due to dilution effects in dialysis is systematically defined, and the effect of tracer purity on the ultrafiltration method is examined. Dialyzed sera from normal men and women, from patients with Cushing's disease and adrenal insufficiency, and from pregnant women gave ultrafiltration results that accurately duplicated those obtained by previous dialysis. (Auth.)

Movimientos inducidos en la excavación de túneles urbanos con EPB: Estudio del efecto de pantallas laterales y de las condiciones de contorno

OpenAIRE

Castellón López, Javier

2010-01-01

Uno de los principales problemas en la construcción de túneles urbanos con EPB es la afección a estructuras próximas a la excavación. Una práctica habitual para reducir los movimientos inducidos sobre dichas estructuras es la construcción de pantallas de hormigón laterales, que separan con un elemento rígido la zona excavada de la zona que se quiere proteger. En este trabajo se estudia cómo estas pantallas reducen los movimientos que se generan en el terreno durante la excavación de u...

The effect of breeding facility and sexual stimulation on plasma cortisol in boars.

Science.gov (United States)

Levis, D G; Barnett, J L; Hemsworth, P H; Jongman, E

1995-12-01

Nine boars were used to evaluate effects of breeding facility design and sexual activity on plasma cortisol concentrations . In one breeding facility (conventional), boars were housed individually in small pens, and female pigs were mated in those boar pens. In another breeding facility (Detection-Mating Area [DMA] system), boars were housed individually in stalls, and female pigs were mated in a specific mating pen adjacent to the front of stalls where boars were housed. After 51 d of housing treatment, a catheter was surgically implanted in the cephalic vein for collection of blood samples. Daytime profiles (hourly collections from 0900 to 1700) of cortisol did not differ among boars in the two treatment groups. Cortisol was greater (P cortisol in boars, but breeding facility did not affect the ACTH-induced changes in cortisol concentrations. There was a treatment x time interaction (P cortisol after sexual stimulation, and the magnitude and duration of increase in cortisol were greater (P Cortisol was greater (P cortisol concentration in boars seems to be a normal biological response to sexual activity. However, magnitude and duration of the increase in cortisol may be influenced by breeding facility design and mating procedure. There is no evidence, based on physiological data, that housing boars in stalls in the DMA system has any adverse effects on their welfare.

Body mass index and its effect on serum cortisol level.

Science.gov (United States)

Odeniyi, I A; Fasanmade, O A; Ogbera, A O; Ohwovoriole, A E

2015-01-01

Cortisol measurement is indicated in suspected over or under production of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. The finding of low cortisol can create concern and initiate further investigations for the exclusion of adrenal insufficiency. Cushing's syndrome is frequently included in the differential diagnosis of obesity. Some literature describes reduced serum cortisol levels in obesity, however, this is not a well-recognized phenomenon. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and serum cortisol levels. Seventy healthy participants agreed to take part in the study. The anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences) were done. Exclusion criteria include those with a history of adrenal/pituitary disease or medications altering cortisol level. The basal cortisol (BC) sample was taken at 8 a.m. immediately before administration of an intravenous bolus injection of 250 μg adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). BMI categories were defined as normal and high if BMI was 18.5-24.99 kg/m² and ≥ 25 kg/m², respectively. Forty (57.1%) participants had normal BMI while 30 (42.9%) participants had BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² (P0 = 0.053). The mean BC level was lower in participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² but not significant. There was a negative correlation between BMI and BC level ( r = -0.205, P = 0.88) while a positive correlation existed between stimulated cortisol level and BMI (r = 0.009, P = 0.944). Persons with BMI above 25 kg/m² had lower BC level though not statistically significant, the trend was noticed. Subjecting people whose BMI is above 25 kg/m² to further stimulation with ACTH because of low BC is not advised because their response to ACTH stimulation was similar to those who have normal BMI.

Diurnal cortisol rhythms among Latino immigrants in Oregon, USA

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Squires Erica C

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract One of the most commonly used stress biomarkers is cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone released by the adrenal glands that is central to the physiological stress response. Free cortisol can be measured in saliva and has been the biomarker of choice in stress studies measuring the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Chronic psychosocial stress can lead to dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and results in an abnormal diurnal cortisol profile. Little is known about objectively measured stress and health in Latino populations in the United States, yet this is likely an important factor in understanding health disparities that exist between Latinos and whites. The present study was designed to measure cortisol profiles among Latino immigrant farmworkers in Oregon (USA, and to compare quantitative and qualitative measures of stress in this population. Our results indicate that there were no sex differences in average cortisol AUCg (area under the curve with respect to the ground over two days (AvgAUCg; males = 1.38, females = 1.60; P = 0.415. AUCg1 (Day 1 AUCg and AvgAUCg were significantly negatively associated with age in men (PPPP

Development of the cortisol circadian rhythm in the light of stress early in life.

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Sterre S H; Beijers, Roseriet; Cillessen, Antonius H N; de Weerth, Carolina

2015-12-01

The secretion of the stress hormone cortisol follows a diurnal circadian rhythm. There are indications that this rhythm is affected by stress early in life. This paper addresses the development of the cortisol circadian rhythm between 1 and 6 years of age, and the role of maternal stress and anxiety early in the child's life on this (developing) rhythm. Participants were 193 healthy mother-child dyads from a community sample. Self-reported maternal stress and anxiety and physiological stress (saliva cortisol), were assessed prenatally (gestational week 37). Postnatally, self-reported maternal stress and anxiety were measured at 3, 6, 12, 30, and 72 months. Saliva cortisol samples from the children were collected on two days (four times each day) at 12, 30, and 72 months of age. The total amount of cortisol during the day and the cortisol decline over the day were determined to indicate children's cortisol circadian rhythm. Multilevel analyses showed that the total amount of cortisol decreased between 1 and 6 years. Furthermore, more maternal pregnancy-specific stress was related to higher total amounts of cortisol in the child. Higher levels of early postnatal maternal anxiety were associated with flatter cortisol declines in children. Higher levels of early postnatal maternal daily hassles were associated with steeper child cortisol declines over the day. These results indicated developmental change in children's cortisol secretion from 1 to 6 years and associations between maternal stress and anxiety early in children's lives and children's cortisol circadian rhythm in early childhood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salivary cortisol in unaffected twins discordant for affective disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vinberg, Maj; Bennike, Bente; Kyvik, Kirsten Ohm

2008-01-01

. In conclusion, a high genetic liability to affective disorder was associated with a higher evening cortisol level, but not with awakening cortisol level. Future prospective family, high-risk and twin studies are needed to decide whether abnormalities in the HPA axis can be identified as an endophenotype......Dysfunction in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been proposed as a biological endophenotype for affective disorders. In the present study the hypothesis that a high genetic liability to affective disorder is associated with higher cortisol levels was tested in a cross......-sectional high-risk study. Healthy monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins with (High-Risk twins) and without (Low-Risk twins) a co-twin history of affective disorder were identified through nationwide registers. Awakening and evening salivary cortisol levels were compared between the 190 High- and Low...

Cortisol boosts risky decision-making behavior in men but not in women.

Science.gov (United States)

Kluen, Lisa Marieke; Agorastos, Agorastos; Wiedemann, Klaus; Schwabe, Lars

2017-10-01

Acute stress may escalate risky decision-making in men, while there is no such effect in women. Although first evidence links these gender-specific effects of stress to stress-induced changes in cortisol, whether elevated cortisol is indeed sufficient to boost risk-taking, whether a potential cortisol effect depends on simultaneous noradrenergic activation, and whether cortisol and noradrenergic activation exert distinct effects on risk-taking in men and women is unknown. In this experiment, we therefore set out to elucidate the impact of cortisol and noradrenergic stimulation on risky decision-making in men and women. In a fully-crossed, placebo-controlled, double-blind design, male and female participants received orally either a placebo, hydrocortisone, yohimbine, an alpha-2-adrenoceptor-antagonist leading to increased noradrenergic stimulation, or both drugs before completing the balloon analogue risk task, a validated measure of risk-taking. Overall, participants' choice was risk-sensitive as reflected in reduced responding in high- compared to moderate- and low-risk conditions. Cortisol, however, led to a striking increase in risk-taking in men, whereas it had no effect on risk-taking behavior in women. Yohimbine had no such effect and the gender-specific effect of cortisol was not modulated by yohimbine. Our data show that cortisol boosts risk-taking behavior in men but not in women. This differential effect of cortisol on risk-taking may drive gender differences in risky decision-making under stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relation between salivary cortisol as stress biomarker and dietary pattern in children.

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Michels, Nathalie; Sioen, Isabelle; Braet, Caroline; Huybrechts, Inge; Vanaelst, Barbara; Wolters, Maike; De Henauw, Stefaan

2013-09-01

Psychological stress has been suggested to result in hormonal effects (e.g. changes in cortisol pattern) that may change food selection in unhealthy ways. This study examines whether children's dietary pattern is indeed related to salivary cortisol levels. In 323 children (5-10 years old) participating in the Belgian ChiBS study, salivary cortisol samples, a biomarker for stress, was sampled when waking up, 30 and 60 min after wake up and in the evening on two consecutive weekdays. Data on the children's dietary pattern (frequency of sweet foods, fatty foods, snacks, fruit and vegetables) was collected with a food frequency questionnaire. Multilevel time modelling was used with adjustments for sex, age, body mass index, parental education and wake up time. Higher overall cortisol levels and a large cortisol awakening response (CAR) were associated with more frequent consumption of sweet foods. A steeper diurnal cortisol decline was associated with a higher sweet, fatty and snack food consumption frequency. No associations with fruit and vegetables consumption were found. High cortisol levels were linked to an unhealthier dietary pattern (more fatty food, snacks and especially sweet food). This supports the theory of cortisol-induced comfort food preference and strengthens the stress-diet relation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive ability across the life course and cortisol levels in older age.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Mathew A; Cox, Simon R; Brett, Caroline E; Deary, Ian J; MacLullich, Alasdair M J

2017-11-01

Elevated cortisol levels have been hypothesized to contribute to cognitive aging, but study findings are inconsistent. In the present study, we examined the association between salivary cortisol in older age and cognitive ability across the life course. We used data from 370 members of the 36-Day Sample of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947, who underwent cognitive testing at age 11 years and were then followed up at around age 78 years, completing further cognitive tests and providing diurnal salivary cortisol samples. We hypothesized that higher cortisol levels would be associated with lower cognitive ability in older age and greater cognitive decline from childhood to older age but also lower childhood cognitive ability. Few of the tested associations were significant, and of those that were, most suggested a positive relationship between cortisol and cognitive ability. Only 1 cognitive measure showed any sign of cortisol-related impairment. However, after correcting for multiple comparisons, no results remained significant. These findings suggest that cortisol may not play an important role in cognitive aging across the life course. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Idle behaviors of the hippocampus reflect endogenous cortisol levels in youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomason, Moriah E; Tocco, Maria A; Quednau, Kelly A; Bedway, Andrea R; Carré, Justin M

2013-06-01

Compelling evidence indicates that disruption in functional connectivity (FC) in brain networks underlies many psychiatric and developmental disorders. Current theory posits that biological (i.e., cortisol) and environmental (i.e., stress) experiences in early life are strong determinants in the development of functional brain systems and formative in the genesis of such disorders. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which individual differences in cortisol concentrations during FC magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would map onto variability in hippocampal to default mode network (DMN) connectivity in typically developing youth. Salivary cortisol and FC MRI data were collected concurrently in 33 scan-naive 7- to 15-year-old participants. Twenty-nine of these participants previously completed the Trier Social Stress Test. Hippocampal to DMN FC and endogenous cortisol variability during MRI were examined. A possible association between MRI cortisol and cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test during the preceding visit or a participant's ratings of anxiety during MRI was tested. There were significant positive relations between MRI cortisol levels and measurements in the following 3 areas: hippocampal to DMN FC during the resting state, cortisol levels during the Trier Social Stress Test, and fear/anxiety ratings during MRI. Fear/anxiety ratings during MRI also related to self-reported anxiety on standardized measurements. This study shows for the first time that FC of the hippocampus is altered with changing cortisol responsivity in youth. Altered FC during the resting state may represent altered alertness or monitoring resulting from variation in glucocorticoid function in youth, which carries implications for the effect of stress on response monitoring and decision making. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mother-adolescent physiological synchrony in naturalistic settings: within-family cortisol associations and moderators.

Science.gov (United States)

Papp, Lauren M; Pendry, Patricia; Adam, Emma K

2009-12-01

In this study, the authors examined parent-adolescent cortisol associations in 45 families with adolescent children (24 girls; M age = 15.78 years, SD = 1.44 years). Family members' salivary cortisol levels were measured seven times a day on 2 typical weekdays. Family members provided reports of demographic and health variables, and adolescents rated parent-child relationship characteristics. After accounting for the effects of time of day and relevant demographic and health control variables on cortisol levels, hierarchical linear models indicated the presence of significant covariation over time in mother-adolescent cortisol (i.e., physiological synchrony). Furthermore, moderating tests revealed that mother-adolescent cortisol synchrony was strengthened among dyads characterized by mothers and adolescents spending more time together, and in families rated higher on levels of parent-youth shared activities and parental monitoring or supervision. Analysis of momentary characteristics indicated that maternal presence at the time of cortisol sampling lowered adolescent cortisol levels but did not account for mother-adolescent cortisol synchrony. Within-family physiological synchrony was amplified in momentary contexts of elevated maternal negative affect and elevated adolescent negative affect.

Latent trait cortisol (LTC) during pregnancy: Composition, continuity, change, and concomitants.

Science.gov (United States)

Giesbrecht, Gerald F; Bryce, Crystal I; Letourneau, Nicole; Granger, Douglas A

2015-12-01

Individual differences in the activity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis are often operationalized using summary measures of cortisol that are taken to represent stable individual differences. Here we extend our understanding of a novel latent variable approach to latent trait cortisol (LTC) as a measure of trait-like HPA axis function during pregnancy. Pregnant women (n=380) prospectively collected 8 diurnal saliva samples (4 samples/day, 2 days) within each trimester. Saliva was assayed for cortisol. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to fit LTC models to early morning and daytime cortisol. For individual trimester data, only the daytime LTC models had adequate fit. These daytime LTC models were strongly correlated between trimesters and stable over pregnancy. Daytime LTC was unrelated to the cortisol awakening response and the daytime slope but strongly correlated with the area under the curve from ground. The findings support the validity of LTC as a measure of cortisol during pregnancy and suggest that it is not affected by pregnancy-related changes in HPA axis function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cortisol exposure, cognition and clinical course of bipolar disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spijker, Anne Titia

2012-01-01

In this dissertation, we aimed to identify the influence of cortisol exposure and cognitive performance on the clinical course of bipolar disorder. Data regarding sociodemographics, disease characteristics and genetic analysis of the cortisol receptors, were collected of 366 patients with bipolar

Diurnal Salivary Cortisol, Glycemia and Insulin Resistance: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Joshua J.; Wang, Xu; Spanakis, Elias; Seeman, Teresa; Wand, Gary; Needham, Belinda; Golden, Sherita Hill

2015-01-01

Summary Hypercortisolism is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes mellitus (DM); however, to our knowledge prior studies have not examined the association of diurnal cortisol curve features with measures of glycemia or IR in a population-based setting. Using log-transformed salivary cortisol data on 850 ethnically diverse men and women from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we investigated the cross-sectional association of cortisol curve features with (1) glycemia in those with and without DM and (2) IR, in non-diabetic subjects. The log-transformed salivary cortisol curve features included wake-up cortisol, cortisol awakening response (CAR), early decline slope (30 minutes to 2 hours post-awakening), late decline slope (2 hours post-awakening to bedtime), overall decline slope (0 minutes to bedtime, excluding 30 minute cortisol), bedtime cortisol and total area under the curve (AUC). Overall, following multivariable adjustment, among those with diabetes mellitus (DM), early decline slope, overall decline slope, bedtime cortisol, and AUC were significantly and positively associated with a 5.4% (95% CI: 1.3, 9.7), 54.7% (95% CI: 12.4, 112.9), 4.0% (95% CI: 1.6, 6.4), and 6.8% (95% CI: 3.3, 10.4) higher HbA1c per 1 unit increase in log cortisol feature, respectively. Cortisol curve features were not associated with HbA1c among non-diabetic participants; however, wake-up cortisol and AUC were associated with a 8.2% lower (95% CI: −13.3, −2.7) and 7.9% lower (95% CI: −14.6, −0.6) log HOMA-IR, respectively. This was attenuated by adjustment for waist circumference. Among participants with DM, cortisol curve parameters suggestive of higher hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and dysfunction were associated with higher HbA1c. In non-diabetic participants, greater HPA activity was paradoxically associated with lower insulin resistance. PMID:26356041

Fotoprotección antioxidante no-enzimática contra el potencial daño inducido por UVBR en una diatomea antártica (Thalassiosira sp. Non-enzymatic antioxidant photoprotection against potential UVBR-induced damage in an Antarctic diatom (Thalassiosira sp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Hernando

2011-11-01

mayores cuando las algas fueron expuestas a UVBR. La importancia relativa de la concentración de MAAs fue significativa (P < 0.05 en relación al contenido de α-tocopherol . Se encontró una relación positiva entre la concentración celular de MAAs y la tasa de crecimiento. Estos resultados sugieren que la fotoprotección contra el daño inducido por UV está caracterizado por un consumo a corto plazo de α-tocopherol y una síntesis de MAAs a largo plazo. El balance UVBR daño/reparación a largo plazo, compromete la acción combinada de varios factores celulares endógenos, siendo la síntesis de MAAs el factor más efectivo relacionado con la fotoprotección.

Estudio preliminar de la expresión proteómica cerebral de la región hipocampal de ratas expuestas a diferentes niveles de estrés inducido por el nado forzado Preliminary study of cerebral proteomics expression of hippocampal region from rats exposed to different stress levels induced by forced swimming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guerrero Nasser

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Introducción: en general, los estímulos estresores pueden inducir respuestas adaptativas o mal adaptativas dependiendo, entre otras cosas, de su intensidad y la duración. Sin embargo, no se han llevado a cabo estudios que relacionen cuantitativa y cualitativamente la intensidad de estrés al que es expuesto un animal y la expresión de proteínas del hipocampo. Objetivo: evaluar la expresión diferencial de proteínas hipocampales en ratas Wistar-UIS, expuestas a diferentes niveles de estrés inducido por el nado forzado. Materiales y métodos: se utilizaron 30 ratas Wistar-UIS machos distribuidas aleatoriamente en 3 grupos según el tiempo de exposición al nado forzado como estímulo estresor (0, 5 y 15 minutos. Después de 24 horas se extrajeron los hipocampos dorsales y se realizó electroforesis bidimensional de las proteínas extraídas. A continuación, se llevó a cabo el procesamiento de las imágenes de los geles obtenidos utilizando el software PDQUEST 2D. Aquellas proteínas en las se detectaron intensidades asociadas a los tiempos de exposición al estímulo, se identificaron de manera presuntiva utilizando la base de datos bioinformática Export Protein Analysis System (EXPASY. Resultados: de acuerdo con el análisis proteómico y bioinformático se identificaron 60 proteínas, de las cuales, 38 eran comunes al hipocampo derecho e izquierdo; 13 del hipocampo derecho y 9 del izquierdo. Conclusión: se encontraron diferencias en la expresión de proteínas entre el hipocampo derecho e izquierdo del tipo dosis dependientes decrecientes después de haber sometido a los animales a diferentes niveles de estrés inducido por la prueba de nado forzado. Salud UIS 2012; 44 (1: 17-27Introduction: in general stressful stimuli can induce adaptive maladaptive responses, depending among other things, of their intensity and duration. However, no studies were found in the literature that link quantitatively and qualitatively the intensity of

Renal tubular acidosis complicated with hyponatremia due to cortisol insufficiency

OpenAIRE

Izumi, Yuichiro; Nakayama, Yushi; Onoue, Tomoaki; Inoue, Hideki; Mukoyama, Masashi

2015-01-01

Adrenocortical insufficiency such as occurs in Addison's disease causes hyponatremia and renal tubular acidosis (RTA). Hyponatremia results from both aldosterone and cortisol insufficiency. RTA is due to aldosterone insufficiency. The involvement of cortisol in RTA is unclear. Here, we report a woman in her 70s who was admitted to our hospital with severe hyponatremia (106 mEq/l) and RTA. The patient exhibited low plasma cortisol levels with little response to rapid adrenocorticotropic hormon...

Micromethod for determination of cortisol in peripheral blood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maleeva, A.; Mileva, Zh.; Kekhajova, M.

1982-01-01

The micromethod for determination of cortisol in peripheral blood is based on the classical radiommunologic method for its determination. A drop of peripheral blood is applied on filter paper, used for detection of phenyketonuria. A 7 mm disk of this paper is then cut with a perforator and placed in the tube instead of 50 microliters blood plasma. The classical radiommunoassay and the micromethod were used in parallel for determining peripheral blood cortisol concentrations in 26 sexually mature persons, in 12 children and in 40 patients with thyroid hyperfunction. In all tested 78 persons no statistically significant difference (P>0.5) was found in cortisol concentrations, determined by the two methods. (authors)

Reduced Cortisol Output during Public Speaking Stress in Ostracized Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Weik, Ulrike; Ruhweza, Jennifer; Deinzer, Renate

2017-01-01

Ostracism (being excluded or ignored) is experienced as unpleasant and distressing. In previous studies, an immediate pre-stress experience of ostracism induced by Cyberball, a virtual ball-tossing game, was found to inhibit cortisol reactivity to public speaking stress in female students. The present study examines whether the effect will persist when a 15-min time gap between the Cyberball experience and subsequent psychological stress is introduced. N = 84 women were randomly assigned to Cyberball ostracism vs. inclusion. 15 min after playing Cyberball, all women were subjected to public speaking stress. Salivary cortisol and mood were repeatedly assessed during the course of the experiment. These are the main findings of the study: Repeated measures ANCOVA revealed that public speaking stress resulted in a significant increase of cortisol in both groups (inclusion vs. ostracism). However, cortisol levels were significantly lower in the ostracism group. In earlier studies when Cyberball was played immediately before public speaking stress, the cortisol response to public speaking was completely suppressed in ostracized women. By introducing a waiting period between Cyberball and public speaking stress in the present study, the main effect of an ostracism induced reduction of cortisol remained, although both groups showed an increase of cortisol as a response to public speaking. These results again suggest that the experience of ostracism might inhibit hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, thereby confirming previous results. The formerly observed total suppression of HPA axis responsiveness to public speaking, however, seems to be a rather short-term effect.

Comparison of vegetable shortening and cocoa butter as vehicles for cortisol manipulation in Salmo trutta.

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Birnie-Gauvin, K; Peiman, K S; Larsen, M H; Aarestrup, K; Gilmour, K M; Cooke, S J

2018-01-01

This study demonstrates that vegetable shortening and cocoa butter are two effective vehicles for intraperitoneal cortisol implants in juvenile teleosts, specifically brown trout Salmo trutta, residing in north temperate freshwater environments. Each vehicle showed a different pattern of cortisol elevation. Vegetable shortening was found to be a more suitable vehicle for long-term cortisol elevation [elevated at 3, 6 and 9 days post treatment (dpt)], while cocoa butter may be better suited for short-term cortisol elevation (only elevated at 3 dpt). Additionally, plasma cortisol levels were higher with cortisol-vegetable shortening than with cortisol-cocoa butter implants. Plasma glucose levels were elevated 6 and 9 dpt for fishes injected with cortisol-vegetable shortening, but did not change relative to controls and shams in cortisol-cocoa butter fishes. In conclusion, vegetable shortening and cocoa butter are both viable techniques for cortisol manipulation in fishes in temperate climates, providing researchers with different options depending on study objectives. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Momentary relationship between cortisol secretion and symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia.

Science.gov (United States)

McLean, Samuel A; Williams, David A; Harris, Richard E; Kop, Willem J; Groner, Kimberly H; Ambrose, Kirsten; Lyden, Angela K; Gracely, Richard H; Crofford, Leslie J; Geisser, Michael E; Sen, Ananda; Biswas, Pinaki; Clauw, Daniel J

2005-11-01

To compare the momentary association between salivary cortisol levels and pain, fatigue, and stress symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), and to compare diurnal cycles of cortisol secretion in patients with FM and healthy control subjects in a naturalistic environment. Twenty-eight patients with FM and 27 healthy control subjects completed assessments on salivary cortisol levels and pain, fatigue, and stress symptoms, 5 times a day for 2 consecutive days, while engaging in usual daily activities. Only those participants who adhered to the protocol (assessed via activity monitor) were included in the final analyses. Twenty FM patients and 16 healthy control subjects adhered to the protocol. There were no significant differences in cortisol levels or diurnal cortisol variation between FM patients and healthy controls. Among women with FM, a strong relationship between cortisol level and current pain symptoms was observed at the waking time point (t = 3.35, P = 0.008) and 1 hour after waking (t = 2.97, P = 0.011), but not at the later 3 time points. This association was not due to differences in age, number of symptoms of depression, or self-reported history of physical or sexual abuse. Cortisol levels alone explained 38% and 14% of the variation in pain at the waking and 1 hour time points, respectively. No relationship was observed between cortisol level and fatigue or stress symptoms at any of the 5 time points. Among women with FM, pain symptoms early in the day are associated with variations in function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Sleep and Salivary Cortisol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garde, Anne Helene; Karlson, Bernt; Hansen, Åse Marie

2011-01-01

The aim of the present chapter was to analyze whether measures of cortisol in saliva were associated with measures of sleep and to explore if divergent results were related to underlying differences in theoretic assumptions and methods. Measures of sleep quality included sleep duration, overall...... sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, disturbed sleep, and sleep deprivation. Twenty-three papers were found to fulfill the inclusion criteria. Cortisol measures were grouped into single time points at different times during the day, deviations at different time periods during the day, reactivity...... and recovery after a standardized laboratory test, area under the curve and response to dexamethasone test. A large proportion of the studies included showed non-significant findings, which, in several cases, may be a result of low power. The most consistent results were a positive association between sleep...

Cortisol Interferes with the Estradiol-Induced Surge of Luteinizing Hormone in the Ewe1

Science.gov (United States)

Wagenmaker, Elizabeth R.; Breen, Kellie M.; Oakley, Amy E.; Pierce, Bree N.; Tilbrook, Alan J.; Turner, Anne I.; Karsch, Fred J.

2008-01-01

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that cortisol interferes with the positive feedback action of estradiol that induces the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Ovariectomized sheep were treated sequentially with progesterone and estradiol to create artificial estrous cycles. Cortisol or vehicle (saline) was infused from 2 h before the estradiol stimulus through the time of the anticipated LH surge in the artificial follicular phase of two successive cycles. The plasma cortisol increment produced by infusion was ∼1.5 times greater than maximal concentrations seen during infusion of endotoxin, which is a model of immune/inflammatory stress. In experiment 1, half of the ewes received vehicle in the first cycle and cortisol in the second; the others were treated in reverse order. All ewes responded with an LH surge. Cortisol delayed the LH surge and reduced its amplitude, but both effects were observed only in the second cycle. Experiment 2 was modified to provide better control for a cycle effect. Four treatment sequences were tested (cycle 1-cycle 2): vehicle-vehicle, cortisol-cortisol, vehicle-cortisol, cortisol-vehicle. Again, cortisol delayed but did not block the LH surge, and this delay occurred in both cycles. Thus, an elevation in plasma cortisol can interfere with the positive feedback action of estradiol by delaying and attenuating the LH surge. PMID:19056703

Disentangling the effects of genetic, prenatal and parenting influences on children's cortisol variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Marceau, Kristine; Ram, Nilam; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Laurent, Heidemarie K; Shaw, Daniel S; Fisher, Phil; Natsuaki, Misaki N; Leve, Leslie D

2013-11-01

Developmental plasticity models hypothesize the role of genetic and prenatal environmental influences on the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and highlight that genes and the prenatal environment may moderate early postnatal environmental influences on HPA functioning. This article examines the interplay of genetic, prenatal and parenting influences across the first 4.5 years of life on a novel index of children's cortisol variability. Repeated measures data were obtained from 134 adoption-linked families, adopted children and both their adoptive parents and birth mothers, who participated in a longitudinal, prospective US domestic adoption study. Genetic and prenatal influences moderated associations between inconsistency in overreactive parenting from child age 9 months to 4.5 years and children's cortisol variability at 4.5 years differently for mothers and fathers. Among children whose birth mothers had high morning cortisol, adoptive fathers' inconsistent overreactive parenting predicted higher cortisol variability, whereas among children with low birth mother morning cortisol adoptive fathers' inconsistent overreactive parenting predicted lower cortisol variability. Among children who experienced high levels of prenatal risk, adoptive mothers' inconsistent overreactive parenting predicted lower cortisol variability and adoptive fathers' inconsistent overreactive parenting predicted higher cortisol variability, whereas among children who experienced low levels of prenatal risk there were no associations between inconsistent overreactive parenting and children's cortisol variability. Findings supported developmental plasticity models and uncovered novel developmental, gene × environment and prenatal × environment influences on children's cortisol functioning.

Acute modulation of cytokine gene expression in bovine PBMCs by endogenous cortisol

Science.gov (United States)

Cortisol suppresses many aspects of immune function. However, recent publications suggest acute cortisol exposure may actually enhance immune function (Dhabhar, Neuroimmunomod 2009;16:300). The objective of this study was to determine the influence of acute increases in endogenous cortisol on expres...

Differentiating anticipatory from reactive cortisol responses to psychosocial stress

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engert, V.; Efanov, S.I.; Duchesne, A.; Vogel, S.; Corbo, V.; Pruessner, J.C.

2013-01-01

Most psychosocial stress studies assess the overall cortisol response without further identifying the temporal dynamics within hormone levels. It has been shown, however, that the amplitude of anticipatory cortisol stress levels has a unique predictive value for psychological health. So far, no

Effects of Acute Cortisol Administration on Perceptual Priming of Trauma-Related Material

Science.gov (United States)

Streb, Markus; Pfaltz, Monique; Michael, Tanja

2014-01-01

Intrusive memories are a hallmark symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They reflect excessive and uncontrolled retrieval of the traumatic memory. Acute elevations of cortisol are known to impair the retrieval of already stored memory information. Thus, continuous cortisol administration might help in reducing intrusive memories in PTSD. Strong perceptual priming for neutral stimuli associated with a “traumatic” context has been shown to be one important learning mechanism that leads to intrusive memories. However, the memory modulating effects of cortisol have only been shown for explicit declarative memory processes. Thus, in our double blind, placebo controlled study we aimed to investigate whether cortisol influences perceptual priming of neutral stimuli that appeared in a “traumatic” context. Two groups of healthy volunteers (N = 160) watched either neutral or “traumatic” picture stories on a computer screen. Neutral objects were presented in between the pictures. Memory for these neutral objects was tested after 24 hours with a perceptual priming task and an explicit memory task. Prior to memory testing half of the participants in each group received 25 mg of cortisol, the other half received placebo. In the placebo group participants in the “traumatic” stories condition showed more perceptual priming for the neutral objects than participants in the neutral stories condition, indicating a strong perceptual priming effect for neutral stimuli presented in a “traumatic” context. In the cortisol group this effect was not present: Participants in the neutral stories and participants in the “traumatic” stories condition in the cortisol group showed comparable priming effects for the neutral objects. Our findings show that cortisol inhibits perceptual priming for neutral stimuli that appeared in a “traumatic” context. These findings indicate that cortisol influences PTSD-relevant memory processes and thus further support

Cortisol shifts financial risk preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandasamy, Narayanan; Hardy, Ben; Page, Lionel; Schaffner, Markus; Graggaber, Johann; Powlson, Andrew S; Fletcher, Paul C; Gurnell, Mark; Coates, John

2014-03-04

Risk taking is central to human activity. Consequently, it lies at the focal point of behavioral sciences such as neuroscience, economics, and finance. Many influential models from these sciences assume that financial risk preferences form a stable trait. Is this assumption justified and, if not, what causes the appetite for risk to fluctuate? We have previously found that traders experience a sustained increase in the stress hormone cortisol when the amount of uncertainty, in the form of market volatility, increases. Here we ask whether these elevated cortisol levels shift risk preferences. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over protocol we raised cortisol levels in volunteers over 8 d to the same extent previously observed in traders. We then tested for the utility and probability weighting functions underlying their risk taking and found that participants became more risk-averse. We also observed that the weighting of probabilities became more distorted among men relative to women. These results suggest that risk preferences are highly dynamic. Specifically, the stress response calibrates risk taking to our circumstances, reducing it in times of prolonged uncertainty, such as a financial crisis. Physiology-induced shifts in risk preferences may thus be an underappreciated cause of market instability.

Cortisol shifts financial risk preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Kandasamy, Narayanan; Hardy, Ben; Page, Lionel; Schaffner, Markus; Graggaber, Johann; Powlson, Andrew S.; Fletcher, Paul C.; Gurnell, Mark; Coates, John

2014-01-01

Risk taking is central to human activity. Consequently, it lies at the focal point of behavioral sciences such as neuroscience, economics, and finance. Many influential models from these sciences assume that financial risk preferences form a stable trait. Is this assumption justified and, if not, what causes the appetite for risk to fluctuate? We have previously found that traders experience a sustained increase in the stress hormone cortisol when the amount of uncertainty, in the form of market volatility, increases. Here we ask whether these elevated cortisol levels shift risk preferences. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over protocol we raised cortisol levels in volunteers over 8 d to the same extent previously observed in traders. We then tested for the utility and probability weighting functions underlying their risk taking and found that participants became more risk-averse. We also observed that the weighting of probabilities became more distorted among men relative to women. These results suggest that risk preferences are highly dynamic. Specifically, the stress response calibrates risk taking to our circumstances, reducing it in times of prolonged uncertainty, such as a financial crisis. Physiology-induced shifts in risk preferences may thus be an underappreciated cause of market instability. PMID:24550472

The low single nucleotide polymorphism heritability of plasma and saliva cortisol levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neumann, Alexander; Direk, Nese; Crawford, Andrew A; Mirza, Saira; Adams, Hieab; Bolton, Jennifer; Hayward, Caroline; Strachan, David P; Payne, Erin K; Smith, Jennifer A; Milaneschi, Yuri; Penninx, Brenda; Hottenga, Jouke J; de Geus, Eco; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; van der Most, Peter J; de Rijke, Yolanda; Walker, Brian R; Tiemeier, Henning

Cortisol is an important stress hormone affected by a variety of biological and environmental factors, such as the circadian rhythm, exercise and psychological stress. Cortisol is mostly measured using blood or saliva samples. A number of genetic variants have been found to contribute to cortisol

The low single nucleotide polymorphism heritability of plasma and saliva cortisol levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neumann, Alexander; Direk, Nese; Crawford, Andrew A; Mirza, Saira; Adams, Hieab H H; Bolton, Jennifer; Hayward, Caroline; Strachan, David P; Payne, Erin K; Smith, Jennifer A; Milaneschi, Yuri; Penninx, Brenda; Hottenga, Jouke J; de Geus, Eco; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; van der Most, Peter J; de Rijke, Yolanda; Walker, Brian R; Tiemeier, Henning

2017-01-01

Cortisol is an important stress hormone affected by a variety of biological and environmental factors, such as the circadian rhythm, exercise and psychological stress. Cortisol is mostly measured using blood or saliva samples. A number of genetic variants have been found to contribute to cortisol

The biological clock modulates the human cortisol response in a multiplicative fashion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Werken, Maan; Booij, Sanne H.; van der Zwan, J Esi; Simons, Mirre J. P.; Gordijn, Marijke C. M.; Beersma, Domien G. M.

Human cortisol levels follow a clear circadian rhythm. We investigated the contribution of alternation of sleep and wakefulness and the circadian clock, using forced desynchrony. Cortisol levels were best described by a multiplication of a circadian and a wake-time component. The human cortisol

Salivary cortisol and explicit memory in postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampson, Elizabeth; Duff-Canning, Sarah J

2016-02-01

Circulating cortisol levels are known to influence explicit memory in humans and other primates. The present study investigated salivary cortisol and its association with explicit memory performance in 99 postmenopausal women (64 treated with conjugated equine estrogens or estradiol, and 35 matched controls not using any form of hormone therapy). Controls were compared with treated women taking estrogens alone (n=39), or taking estrogens in combination with a progestin (n=25). Mean time on hormone therapy was approximately 5 years, with initiation of treatment in close proximity to the onset of menopause. Explicit memory was assessed with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Saliva was collected before (basal or resting sample) and after (post-test sample) completing a set of cognitive tasks. Cortisol was measured using a high-sensitivity radioimmunoassay. Treated women were found to have higher resting cortisol concentrations than controls matched for time of day. Basal cortisol was a modest predictor of learning and memory on the CVLT. Higher cortisol was associated with better recall and fewer memory errors, which is consistent with experimental studies examining explicit memory under small increases in circulating cortisol load. Potential cumulative effects on the central nervous system of sustained exposure to mildly increased cortisol in conjunction with the long-term use of oral estrogens are discussed in the context of aging and dementia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple radioimmunoassay for plasma cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seth, J.; Brown, L.M.

1978-01-01

A simple radioimmunoassay (RIA) for plasma cortisol is described which combines the advantages of (i) direct analysis of untreated plasma samples, (ii) use of solid-coupled anti-cortisol antibodies and (iii) use of a gamma-labelled radioligand. The reagents are relatively easily prepared and stable, and the analysis can be completed in 4 h. Inter-assay precision (C.V.) is 8-11%. Critical examination of specificity using high pressure liquid chromatography showed that 23-35% of the immunoassayable material in plasma was not cortisol. RIA results on samples collected under basal conditions were an average 40 nmol/l lower than fluorimetric results, while in insulin hypoglycaemia and synacthen (ACTH) stimulation tests, this difference increased to over 100 nmol/l. The RIA is technically more simple than fluorimetric, competitive-protein-binding, and many RIA methods, and can be used with advantage in the routine investigation of adrenocortical function. However, using the present antiserum, the RIA is not applicable to investigations on patients receiving metyrapone, nor in suspected cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. (Auth.)

Plasma cortisol and faecal cortisol metabolites concentrations in stereotypic and non-stereotypic horses: do stereotypic horses cope better with poor environmental conditions?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fureix Carole

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stereotypic behaviours, i.e. repetitive behaviours induced by frustration, repeated attempts to cope and/or brain dysfunction, are intriguing as they occur in a variety of domestic and captive species without any clear adaptive function. Among the different hypotheses, the coping hypothesis predicts that stereotypic behaviours provide a way for animals in unfavourable environmental conditions to adjust. As such, they are expected to have a lower physiological stress level (glucocorticoids than non-stereotypic animals. Attempts to link stereotypic behaviours with glucocorticoids however have yielded contradictory results. Here we investigated correlates of oral and motor stereotypic behaviours and glucocorticoid levels in two large samples of domestic horses (NStudy1 = 55, NStudy2 = 58, kept in sub-optimal conditions (e.g. confinement, social isolation, and already known to experience poor welfare states. Each horse was observed in its box using focal sampling (study 1 and instantaneous scan sampling (study 2. Plasma samples (collected in study 1 but also non-invasive faecal samples (collected in both studies were retrieved in order to assess cortisol levels. Results Results showed that 1 plasma cortisol and faecal cortisol metabolites concentrations did not differ between horses displaying stereotypic behaviours and non-stereotypic horses and 2 both oral and motor stereotypic behaviour levels did not predict plasma cortisol or faecal cortisol metabolites concentrations. Conclusions Cortisol measures, collected in two large samples of horses using both plasma sampling as well as faecal sampling (the latter method minimizing bias due to a non-invasive sampling procedure, therefore do not indicate that stereotypic horses cope better, at least in terms of adrenocortical activity.

Hair Cortisol in Twins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rietschel, Liz; Streit, Fabian; Zhu, Gu

2017-01-01

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a promising measure of long-term hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Previous research has suggested an association between HCC and psychological variables, and initial studies of inter-individual variance in HCC have implicated genetic factors...

Maternal depression and offspring’s cortisol concentrations in a Brazilian sample = Depressão materna e concentração de cortisol de recém-nascidos em uma amostra brasileira = La depresión materna y la concentración de cortisol del recién nacido en una muestra brasilieira

OpenAIRE

Lucci, Tania Kiehl; Otta, Emma; David, Vinicius Frayze; Chelini, Marie-Odile Monier

2016-01-01

Acredita-se que a depressão pós-parto (DPP) possa prejudicar diversos aspectos do desenvolvimento infantil, incluindo alterações das funções do eixo Hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal (HPA). A associação entre depressão materna e nível de cortisol salivar dos filhos foi investigada em três amostras brasileiras diferentes: ao nascimento (N=58), aos quatro (N=64) e 36 meses (N=81) após o parto. Mães preencheram a Escala de Depressão Pós-parto de Edinburgh aos 4 e 36 meses após o parto. Por meio da A...

Effects of cortisol administration on craving in heroin addicts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walter, M.; Bentz, D.; Schicktanz, N.; Milnik, A.; Aerni, A.; Gerhards, C.; Schwegler, K.; Vogel, M.; Blum, J.; Schmid, O.; Roozendaal, B.; Lang, U.E.; Borgwardt, S.; Quervain, D. de

2015-01-01

Heroin dependence is a severe and chronically relapsing substance use disorder with limited treatment options. Stress is known to increase craving and drug-taking behavior, but it is not known whether the stress hormone cortisol mediates these stress effects or whether cortisol may rather reduce

Relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers

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Juliana Petri Tavares

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers. Method: cross-sectional and analytical study with 134 military police officers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI Model scale has been used to assess psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol was collected in three samples. The following tests were used: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Bonferroni, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Pearson and Spearman correlation methods were used, as well as multiple linear regression. Cortisol at night showed an ascending statistical association with the psychosocial reward (p=0.004 and a descending association with the effort-impairment scores (p=0.017. Being part of the Special Tactical Operations Group (GATE and the diastolic blood pressure explained 13.5% of the variation in cortisol levels on waking up. The sectors GATE, Special Patrol of the Elite Squad of the Military Police and Motorcyclists explained 21.9% of the variation in cortisol levels 30-minute after awakening. The variables GATE sector and Effort Dimension explained 27.7% of the variation in cortisol levels at night. Conclusion: it was evidenced that salivary cortisol variation was influenced by individual, labor and psychosocial variables.

Relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavares, Juliana Petri; Lautert, Liana; Magnago, Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza; Consiglio, Angélica Rosat; Pai, Daiane Dal

2017-04-20

to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers. cross-sectional and analytical study with 134 military police officers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model scale has been used to assess psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol was collected in three samples. The following tests were used: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Bonferroni, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Pearson and Spearman correlation methods were used, as well as multiple linear regression. Cortisol at night showed an ascending statistical association with the psychosocial reward (p=0.004) and a descending association with the effort-impairment scores (p=0.017). Being part of the Special Tactical Operations Group (GATE) and the diastolic blood pressure explained 13.5% of the variation in cortisol levels on waking up. The sectors GATE, Special Patrol of the Elite Squad of the Military Police and Motorcyclists explained 21.9% of the variation in cortisol levels 30-minute after awakening. The variables GATE sector and Effort Dimension explained 27.7% of the variation in cortisol levels at night. it was evidenced that salivary cortisol variation was influenced by individual, labor and psychosocial variables.

Cortisol reactivity and emotional memory after psychosocial stress in oral contraceptive users.

Science.gov (United States)

Mordecai, Kristen L; Rubin, Leah H; Eatough, Erin; Sundermann, Erin; Drogos, Lauren; Savarese, Antonia; Maki, Pauline M

2017-01-02

Oral contraceptive (OC) users typically show a blunted or no cortisol response to psychosocial stress. Although most OC regimens include both an inactive (dummy) and active pill phase, studies have not systematically investigated cortisol responses during these pill phases. Further, high levels of cortisol following a stressor diminish retrieval of emotional material, but the effects of stress on memory among OC users are poorly understood. We examined the effects of a psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test, vs. a control condition on cortisol responsivity and emotional memory retrieval in women tested either during their active (n = 18) or inactive pill phase (n = 21). In secondary analyses, we quantitatively compared OC users with normally cycling women and showed a significant lack of cortisol response during both active and inactive pill phase. Emotional recall did not differ between active and inactive pill phases. Stress differentially diminished recall of negative words compared with positive or neutral words, but cortisol levels were unrelated to memory performance. These findings indicate that OC users have distinct cortisol and memory responses to stress that are similar between the active and inactive pill phases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gender differences in the associations between cortisol and insulin in healthy subjects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stolk, RP; Lamberts, SWJ; deJong, FH; Pols, HAP; Grobbee, DE

To investigate the role of cortisol in the etiology of insulin resistance in men and women, we examined 218 healthy non-hospitalized elderly, selected from the Rotterdam Study. Free cortisol was assessed by the ratio of fasting serum cortisol over corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), and insulin

Efecto del deshoje inducido sobre la productividad del plátano (Musa AAB) cv. Hartón y la incidencia de sigatoka negra (Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet)

OpenAIRE

Güerere-Pereira, P; Martínez, L; Fuenmayor, L

2008-01-01

Para evaluar el deshoje inducido sobre la productividad del plátano (Musa AAB cv. Hartón), se hizo un estudio en el municipio Colón, estado Zulia. Se seleccionaron 16 plantas de plátano en su primera semana de floración. Los tratamientos consistieron en realizar el deshoje de tal forma de dejar plantas con seis hojas (T1), plantas con ocho hojas (T2), plantas con 10 hojas (T3) y plantas sin deshojar como testigo, con 12 hojas o más (T4), para un total de cuatro tratamientos con cuatro plantas...

Cortisol Response to Stress in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Corominas-Roso, Margarida; Palomar, Gloria; Ferrer, Roser; Real, Alberto; Nogueira, Mariana; Corrales, Montserrat; Casas, Miguel; Ramos-Quiroga, Josep Antoni

2015-03-17

Differences in the cortisol response have been reported between children exhibiting the inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, there is no such information about adults. The aim of the present study was to determine the possible differences between the combined and inattentive subtypes in the cortisol response to stress. Ninety-six adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 38 inattentive and 58 combined, without any medical or psychiatric comorbidities and 25 healthy controls were included. The Trier Social Stress Test was used to assess physiological stress responses. Clinical data and subjective stress levels, including the Perceived Stress Scale, were also recorded. No significant differences in the cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test were found between patients and controls. However, albeit there were no basal differences, lower cortisol levels at 15 (P=.015), 30 (P=.015), and 45 minutes (P=.045) were observed in the combined compared with the inattentive subtype after the stress induction; these differences disappeared 60 minutes after the stress. In contrast, the subjective stress responses showed significant differences between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients and controls (Pattention deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes. In turn, subjective stress measures, such as the Perceived Stress Scale, positively correlated with the whole cortisol stress response (Pattention deficit hyperactivity disorder adults exhibited a normal cortisol response to stress when challenged. Nevertheless, the inattentive patients displayed a higher level of cortisol after stress compared with the combined patients. Despite the differences in the cortisol response, adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder reported high levels of subjective stress in their every-day life. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Plasma, salivary and urinary cortisol levels following physiological and stress doses of hydrocortisone in normal volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Caroline; Greco, Santo; Nguyen, Hanh H T; Ho, Jui T; Lewis, John G; Torpy, David J; Inder, Warrick J

2014-11-26

Glucocorticoid replacement is essential in patients with primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency, but many patients remain on higher than recommended dose regimens. There is no uniformly accepted method to monitor the dose in individual patients. We have compared cortisol concentrations in plasma, saliva and urine achieved following "physiological" and "stress" doses of hydrocortisone as potential methods for monitoring glucocorticoid replacement. Cortisol profiles were measured in plasma, saliva and urine following "physiological" (20 mg oral) or "stress" (50 mg intravenous) doses of hydrocortisone in dexamethasone-suppressed healthy subjects (8 in each group), compared to endogenous cortisol levels (12 subjects). Total plasma cortisol was measured half-hourly, and salivary cortisol and urinary cortisol:creatinine ratio were measured hourly from time 0 (between 0830 and 0900) to 5 h. Endogenous plasma corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) levels were measured at time 0 and 5 h, and hourly from time 0 to 5 h following administration of oral or intravenous hydrocortisone. Plasma free cortisol was calculated using Coolens' equation. Plasma, salivary and urine cortisol at 2 h after oral hydrocortisone gave a good indication of peak cortisol concentrations, which were uniformly supraphysiological. Intravenous hydrocortisone administration achieved very high 30 minute cortisol concentrations. Total plasma cortisol correlated significantly with both saliva and urine cortisol after oral and intravenous hydrocortisone (P cortisol and urinary cortisol:creatinine ratio may provide useful alternatives to plasma cortisol measurements to monitor replacement doses in hypoadrenal patients.

Exogenous cortisol acutely influences motivated decision making in healthy young men.

Science.gov (United States)

Putman, Peter; Antypa, Niki; Crysovergi, Panagiota; van der Does, Willem A J

2010-02-01

The glucocorticoid (GC) hormone cortisol is the end product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Acute psychological stress increases HPA activity and GC release. In humans, chronic disturbances in HPA activity have been observed in affective disorders and in addictive behaviour. Recent research indicates that acute effects of GCs may be anxiolytic and increase reward sensitivity. Furthermore, cortisol acutely influences early cognitive processing of emotional stimuli. In order to extend such findings to more complex emotional-cognitive behaviour, the present study tested acute effects of 40 mg cortisol on motivated decision making in 30 healthy young men. Results showed that cortisol indeed increased risky decision making, as predicted. This effect occurred for decisions where making a risky choice could potentially yield a big reward. These results are discussed with respect to currently proposed mechanisms for cortisol's potential anxiolytic effect and GCs' involvement in reward systems.

Cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress test among Chinese adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Jiling; Weng, Tingting; Tao, Fangbiao

2012-01-01

To compare obese and non-obese adolescents in terms of their salivary cortisol response to the Trier Socia l Stress Test ( TSST). This is a cross - sectional study involving 41 healthy adolescents aged 12-14 years in the city of Shenyang, China. The TSST response was determined using salivary cortisol measurements, and measurements were repeated after the test period. Repeated-measures ANOVA was performed to compare salivary cortisol levels between groups. The male group comprised of 16 individuals (10 obese and 6 non-obese), and the female group comprised 25 individuals ( 13 obese and 12 non-obese). ANOVA with repeated measures demonstrated that weight status (obese or non-obese) had a significant main effect on the measures of salivary cortisol levels during the TSST among females but not males. The finding suggested that weight status is associated with cortisol response to psychological stress among Chinese adolescent girls.

Cortisol, sleep, and recovery - Some gender differences but no straight associations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eek, Frida; Karlson, Björn; Garde, Anne Helene

2012-01-01

Work related fatigue has been suggested as a link in the assumed sequence of events between repeated adverse work demands and the development of work related stress, which may be associated with changes in concentrations of cortisol, psychological overload and, in the long run, health problems....... Insufficient sleep is a contributing factor to lack of recovery, but previous studies on associations between subjective aspects of sleep and recovery, and cortisol, have been inconclusive. The aim with the present study was to examine possible associations between cortisol measures and (I) self-rated recovery......, (II) occupational fatigue and (III) subjective sleep quality the night preceding cortisol sampling. Further, possible gender differences were tested....

Modulatory mechanisms of cortisol effects on emotional learning and memory: Novel perspectives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ast, V.A. van; Cornelisse, S.; Marin, M.F.; Ackermann, S.; Garfinkel, S.N.; Abercrombie, H.C.

2013-01-01

It has long been known that cortisol affects learning and memory processes. Despite a wealth of research dedicated to cortisol effects on learning and memory, the strength or even directionality of the effects often vary. A number of the factors that alter cortisol's effects on learning and memory

Cortisol, Interleukins and S100B in Delirium in the Elderly

Science.gov (United States)

van Munster, Barbara C.; Bisschop, Peter H.; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.; Korevaar, Johanna C.; Endert, Erik; Wiersinga, W. Joost; van Oosten, Hannah E.; Goslings, J. Carel; de Rooij, Sophia E. J. A.

2010-01-01

In independent studies delirium was associated with higher levels of cortisol, interleukin(IL)s, and S100B. The aim of this study was to simultaneously compare cortisol, IL-6, IL-8, and S100B levels in patients aged 65 years and older admitted for hip fracture surgery with and without delirium. Cortisol, IL-6, IL-8, and S100B were assayed in…

Melatonin and cortisol profiles in the absence of light perception

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aubin, S.; Kupers, R.; Ptito, M.

2017-01-01

As light plays an important role in the synchronisation of the internal biological clock to the environmental day/night schedule, we compared the 24-h profiles of biological circadian markers in blind and normal sighted individuals. Salivary melatonin and cortisol concentrations were collected...... every two hours in eleven blind subjects, reporting no conscious light perception, and eleven age- and sex-matched normal sighted controls. Timing of melatonin onset and associated cortisol quiescence period confirm an increased incidence of abnormal circadian patterns in blindness. Additionally, blind...... subjects showed a greater overall melatonin concentration throughout the 24-h period. Cortisol profiles, including concentration and morning cortisol peaks, on the other hand, did not differ between blind and sighted individuals. These findings support previous reports of an increase in abnormal circadian...

Circulating cortisol-associated signature of glucocorticoid-related gene expression in subcutaneous fat of obese subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlatou, Maria G; Vickers, Kasey C; Varma, Sudhir; Malek, Rana; Sampson, Maureen; Remaley, Alan T; Gold, Philip W; Skarulis, Monica C; Kino, Tomoshige

2013-05-01

Serum cortisol concentrations fluctuate in a circadian fashion, and glucocorticoids exert strong effects on adipose tissue and induce obesity through the glucocorticoid receptor. To examine the impact of physiologic levels of circulating cortisol on subcutaneous adipose tissue, 25 overweight and obese subjects were employed, and their serum levels of morning (AM) and evening (PM) cortisol, AM/PM cortisol ratios, and 24-h urinary-free cortisol (UFC) were compared with their clinical parameters, serum cytokine levels, and mRNA expression of 93 receptor action-regulating and 93 glucocorticoid-responsive genes in abdominal subcutaneous fat. AM cortisol levels did not correlate with mRNA expression of the all genes examined, whereas PM cortisol levels, AM/PM cortisol ratios, and 24-h UFC were associated with distinct sets of these genes. Body mass index did not significantly correlate with the four cortisol parameters employed. These results suggest that physiologic levels of AM serum cortisol do not solely represent biological effects of circulating cortisol on the expression of glucocorticoid-related genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, whereas PM levels, amplitude, and net amounts of the diurnally fluctuating serum cortisol have distinct effects. Through the genes identified in this study, glucocorticoids appear to influence intermediary metabolism, energy balance, inflammation, and local circadian rythmicity in subcutaneous fat. Our results may also explain in part the development of metabolic abnormality and obesity in subjects under stress or patients with melancholic/atypical depression who demonstrate elevated levels of PM serum cortisol. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

Psychobiological Factors Affecting Cortisol Variability in Human-Dog Dyads.

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Iris Schöberl

Full Text Available Stress responses within dyads are modulated by interactions such as mutual emotional support and conflict. We investigated dyadic psychobiological factors influencing intra-individual cortisol variability in response to different challenging situations by testing 132 owners and their dogs in a laboratory setting. Salivary cortisol was measured and questionnaires were used to assess owner and dog personality as well as owners' social attitudes towards the dog and towards other humans. We calculated the individual coefficient of variance of cortisol (iCV = sd/mean*100 over the different test situations as a parameter representing individual variability of cortisol concentration. We hypothesized that high cortisol variability indicates efficient and adaptive coping and a balanced individual and dyadic social performance. Female owners of male dogs had lower iCV than all other owner gender-dog sex combinations (F = 14.194, p<0.001, whereas owner Agreeableness (NEO-FFI scaled positively with owner iCV (F = 4.981, p = 0.028. Dogs of owners high in Neuroticism (NEO-FFI and of owners who were insecure-ambivalently attached to their dogs (FERT, had low iCV (F = 4.290, p = 0.041 and F = 5.948, p = 0.016, as had dogs of owners with human-directed separation anxiety (RSQ or dogs of owners with a strong desire of independence (RSQ (F = 7.661, p = 0.007 and F = 9.192, p = 0.003. We suggest that both owner and dog social characteristics influence dyadic cortisol variability, with the human partner being more influential than the dog. Our results support systemic approaches (i.e. considering the social context in science and in counselling.

Respuesta de cultivares de Musa spp. al estrés hídrico in vitro inducido con polietilenglicol 6000

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Leonardo Julio Moreno-Bermúdez

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Los plátanos y bananos son cultivos sensibles al déficit hídrico. Las sequías cada vez más prolongadas sugieren la necesidad de obtener plantas tolerantes a este factor; la selección temprana de estas plantas, comparada con la selección en campo, permite ahorrar tiempo y trabajar con mayores volúmenes de individuos. Para ello es conveniente contar con cultivares patrones cuya respuesta al déficit hídrico in vitro sea favorable. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar la respuesta de cultivares de Musa spp. con diferente composición genómica al estrés hídrico inducido in vitro con polietilenglicol 6000 (PEG-6000. Se estudiaron los cultivares ‘Pelipita’ (ABB, ‘Manzano’ (AAB y ‘Grande naine’ (AAA. El estrés se indujo con 30 g/L de PEG-6000 en medio de cultivo semisólido de multiplicación. A los 30 días se evaluaron variables indicadoras de estrés morfológicas (altura y número de brotes por explante, fisiológicas (masa fresca y masa seca y bioquímicas (contenido prolina, peróxido de hidrógeno y malondialdehido. En el cultivar ‘Pelipita’ se afectó solamente la altura de las plantas, mientras que en los demás se afectaron todas las variables excepto la masa seca en el ‘Manzano’. En este último y en el ‘Grande naine’ se incrementó la prolina, el peróxido de hidrógeno y el malondialdehido, lo que evidenció un mayor estrés oxidativo y daño en las membranas celulares. Los cultivares estudiados, pudieran emplearse como controles de tolerancia (‘Pelipita’ y sensibilidad (‘Grande naine’ y ‘Manzano’ en la selección in vitro de plantas tolerantes a la sequía, en futuros programas de mejoramiento genético.

Body mass index and its effect on serum cortisol level

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-08-21

Aug 21, 2014 ... In Cushing's syndrome, serum cortisol level is elevated, and obesity is one of ... follows: A baseline blood sample for cortisol, fasting plasma glucose, full ... Continuous variables were expressed as means ± standard deviation.

Cortisol in schizophrenia: No association with tobacco smoking, clinical symptoms or antipsychotic medication.

Science.gov (United States)

Nedic Erjavec, Gordana; Uzun, Suzana; Nikolac Perkovic, Matea; Kozumplik, Oliver; Svob Strac, Dubravka; Mimica, Ninoslav; Hirasawa-Fujita, Mika; Domino, Edward F; Pivac, Nela

2017-07-03

Cigarette smoking is associated with higher cortisol levels in healthy subjects. In schizophrenia this relationship is not clear. There are divergent results on the association between cortisol with smoking, clinical symptoms and medication in schizophrenia. This study evaluated this association in 196 Caucasian inpatients with schizophrenia (51.30±26.68years old), subdivided into 123 smokers and 73 non-smokers. Basal salivary cortisol levels were measured twice, at 08.00 and 09.00AM, 90-120min after awakening. The effect of smoking on cortisol was evaluated according to current smoking status, the number of cigarettes/day and the nicotine addiction intensity. The influence of clinical symptoms and/or antipsychotic medication on cortisol was determined using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and chlorpromazine equivalent doses. Non-smokers were older, received lower doses of antipsychotics, had higher PANSS scores, and had longer duration of illness than smokers. Salivary cortisol was similar in schizophrenic patients subdivided according to the smoking status, the number of cigarettes/day and nicotine addiction intensity. No significant correlation was found between salivary cortisol and PANSS scores, chlorpromazine equivalent doses, age of onset or the duration of illness. The findings revealed no association between salivary cortisol and smoking, nicotine addiction intensity, or clinical symptoms. Our preliminary data showed no correlation between salivary cortisol and chlorpromazine equivalent doses and/or antipsychotic medication. Our findings suggest that smoking does not affect the cortisol response in schizophrenic patients as it has been shown in healthy individuals. Future studies should investigate a possible desensitization of the stress system to smoking. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Low cortisol levels in blood from dairy cows with ketosis: a field study.

Science.gov (United States)

Forslund, Kristina B; Ljungvall, Orjan A; Jones, Bernt V

2010-05-20

An elevated plasma glucose concentration has been considered to be a potential risk factor in the pathogenesis of left-displaced abomasums (DA). Therefore the present study was performed to investigate if spontaneous disease (parturient paresis, metritis, ketosis etc) in dairy cows results in elevated concentrations of glucose and cortisol in blood as cortisol is the major regulator of glucose in ruminants. Cortisol, insulin, beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), non esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and serum calcium were analyzed in blood serum and glucose, in whole blood, from 57 spontaneously diseased cows collected at different farms. The cows were grouped according to the disease; parturient paresis, recumbent for other reasons, mastitis, metritis, ketosis, inappetance and others. No elevated concentrations of cortisol or glucose were found in cows with metritis and mastitis but both cortisol and glucose were elevated in cows stressed by recumbency. Cows with ketonemia (BHBA > 1.5 mmol/l) did not have low concentration of glucose in blood but significantly low levels of cortisol. Some of these cows even had cortisol concentrations below the detection limit of the analysing method (ketosis, recommending glucocorticoids, insulin etc. However further studies of this problem are needed to understand why cows with ketosis have low levels of cortisol and normal levels of glucose. To what extent elevated cortisol and glucose levels in hypocalcemic and recumbent cows are involved in the ethiology and /or the pathogenesis of DA also will need further research.

75Se-labelled cortisol in analysis by competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glover, J.S.; Chambers, V.E.M.

1975-01-01

Selenium 75 has nuclear properties very suitable for the labelling of steroids used as tracers in competition analysis. A method of preparing a selenium-labelled cortisol derivative, 75 Se methylselenoprednisolone, is described. A system based on bonding competition between plasma cortisol and 75 Se methylselenoprednisolone on transcortine was studied, the separation taking place on a Sephadex adsorbant. An early analysis with highly stable reagents was achieved [fr

Cross-country differences in basal and stress-induced cortisol secretion in older adults.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana N Souza-Talarico

Full Text Available Several studies have emphasized the association between socioeconomic status (SES and inadequate response of the biological stress system. However, other factors related to SES are rarely considered, such as cultural values, social norms, organization, language and communication skills, which raises the need to investigate cross-country differences in stress response. Although some studies have shown differences in cortisol levels between immigrants and natives, there is no cross-country evidence regarding cortisol levels in country-native elders. This is particularly important given the high prevalence of stress-related disorders across nations during aging. The current study examined basal diurnal and reactive cortisol levels in healthy older adults living in two different countries.Salivary cortisol of 260 older adults from Canada and Brazil were analyzed. Diurnal cortisol was measured in saliva samples collected at home throughout two working days at awakening, 30 min after waking, 1400 h, 1600 h and before bedtime. Cortisol reactivity was assessed in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST in both populations.Our results showed that even under similar health status, psychological and cognitive characteristics, Brazilian elders exhibited higher basal and stress-induced cortisol secretion compared to the Canadian participants.These findings suggest that country context may modulate cortisol secretion and could impact the population health.

Time course of cortisol loss in hair segments under immersion in hot water.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jifeng; Xie, Qiaozhen; Gao, Wei; Xu, Youyun; Wang, Shuang; Deng, Huihua; Lu, Zuhong

2012-02-18

Hair cortisol is supposed to be a good biomarker of chronic stress. Major loss of hair cortisol in long-term exposure to environmental factors affected strongly its proper assessment of chronic stress in human. However, there was no research on time course of hair cortisol loss during the long-term exposure. Hair samples with longer than 1cm in the posterior vertex region were cut as close as possible to the scalp. The 1-cm hair samples were treated by ultraviolet irradiation or immersion in shampoo solution or water immersion at 40, 65 and 80°C. Hair cortisol content was determined with high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Ultraviolet irradiation and immersion in shampoo solution and hot water gave rise to the significant cortisol loss in hair. Hair cortisol content was sharply decreased with water immersion duration during initial stage and slowly decreased in the following stage. The 2-stage loss process with water immersion duration modeled to some extent time course of hair cortisol loss in long-term exposure to external environments. Cortisol from hair samples closest to the scalp in the posterior vertex could represent more accurately central hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal activity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-country differences in basal and stress-induced cortisol secretion in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza-Talarico, Juliana N; Plusquellec, Pierrich; Lupien, Sonia J; Fiocco, Alexandra; Suchecki, Deborah

2014-01-01

Several studies have emphasized the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and inadequate response of the biological stress system. However, other factors related to SES are rarely considered, such as cultural values, social norms, organization, language and communication skills, which raises the need to investigate cross-country differences in stress response. Although some studies have shown differences in cortisol levels between immigrants and natives, there is no cross-country evidence regarding cortisol levels in country-native elders. This is particularly important given the high prevalence of stress-related disorders across nations during aging. The current study examined basal diurnal and reactive cortisol levels in healthy older adults living in two different countries. Salivary cortisol of 260 older adults from Canada and Brazil were analyzed. Diurnal cortisol was measured in saliva samples collected at home throughout two working days at awakening, 30 min after waking, 1400 h, 1600 h and before bedtime. Cortisol reactivity was assessed in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in both populations. Our results showed that even under similar health status, psychological and cognitive characteristics, Brazilian elders exhibited higher basal and stress-induced cortisol secretion compared to the Canadian participants. These findings suggest that country context may modulate cortisol secretion and could impact the population health.

Trait Rumination Predicts Elevated Evening Cortisol in Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoccola, Peggy M; Manigault, Andrew W; Figueroa, Wilson S; Hollenbeck, Cari; Mendlein, Anna; Woody, Alex; Hamilton, Katrina; Scanlin, Matt; Johnson, Ryan C

2017-11-09

Stress may contribute to illness through the impaired recovery or sustained activity of stress-responsive biological systems. Rumination, or mental rehearsal of past stressors, may alter the body's stress-responsive systems by amplifying and prolonging exposure to physiological mediators, such as cortisol. The primary aim of the current investigation was to test the extent to which the tendency to ruminate on stress predicts diminished diurnal cortisol recovery (i.e., elevated evening cortisol) in a sample of sexual and gender minority young adults. Participants included 58 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young adults ( M age = 25.0, SD = 4.1) who completed an initial online survey that assessed trait rumination and current depressed mood. Participants completed daily evening questionnaires and provided salivary cortisol samples at wake, 45 min post-wake, 12 h post-wake, and at bedtime over seven consecutive days. Trait rumination predicted significantly higher cortisol concentrations at bedtime, but was unrelated to other cortisol indices (e.g., morning cortisol, diurnal slope, total output). The association with trait rumination was not accounted for by daily negative affect, and was largely independent of depressed mood. These results have implications for identifying and treating those who may be at risk for impaired diurnal cortisol recovery and associated negative health outcomes.

Trait Rumination Predicts Elevated Evening Cortisol in Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults

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Peggy M. Zoccola

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Stress may contribute to illness through the impaired recovery or sustained activity of stress-responsive biological systems. Rumination, or mental rehearsal of past stressors, may alter the body’s stress-responsive systems by amplifying and prolonging exposure to physiological mediators, such as cortisol. The primary aim of the current investigation was to test the extent to which the tendency to ruminate on stress predicts diminished diurnal cortisol recovery (i.e., elevated evening cortisol in a sample of sexual and gender minority young adults. Participants included 58 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young adults (Mage = 25.0, SD = 4.1 who completed an initial online survey that assessed trait rumination and current depressed mood. Participants completed daily evening questionnaires and provided salivary cortisol samples at wake, 45 min post-wake, 12 h post-wake, and at bedtime over seven consecutive days. Trait rumination predicted significantly higher cortisol concentrations at bedtime, but was unrelated to other cortisol indices (e.g., morning cortisol, diurnal slope, total output. The association with trait rumination was not accounted for by daily negative affect, and was largely independent of depressed mood. These results have implications for identifying and treating those who may be at risk for impaired diurnal cortisol recovery and associated negative health outcomes.

Stress in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, and cortisol levels in older age.

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Harris, Mathew A; Cox, Simon R; Brett, Caroline E; Deary, Ian J; MacLullich, Alasdair M J

2017-03-01

The glucocorticoid hypothesis suggests that overexposure to stress may cause permanent upregulation of cortisol. Stress in youth may therefore influence cortisol levels even in older age. Using data from the 6-Day Sample, we investigated the effects of high stress in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood - as well as individual variables contributing to these measures; parental loss, social deprivation, school and home moves, illness, divorce and job instability - upon cortisol levels at age 77 years. Waking, waking +45 min (peak) and evening salivary cortisol samples were collected from 159 participants, and the 150 who were not using steroid medications were included in this study. After correcting for multiple comparisons, the only significant association was between early-adulthood job instability and later-life peak cortisol levels. After excluding participants with dementia or possible mild cognitive impairment, early-adulthood high stress showed significant associations with lower evening and mean cortisol levels, suggesting downregulation by stress, but these results did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Overall, our results do not provide strong evidence of a relationship between stress in youth and later-life cortisol levels, but do suggest that some more long-term stressors, such as job instability, may indeed produce lasting upregulation of cortisol, persisting into the mid-to-late seventies.

Individual differences in the cortisol responses of neglected and comparison children.

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Sullivan, Margaret Wolan; Bennett, David S; Lewis, Michael

2013-02-01

Neglected children's acute hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) reactivity in response to a laboratory visit was contrasted with that of a comparison group. The authors examined initial salivary cortisol response upon entering the laboratory and its trajectory following a set of tasks designed to elicit negative self-evaluation in 64 children (30 with a history of neglect and 34 demographically matched comparison children). Neglected, but not comparison, children showed higher initial cortisol responses. The cortisol response of both groups showed a decline from the sample taken at lab entry, with neglected children's cortisol exhibiting steeper decline. The groups, however, did not differ in their mean cortisol levels at 20 and 35 min post-task. The results are interpreted in terms of the meaning of initial responses as a "baseline" and as evidence for neglected children's heightened HPA-axis reactivity as either a reflection of differences in home levels or the consequence of stress/anxiety associated with arrival at the laboratory.

Child temperament and parental depression predict cortisol reactivity to stress in middle childhood.

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Mackrell, Sarah V M; Sheikh, Haroon I; Kotelnikova, Yuliya; Kryski, Katie R; Jordan, Patricia L; Singh, Shiva M; Hayden, Elizabeth P

2014-02-01

Children's cortisol reactivity to stress is an important mediator of depression risk, making the search for predictors of such reactivity an important goal for psychopathologists. Multiple studies have linked maternal depression and childhood behavioral inhibition (BI) independently to child cortisol reactivity, yet few have tested multivariate models of these risks. Further, paternal depression and other child temperament traits, such as positive emotionality (PE), have been largely ignored despite their potential relevance. We therefore examined longitudinal associations between child fear/BI and PE and parental depression, and children's cortisol stress reactivity, in 205 7-year-olds. Paternal depression and child fear/BI predicted greater cortisol stress reactivity at a follow-up of 164 9-year-olds, and maternal depression and child PE interacted to predict children's cortisol reactivity, such that higher child PE predicted lower cortisol reactivity in the context of maternal depression. Results highlight the importance of both parents' depression, as well as multiple facets of child temperament, in developing more comprehensive models of childhood cortisol reactivity to stress. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Deterioro cognitivo inducido por privación de sueño : efecto de la edad y tratamiento con memantina.

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Tarragón Cros, Ernesto

2013-01-01

La esperanza de vida y la prevalencia de enfermedades neurodegenerativas asociadas a la edad continua in crescendo, por lo que el deterioro cognitivo asociado al envejecimiento y la perdida de memoria son problemas acuciantes en el ámbito de la salud. La memantina, antagonista de los receptores NMDA de glutamato, es un fármaco de elección en la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Los objetivos de esta tesis son, pues: i) investigar el efecto de la edad y la privación de sueño en un modelo animal de ...

Inhibiting Endogenous Cortisol Blunts the Meal-Entrained Rise in Serum Leptin

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Laferrère, Blandine; Abraham, Cynthia; Awad, Marianne; Jean-Baptiste, Stephanie; Hart, Allison B.; Garcia-Lorda, Pilar; Kokkoris, Peter; Russell, Colleen D.

2010-01-01

Context Administration of glucocorticoids increases serum leptin levels in lean and obese individuals. A morning meal produces an increase in insulin, a cortisol peak, and an increase in leptin; these changes do not occur during fasting. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate whether inhibiting endogenous cortisol secretion with metyrapone decreases 24-h serum leptin levels and to determine whether a meal-related midmorning surge in cortisol is a prerequisite for the meal-entrained nocturnal rise in leptin. Design This was a randomized, cross-over study. Setting The study was performed at the General Clinical Research Center. Participants Lean males were studied. Intervention In study 1, seven lean men were studied for 24 h while their endogenous cortisol secretions were manipulated as follows: 1) CONTROL; 2) cortisol suppression by metyrapone (MET); and 3) MET and oral hydrocortisone (at 0900 h) (MET + CORT). Subjects were all fed a eucaloric diet (two meals at 1100 and 1700 h). In study 2, six men were studied without pharmacological intervention for 24 h on two occasions: once under a complete fast (FAST) and once in a feeding condition (one meal at 1100 h; FED). Main Outcome Measure The main outcome measure was serum leptin. Results MET significantly suppressed serum cortisol at 0800 h, midmorning, and over the 24-h period. As a result of cortisol suppression, 24-h serum leptin levels were decreased vs. control values despite similar insulin responses to meals. Administering a single dose of hydrocortisone to MET subjects potently stimulated serum leptin compared with the effect of MET alone. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that endogenous cortisol secretion is necessary for the maintenance of serum leptin levels over 24 h in lean, normally fed males. PMID:16537679

Enhanced Cortisol Response to Stress in Children in Autism

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Spratt, Eve G.; Nicholas, Joyce S.; Brady, Kathleen T.; Carpenter, Laura A.; Hatcher, Charles R.; Meekins, Kirk A.; Furlanetto, Richard W.; Charles, Jane M.

2012-01-01

Children with Autism often show difficulties in adapting to change. Previous studies of cortisol, a neurobiologic stress hormone reflecting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, in children with autism have demonstrated variable results. This study measured cortisol levels in children with and without Autism: (1) at rest; (2) in a…

Suppressing the Morning Rise in Cortisol Impairs Free Recall

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Rimmele, Ulrike; Meier, Flurina; Lange, Tanja; Born, Jan

2010-01-01

Elevated glucocorticoid levels impair memory retrieval. We investigated whether retrieval under naturally elevated glucocorticoid levels, i.e., during the morning rise in cortisol can be improved by suppressing cortisol. In a crossover study 16 men retrieved emotional and neutral texts and pictures (learned 3 d earlier) 30 min after morning…

Father Contributions to Cortisol Responses in Infancy and Toddlerhood

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Mills-Koonce, W. Roger; Garrett-Peters, Patricia; Barnett, Melissa; Granger, Douglas A.; Blair, Clancy; Cox, Martha J.

2011-01-01

The current study is one of the first prospective examinations of longitudinal associations between observed father caregiving behaviors and child cortisol reactivity and regulation in response to emotional arousal. Observations of father and mother caregiving behaviors and child cortisol levels in response to challenges at 7 months and 24 months…

Prefrontal serotonin transporter availability is positively associated with the cortisol awakening response

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Frokjaer, Vibe Gedsoe; Erritzoe, David; Holst, Klaus Kähler

2013-01-01

higher cortisol responses when exposed to psychosocial stressors relative to high expressing 5-HTTLPR variants. However, it is not clear how the relation between SERT and cortisol output is reflected in the adult brain. We investigated the relation between cortisol response to awakening (CAR) and SERT...... binding in brain regions considered relevant to modify the cortisol awakening response. Methods: thirty-two healthy volunteers underwent in vivo SERT imaging with [11C]DASB-Positron Emission Tomography (PET), genotyping, and performed home-sampling of saliva to assess CAR. Results: CAR, defined...... between CAR and prefrontal SERT binding as tested by an interaction analysis (genotype×CAR). Conclusion: prefrontal SERT binding is positively associated with cortisol response to awakening. We speculate that in mentally healthy individuals prefrontal serotonergic neurotransmission may exert an inhibitory...

Acerca de la modernización, la modernidad y el riesgo

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CARLOTA SOLÉ PUIG

1997-01-01

Full Text Available el articulo contextualiza el debatye sobre modernizacion, modernidad y el concepto de riesgo en las sociedades donde los peligros medioambientales han inducido a una profunda revision de las prospectivas de futuro por parte de los actores sociales responsables (administracion, instituciones,

Influence of cortisol on zinc metabolism in morbidly obese women.

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Mota Martins, Luana; Soares de Oliveira, Ana Raquel; Clímaco Cruz, Kyria Jayanne; Borges de Araújo, Camila Guedes; de Oliveira, Francisco Erasmo; Santos de Sousa, Gustavo; do Nascimento Nogueira, Nadir; do Nascimento Marreiro, Dilina

2014-01-01

The accumulation of visceral fat affects the metabolism of hormones and some nutrients, but these mechanisms remain unclear. To assess the influence of cortisol on the metabolism of zinc in morbidly obese women. Cross-sectional, case-control study involving 80 women aged between 20 and 59 years. The participants were divided into two groups: experimental (morbidly obese, n = 40) and control (normal weight, n = 40). Zinc concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and serum and urinary cortisol by chemiluminescence method. Zinc intake was significantly different between groups. Mean plasma zinc was lower in obese compared to control group. Mean values for erythrocyte zinc were 44.52 ± 7.84 µg/gHb and 40.17 ± 6.71 µg/gHb for obese and control groups, respectively. Urinary excretion of this mineral was higher in obese compared to control subjects (p cortisol were 9.58 ± 4.86 µg/dL for obese and 9.89 ± 5.61 µg/dL for control groups. Mean values for urinary cortisol were 163.00 ± 100.35 µg/dL and 109.71 ± 34.88 µg/dL for obese and control groups, respectively (p > 0.05). The correlation analysis between cortisol and zinc was not significant (p > 0.05). Obese patients have hypozincemia and high erythrocyte zinc levels. The correlation between zinc parameters and cortisol concentration showed no influence of this hormone on zinc metabolism.

Exogenous cortisol causes a shift from deliberative to intuitive thinking.

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Margittai, Zsofia; Nave, Gideon; Strombach, Tina; van Wingerden, Marijn; Schwabe, Lars; Kalenscher, Tobias

2016-02-01

People often rely on intuitive judgments at the expense of deliberate reasoning, but what determines the dominance of intuition over deliberation is not well understood. Here, we employed a psychopharmacological approach to unravel the role of two major endocrine stress mediators, cortisol and noradrenaline, in cognitive reasoning. Healthy participants received placebo, cortisol (hydrocortisone) and/or yohimbine, a drug that increases noradrenergic stimulation, before performing the cognitive reflection test (CRT). We found that cortisol impaired performance in the CRT by biasing responses toward intuitive, but incorrect answers. Elevated stimulation of the noradrenergic system, however, had no effect. We interpret our results in the context of the dual systems theory of judgment and decision making. We propose that cortisol causes a shift from deliberate, reflective cognition toward automatic, reflexive information processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes of serum contents of cortisol and ACTH in patients after operation

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Zhu Lianghong; Zhang Xinlu; Chen Guanghua

2007-01-01

Objective: To study the changes of serum contents of cortisol and ACTH after operation. Methods: Serum cortisol and ACTH levels were measured with RIA both before and ld, 3d post-operatively in 30 patients after Grade III operation and 15 patients after Grade IV operation. Results: On the first post-operative day, the serum cortisol and ACTH levels in both groups of patients were significantly higher than their respective pre-operative levels. Levels in Grade IV group were significantly higher than those in Grade III group. On the third post-operative day, the serum cortisol levels dropped markedly and were lower than their respective pre-operative levels. However, the serum ACTH levels continued to rise in both groups and were significantly higher than the respective levels pre-operatively as well as those on dl. The ACTH levels in the two groups were not significantly different on d3. Conclusion: Serum cortisol and ACTH levels increased in the early post-operative phase and the degree of increase of cortisol was correlated with the magnitude of the operation. (authors)

Cortisol regulates nitric oxide synthase in freshwater and seawater acclimated rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

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Gerber, Lucie; Madsen, Steffen S; Jensen, Frank B

2017-01-01

Cortisol and nitric oxide (NO) are regulators of ion transport and metabolic functions in fish. In the gill, they show opposite effects on Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA) activity: cortisol stimulates NKA activity while NO inhibits NKA activity. We hypothesized that cortisol may impact NO production...... in osmoregulatory tissues by regulating NO synthase (NOS) expression. We evaluated the influence of cortisol treatment on mRNA expression of Nos1 and Nos2 in gill, kidney and middle intestine of both freshwater (FW) and seawater (SW) acclimated rainbow trout and found both tissue- and salinity-dependent effects....... Nos2 expression was down-regulated in the gill by cortisol injection in both FW and SW trout. This was substantiated by incubating gill tissue with cortisol ex vivo. Similarly, cortisol injection significantly down-regulated Nos2 expression in kidney of SW fish but not in FW fish. In the middle...

Stress and cortisol responses in men: differences according to facial symmetry.

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Borráz-León, Javier I; Cerda-Molina, Ana Lilia; Mayagoitia-Novales, Lilian

2017-11-01

Stress response is associated with increased activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Chronic stress-induced elevation in cortisol may alter its own negative regulation with multiple long-term consequences for physical and psychological health. One of the most reliable physical traits associated with mental, apparent physical health, and competitiveness is the degree of facial fluctuating asymmetry. However, to our knowledge there are no studies regarding the relationship between cortisol levels, facial symmetry and male competitiveness, and how cortisol changes after a stressful test depending on these traits. Here, a group of 100 college men were photographed to obtain their facial asymmetry levels. They then, answered the perceived stress scale and the intrasexual competition test and donated two saliva samples (pre-and post-test sample) to measure the change in their cortisol levels after a stressful test. We found that basal cortisol levels were positively correlated with both perceived stress and competitiveness, but not with facial fluctuating asymmetry. Cortisol levels increased in most symmetrical men after a short stressful test, but it decreased in most asymmetrical men. The results suggest differences in endocrine responses according to facial fluctuating asymmetry in men and how these responses could be related to the maintenance of social status.

Aborto provocado: o discurso das mulheres sobre suas relações familiares

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Zannety Conceição Silva do Nascimento Souza

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El aborto inducido y la violencia doméstica contra las mujeres se consideran problemas de salud pública por las consecuencias a la salud física y mental que afectan a las mismas. El objetivo fue analizar el discurso de las mujeres que han experimentado el aborto en sus relaciones familiares. Los sujetos del estudio fueron diecisiete mujeres ingresadas en una maternidad pública en Salvador, Bahia (Brasil, por causa del aborto inducido. La recolección de datos se realizó entre julio y septiembre de 2008, por medio de entrevistas semiestructuradas, organizadas a partir del Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo. Las ideas centrales que surgieron de los discursos muestran que la decisión del aborto se deriva de la historia de violencia vivida con sus compañeros y familiares, y del abandono cuando el embarazo fue descubierto. La Enfermería necesita entender el contexto social en el cual viven las mujeres que abortan, a fin de reformular sus prácticas.

Hair cortisol predicts object permanence performance in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

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Dettmer, Amanda M; Novak, Matthew F S X; Novak, Melinda A; Meyer, Jerrold S; Suomi, Stephen J

2009-12-01

Although high circulating levels of glucocorticoids are associated with impaired cognitive performance in adults, less is known about this relationship in infancy. Furthermore, because studies have relied on acute cortisol measures in blood plasma or saliva, interpretation of the results may be difficult as acute measures may in part reflect emotional responses to testing procedures. In this study we examined whether hair cortisol, an integrated measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, predicted performance of nursery-reared (NR) infant rhesus monkeys (n = 32) on Piagetian object permanence tasks. Testing of NR infants began at 19.8 +/- 2.2 (mean +/- SE) days of age and continued for the next several months. Hair cortisol concentrations from the 32 NR monkeys were compared to those of 20 mother-peer-reared (MPR) infants. Hair was shaved at Day 14, allowed to regrow, and obtained again at month 6, thus representing integrated cortisol over a 5.5-month period of time. NR and MPR infants did not differ in month 6 hair cortisol values (t((50)) = 0.02, p = 0.98). Linear regression revealed that hair cortisol predicted object permanence performance in the NR infants. Infants with higher hair cortisol reached criterion at later ages on the well (p < 0.01), screen (p < 0.05), and A-not-B (p < 0.05) tasks and required more test sessions to complete the well (p < 0.01) and screen tasks (p < 0.05). These data are the first to implicate hair cortisol as a reliable predictor of early cognitive performance in infant macaque monkeys.

Daily endogenous cortisol production and hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics in adult horses and neonatal foals.

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Hart, Kelsey A; Dirikolu, Levent; Ferguson, Duncan C; Norton, Natalie A; Barton, Michelle H

2012-01-01

To compare daily endogenous cortisol production rate and the pharmacokinetics of an i.v. bolus of hydrocortisone between neonatal foals and adult horses. 10 healthy full-term 2- to 4-day-old foals and 7 healthy adult horses. Blood samples were collected from each horse every 15 to 20 minutes for 24 hours for determination of 24-hour mean cortisol concentration. Afterward, dexamethasone (0.08 mg/kg) was administered i.v. to suppress endogenous cortisol production. Twelve hours afterward, hydrocortisone sodium succinate (1.0 mg/kg) was administered as a rapid i.v. bolus and serial blood samples were collected to determine hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics. Cortisol concentrations, daily cortisol production rate, and hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics were determined, and results were compared between adult horses and foals. The mean ± SD 24-hour cortisol concentration was significantly lower in foals (20 ± 4 ng/mL) than in horses (26 ± 6 ng/mL), but the daily cortisol production rate was significantly greater in foals (6,710 ± 320 ng/kg/d) than in horses (2,140 ± 400 ng/kg/d). For hydrocortisone, foals had a significantly greater volume of distribution at steady state (1.92 ± 1.11 L/kg) and total body clearance (1.39 ± 0.108 L/kg/h) and significantly lower peak plasma concentration (1,051 ± 343 ng/mL) than did horses (0.58 ± 0.15 L/kg, 0.349 ± 0.065 L/kg/h, and 8,934 ± 3,843 ng/mL, respectively). Important differences were detected in cortisol production and metabolism between neonatal foals and adult horses consistent with lower plasma protein binding of cortisol in foals. This decrease may contribute to cortisol insufficiency during prolonged critical illness in neonatal foals.

Is There an Association Between Cortisol and Hypertension in Overweight or Obese Children?

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Wirix, Aleid Jg; Finken, Martijn Jj; von Rosenstiel-Jadoul, Ines A; Heijboer, Annemieke C; Nauta, Jeroen; Groothoff, Jaap W; Chinapaw, Mai Jm; Kist-van Holthe, Joana E

2017-12-15

The precise mechanisms behind the development of hypertension in overweight or obese children are not yet completely understood. Alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity may play a role. We aimed to investigate the association between cortisol parameters and hypertension in overweight or obese children. Random urine (n=180) and early-morning saliva samples (n=126) for assessment of cortisol and cortisone were collected from 1) hypertensive overweight children (n=50), 2) normotensive overweight children (n=145), and 3) normotensive non-overweight children (n=75). The age of participants was 10.4±3.3 years and 53% were boys. The urinary cortisol-to-cortisone ratio [β 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.19] as well as urinary cortisol/creatinine (β 1.38, 95% CI 1.09-1.54), and cortisone/creatinine ratios (β 1.26, 95% CI 1.17-1.36) were significantly higher in overweight or obese than in non-overweight children. After adjusting for body mass index-standard deviation score and urinary cortisone/creatinine ratio, but not cortisol/creatinine ratio, was significantly associated with presence of hypertension (β 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.23). Salivary cortisol and cortisone levels were significantly lower in overweight or obese than in non-overweight children (β -4.67, 95% CI -8.19- -1.15, and β 0.89, 95% CI 0.80-0.97 respectively). There were no significant differences in cortisol parameters between hypertensive and normotensive overweight or obese children. This study provided further evidence for an increased cortisol production rate with decreased renal 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 activity and flattening of early-morning peak cortisol and cortisone in overweight or obese children. However, there were no significant differences in cortisol parameters between hypertensive and normotensive overweight and obese children.

Sleep duration partially accounts for race differences in diurnal cortisol dynamics.

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Peterson, Laurel M; Miller, Karissa G; Wong, Patricia M; Anderson, Barbara P; Kamarck, Thomas W; Matthews, Karen A; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Manuck, Stephen B

2017-05-01

Emerging research demonstrates race differences in diurnal cortisol slope, an indicator of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA)-axis functioning associated with morbidity and mortality, with African Americans showing flatter diurnal slopes than their White counterparts. Sleep characteristics are associated with both race and with HPA-axis functioning. The present report examines whether sleep duration may account for race differences in cortisol dynamics. Participants were 424 employed African American and White adults (mean age = 42.8 years, 84.2% White, 53.6% female) with no cardiovascular disease (Adult Health and Behavior Project-Phase 2 [AHAB-II] cohort, University of Pittsburgh). Cortisol slope was calculated using 4 salivary cortisol readings, averaged over each of 4 days. Demographic (age, sex), psychosocial (socioeconomic status [SES], affect, discrimination), and health behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity) variables were used as covariates, and sleep (self-report and accelerometry) was also assessed. African Americans had flatter slopes than Whites (F(1, 411) = 10.45, B = .02, p = .001) in models adjusting for demographic, psychosocial, and health behavior covariates. Shorter actigraphy-assessed total sleep time was a second significant predictor of flatter cortisol slopes (F(1, 411) = 25.27, B = -.0002, p race and diurnal slope [confidence interval = .05 (lower = .014, upper .04)]. African Americans have flatter diurnal cortisol slopes than their White counterparts, an effect that may be partially attributable to race differences in nightly sleep duration. Sleep parameters should be considered in further research on race and cortisol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Low cortisol levels in blood from dairy cows with ketosis: a field study

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Jones Bernt V

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An elevated plasma glucose concentration has been considered to be a potential risk factor in the pathogenesis of left-displaced abomasums (DA. Therefore the present study was performed to investigate if spontaneous disease (parturient paresis, metritis, ketosis etc in dairy cows results in elevated concentrations of glucose and cortisol in blood as cortisol is the major regulator of glucose in ruminants. Methods Cortisol, insulin, β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA, non esterified fatty acids (NEFA, and serum calcium were analyzed in blood serum and glucose, in whole blood, from 57 spontaneously diseased cows collected at different farms. The cows were grouped according to the disease; parturient paresis, recumbent for other reasons, mastitis, metritis, ketosis, inappetance and others. Results No elevated concentrations of cortisol or glucose were found in cows with metritis and mastitis but both cortisol and glucose were elevated in cows stressed by recumbency. Cows with ketonemia (BHBA > 1.5 mmol/l did not have low concentration of glucose in blood but significantly low levels of cortisol. Some of these cows even had cortisol concentrations below the detection limit of the analysing method ( Conclusions The study gives patho-physiological support to the treatment strategies of ketosis, recommending glucocorticoids, insulin etc. However further studies of this problem are needed to understand why cows with ketosis have low levels of cortisol and normal levels of glucose. To what extent elevated cortisol and glucose levels in hypocalcemic and recumbent cows are involved in the ethiology and /or the pathogenesis of DA also will need further research.

Concurrent and longitudinal associations between diurnal cortisol and body mass index across adolescence.

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Ruttle, Paula L; Javaras, Kristin N; Klein, Marjorie H; Armstrong, Jeffrey M; Burk, Linnea R; Essex, Marilyn J

2013-06-01

Childhood and adolescent obesity have reached epidemic levels; however, little is known about the psychobiological underpinnings of obesity in youth and whether these differ from the mechanisms identified in adults. The current study examines concurrent (i.e., measured at the same point in time) and longitudinal (i.e., using earlier cortisol measures to predict later body mass index [BMI]) associations between diurnal cortisol and BMI across adolescence. Adolescent diurnal cortisol was measured over 3 days at each 11, 13, and 15 years. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to extract average measures of predicted morning, afternoon, evening levels of cortisol and the diurnal slope at each assessment. Adolescent BMI (kg/m(2)) was measured at 11, 13, 15, and 18 years. Sex, family socioeconomic status, mother's BMI, pubertal status, and adolescent mental health were examined as possible confounding variables. Linear regressions revealed that blunted patterns of adolescent cortisol were associated with increased measures of BMI across adolescence both concurrently and longitudinally, particularly when examining measures of cortisol in early adolescence. Multinomial logistic regressions extended the linear regression findings beyond BMI scores to encompass categories of obesity. The current study builds on previous research documenting diurnal cortisol-obesity findings in adults by demonstrating similar findings exist both concurrently and longitudinally in adolescents. Findings suggest the association between cortisol and BMI is developmentally influenced and that blunted diurnal cortisol patterns can be identified in overweight individuals at a younger age than previously thought. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of interpersonal violence-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on mother and child diurnal cortisol rhythm and cortisol reactivity to a laboratory stressor involving separation.

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Cordero, Maria I; Moser, Dominik A; Manini, Aurelia; Suardi, Francesca; Sancho-Rossignol, Ana; Torrisi, Raffaella; Rossier, Michel F; Ansermet, François; Dayer, Alexandre G; Rusconi-Serpa, Sandra; Schechter, Daniel S

2017-04-01

Women who have experienced interpersonal violence (IPV) are at a higher risk to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and impaired social behavior. Previously, we had reported impaired maternal sensitivity and increased difficulty in identifying emotions (i.e. alexithymia) among IPV-PTSD mothers. One of the aims of the present study was to examine maternal IPV-PTSD salivary cortisol levels diurnally and reactive to their child's distress in relation to maternal alexithymia. Given that mother-child interaction during infancy and early childhood has important long-term consequences on the stress response system, toddlers' cortisol levels were assessed during the day and in response to a laboratory stressor. Mothers collected their own and their 12-48month-old toddlers' salivary samples at home three times: 30min after waking up, between 2-3pm and at bedtime. Moreover, mother-child dyads participated in a 120-min laboratory session, consisting of 3 phases: baseline, stress situation (involving mother-child separation and exposure to novelty) and a 60-min regulation phase. Compared to non-PTSD controls, IPV-PTSD mothers - but not their toddlers, had lower morning cortisol and higher bedtime cortisol levels. As expected, IPV-PTSD mothers and their children showed blunted cortisol reactivity to the laboratory stressor. Maternal cortisol levels were negatively correlated to difficulty in identifying emotions. Our data highlights PTSD-IPV-related alterations in the HPA system and its relevance to maternal behavior. Toddlers of IPV-PTSD mothers also showed an altered pattern of cortisol reactivity to stress that potentially may predispose them to later psychological disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EFECTO NEFROPROTECTOR DEL ÁCIDO ASCÓRBICO EN UN MODELO DE DAÑO RENAL INDUCIDO POR GENTAMICINA EN CONEJOS

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Javier Antonio Padilla Funes

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Uno de los efectos secundarios mas notables de la Gentamicina es su nefrotoxicidad. En este estudio se propone el posible efecto nefroprotector del acido ascorbico como barredor de radicales libres de oxigeno. Metodología. Se ejecuto un estudio experimental en 24 conejos machos, raza Nueva Zelanda, cuyo peso fue de 1,5 +/- 0,5 Kg. Los sujetos experimentales fueron distribuidos en tres grupos. El grupo Control se manejo con Gentamicina a dosis de 80 mg/Kg/dia por via IM. El grupo Acido Ascorbico se trato a dosis de 200 mg/kg/dia via IP y Gentamicina 80mg/Kg/dia IM. El grupo Sham se manejo con SSN 0,9% por via IP e IM, durante cinco dias consecutivos, para cada grupo. Se determinaron los siguientes parametros: creatinina serica, N-Acetil s-D glucosaminidasa urinaria (NAG-U, diuresis e histopatologia de las muestras renales. Resultados. La creatinina serica fue significativamente mayor para el grupo Control respecto al grupo Acido Ascorbico (p<0,05. Respecto a la diuresis, se observo una tendencia a la poliuria en el grupo Control. En cuanto a NAG-U, se observo inhibicion completa de la actividad enzimatica en el grupo Acido Ascorbico. El analisis histopatologico demuestra hallazgos de necrosis tubular aguda en el 100% del grupo control, mientras que en el grupo Acido Ascorbico se obtuvo en un 50% de los sujetos unicamente detritos intraluminales. Conclusiones. La administracion concomitante de Acido Ascorbico con Gentamicina, disminuye significativamente el dano tubular renal, evidenciado en los valores de creatinina serica, NAG, diuresis e histopatologia renal.

Relationship between effort-reward imbalance and hair cortisol concentration in female kindergarten teachers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Qi, Xingliang; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Yapeng; Ji, Shuang; Chen, Zheng; Sluiter, Judith K.; Deng, Huihua

2014-01-01

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and hair cortisol concentration among teachers to examine whether hair cortisol can be a biomarker of chronic work stress. Hair samples were collected from 39 female teachers from three kindergartens. Cortisol was

Cortisol levels during prolonged exercise: the influence of menstrual phase and menstrual status.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanaley, J A; Boileau, R A; Bahr, J M; Misner, J E; Nelson, R A

1992-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of menstrual phase and menstrual status on the cortisol response during 90 minutes of treadmill running at 60% VO2max. Eight eumenhorrheic athletes were tested in the early follicular (EF) (day 3-5), late follicular (LF) (day 13-15) and mid-luteal (ML) (day 22-24) phases. Six amenorrheic athletes were tested on two separate occasions. The resting cortisol levels were similar in each menstrual phase and overall a decreasing pattern of cortisol response to exercise was observed in all menstrual phases (P greater than .05). The amenorrheic athletes had a significantly greater (P less than .01) pattern of cortisol response than was observed in eumenorrheic athletes. The net increment in cortisol levels during exercise were distinctly greater (P less than .01) in amenorrheic than eumenorrheic athletes (amenorrheic: 413.8 +/- 113.1, eumenorrheic: EF: -482.8 +/- 88.3, LF: -311.8 +/- 102.1, ML: -386.3 +/- 146.2 nmol.l-1). In conclusion the cortisol levels are independent of menstrual phase. Also a larger cortisol increment is observed in amenorrheic athletes in response to prolonged submaximal exercise. The elevated cortisol levels in amenorrheics at rest and throughout exercise provides further evidence that disturbances in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function are associated with exercise-induced amenorrhea, although the site(s) of physiological disturbance have not been identified.

Isolated Cortisol Deficiency: A Rare Cause of Neonatal Cholestasis

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hussaini, Abdulrahman; Almutairi, Awatif; Mursi, Alaaddin; Alghofely, Mohammed; Asery, Ali

2012-01-01

For decades, congenital panhypopituitarism has been recognized to cause infantile cholestasis. However, the identity of the hormone whose deficiency causes such derangement of the liver is not clear. Here, we report four cases of isolated severe cortisol deficiency presenting with neonatal cholestasis and hypoglycemia, of whom two had familial primary glucocorticoid deficiency and the other two had isolated adrenocorticotropin deficiency. The resolution of cholestasis by hydrocortisone replacement therapy suggests a causal relationship between cortisol deficiency and the development of neonatal cholestasis. In conclusion, the presentation of a young infant with cholestasis and hypoglycemia should alert pediatricians to the possibility of cortisol deficiency and prompt investigation of adrenal function should be undertaken. PMID:23006463

Work family balance, stress, and salivary cortisol in men and women academic physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, B; Ahmad, F; Stewart, D E

2008-01-01

The stress of medical practice has been recurrently studied, but work- and family-related determinants of health by gender remain under researched. To test the hypothesis that cortisol excretion would be affected by the perceived severity of total workload imbalance. By hierarchical regression analysis, the associations between work-family balance and diurnal salivary cortisol levels by sex in academic physicians (n = 40) were investigated. Men physicians reported more paid work hours per week than women physicians and women more time in childcare, but their total working hours were similar. Controlling for sex and age, the mean of the diurnal cortisol release was associated with a combined effect of sex and responsibility at home. When morning cortisol, sex, and children at home were held constant, cortisol levels in the evening were associated with responsibility at home without significant gender interaction. With increasing responsibility at home, women and men reacted differently with regard to cortisol responses over the day. However, in the evening, controlling for the morning cortisol, these gender differences were not as obvious. These findings highlight traditional gender patterns among both women and men physicians in the challenge of finding a balance between work and family.

Prolactin and cortisol levels in women with endometriosis

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A.P. Lima

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Endometriosis is a progressive estrogen-dependent disease affecting women during their reproductive years. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether endometriosis is associated with stress parameters. We determined cortisol and prolactin levels in serum, peritoneal and follicular fluid from infertile women with endometriosis and fertile women without the disease. The extent of the disease was staged according to the revised American Fertility Society classification (1997. Serum and peritoneal fluid were collected from 49 women aged 19 to 39 years undergoing laparoscopy. Eighteen women had stage I-II endometriosis and 10 had stage III-IV. Controls were 21 women undergoing laparoscopy for tubal sterilization. Follicular fluid was obtained from 39 women aged 25-39 years undergoing in vitro fertilization (21 infertile women with endometriosis and 18 infertile women without endometriosis. Serum prolactin levels were significantly higher in infertile women with stage III-IV endometriosis (28.9 ± 2.1 ng/mL than in healthy controls (13.2 ± 2.1 ng/mL. Serum cortisol levels were significantly higher in infertile women with stage III-IV endometriosis (20.1 ± 1.3 ng/mL than in controls (10.5 ± 1.4 ng/mL. Cortisol and prolactin levels in follicular fluid and peritoneal fluid did not differ significantly between groups. The high levels of cortisol and prolactin in the serum from women with endometriosis might contribute to the subfertility frequently associated with the disease. Moreover, since higher levels of cortisol and prolactin are often associated with stress, it is probable that stress might contribute to the development of endometriosis and its progression to advanced stages of the disease.

No effect of caloric restriction on salivary cortisol levels in overweight men and women.

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, Charmaine S; Frost, Elizabeth A; Xie, Wenting; Rood, Jennifer; Ravussin, Eric; Redman, Leanne M

2014-02-01

The effect of weight loss by diet or diet and exercise on salivary cortisol levels, a measure of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal activity, in overweight individuals is not known. The objective was to test the hypothesis that 24 weeks of moderate caloric restriction (CR) (25%) by diet or diet and aerobic exercise would alter morning and diurnal salivary cortisol levels. Randomized control trial in an institutional research center. Thirty-five overweight (BMI: 27.8±0.7 kg/m(2)) but otherwise healthy participants (16 M/19 F). Participants were randomized to either calorie restriction (CR: 25% reduction in energy intake, n=12), calorie restriction+exercise (CR+EX: 12.5% reduction in energy intake+12.5% increase in exercise energy expenditure, n=12) or control (healthy weight-maintenance diet, n=11) for 6 months. Salivary cortisol measured at 8:00, 8:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:30, 13:00, 16:00 and 16:30. Morning cortisol was defined as the mean cortisol concentration at 08:00 and 08:30. Diurnal cortisol was calculated as the mean of the 8 cortisol measures across the day. In the whole cohort, higher morning and diurnal cortisol levels were associated with impaired insulin sensitivity (morning: P=0.004, r(2)=0.24; diurnal: P=0.02, r(2)=0.15). Using mixed model analysis, there was no significant effect of group, time or sex on morning or diurnal cortisol levels. A 10% weight loss with a 25% CR diet alone or with exercise did not impact morning or diurnal salivary cortisol levels. © 2013.

Cortisol and cognitive function in midlife: the role of childhood cognition and educational attainment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaysina, Darya; Gardner, Michael P; Richards, Marcus; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav

2014-09-01

Adult cognition and age-related cognitive decline can be influenced by dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis with concomitant changes in cortisol levels. However, very little is known about the role of childhood cognition and educational attainment in this relationship. Using data from the British 1946 birth cohort, the present study investigated: (1) associations between cortisol levels and patterns and cognitive function in midlife; (2) direct and interactive effects of childhood cognition, educational attainment and cortisol on cognitive function in midlife. Verbal memory, letter search speed and reaction time were assessed at age 60-64 years. Salivary cortisol samples (wakening, 30 min after wakening and evening) were collected at the same age. Childhood cognitive ability was measured at ages 8, 11, and 15, and educational level was reported at age 26. Associations between cortisol, childhood cognition, educational attainment and cognitive function in midlife were tested using linear regression and structural equation modelling approaches. Higher evening cortisol level was associated with slower reaction time and lower verbal memory. These associations were independent of childhood cognition and education as well as a range of other potential confounders. Childhood cognition and education were not directly associated with evening cortisol. However, there was a significant interaction effect between childhood cognition and evening cortisol on reaction time (p=.002): higher evening cortisol was associated with slower reaction time only among those with low childhood cognitive ability. There was little evidence of associations between the other cortisol measures and cognitive function. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Gender differences in acculturation, stress, and salivary cortisol response among former Soviet immigrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Lisa M; Miller, Arlene Michaels; Schwertz, Dorie; Sorokin, Olga

2013-06-01

Post-immigration adaptation is characterized by chronic and acute acculturative stressors. Salivary cortisol is a commonly used hormonal marker of stress, but few studies have investigated its use as an indicator of acculturative stress and adjustment in immigrants. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among predictors of adjustment (environmental and language mastery), self-reported stress outcomes (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, alienation), and salivary cortisol response in immigrants from the former Soviet Union. The sample included 137 married men and women aged 42-80 who lived in the U.S. for 1-13 years. Results indicated that while men and women had similar values for cortisol response, relationships among adjustment measures, stress outcomes, and cortisol differed by gender. Among men, environmental mastery significantly reduced depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and cortisol response. Among women, environmental mastery also reduced depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and alienation, but language mastery increased cortisol response and decreased alienation.

The Effect of Relaxation Interventions on Cortisol Levels in HIV-Sero-Positive Women

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Deborah; Owens, Mary; Kumar, Mahendra; Cook, Ryan; Weiss, Stephen M.

2016-01-01

Purpose Activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, assessed in terms of cortisol levels, may enhance the ability of HIV to infect lymphocytes and downregulate the immune system, accelerating disease progression. This study sought to determine the effects of relaxation techniques on cortisol levels in HIV-sero-positive women. Methods Women (n = 150) were randomized to a group cognitive–behavioral stress management (CBSM) condition or an individual information condition and underwent 3 types of relaxation training (progressive muscle relaxation, imagery, and autogenic training). Cortisol levels were obtained pre- and postrelaxation. Results Guided imagery was effective in reducing cortisol in the group condition (t = 3.90, P < .001), and muscle relaxation reduced cortisol in the individual condition (t = 3.11, P = .012). Among participants in the group condition attending all sessions, the magnitude of pre- to postsession reduction became greater over time. Conclusions Results suggest that specific relaxation techniques may be partially responsible for cortisol decreases associated with relaxation and CBSM. PMID:23715264

Weather conditions: a neglected factor in human salivary cortisol research?

Science.gov (United States)

Milas, Goran; Šupe-Domić, Daniela; Drmić-Hofman, Irena; Rumora, Lada; Klarić, Irena Martinović

2018-02-01

There is ample evidence that environmental stressors such as extreme weather conditions affect animal behavior and that this process is in part mediated through the elevated activity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis which results in an increase in cortisol secretion. This relationship has not been extensively researched in humans, and weather conditions have not been analyzed as a potential confounder in human studies of stress. Consequently, the goal of this paper was to assess the relationship between salivary cortisol and weather conditions in the course of everyday life and to test a possible moderating effect of two weather-related variables, the climate region and timing of exposure to outdoors conditions. The sample consisted of 903 secondary school students aged 18 to 21 years from Mediterranean and Continental regions. Cortisol from saliva was sampled in naturalistic settings at three time points over the course of a single day. We found that weather conditions are related to salivary cortisol concentration and that this relationship may be moderated by both the specific climate and the anticipation of immediate exposure to outdoors conditions. Unpleasant weather conditions are predictive for the level of salivary cortisol, but only among individuals who anticipate being exposed to it in the immediate future (e.g., in students attending school in the morning shift). We also demonstrated that isolated weather conditions or their patterns may be relevant in one climate area (e.g., Continental) while less relevant in the other (e.g., Mediterranean). Results of this study draw attention to the importance of controlling weather conditions in human salivary cortisol research.

Cortisol responses to mental stress, exercise, and meals following caffeine intake in men and women.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovallo, William R; Farag, Noha H; Vincent, Andrea S; Thomas, Terrie L; Wilson, Michael F

2006-03-01

Caffeine elevates cortisol secretion, and caffeine is often consumed in conjunction with exercise or mental stress. The interactions of caffeine and stress on cortisol secretion have not been explored adequately in women. We measured cortisol levels at eight times on days when healthy men and women consumed caffeine (250 mg x 3) and underwent either mental stress or dynamic exercise protocols, followed by a midday meal, in a double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Men and women had similar cortisol levels at the predrug baselines, but they responded differently to mental stress and exercise. The cortisol response to mental stress was smaller in women than in men (p=.003). Caffeine acted in concert with mental stress to further increase cortisol levels (p=.011), the effect was similar in men and women. Exercise alone did not increase cortisol, but caffeine taken before exercise elevated cortisol in both men and women (psrelease in response to stress and caffeine therefore appears to be a function of the type of stressor and the sex of the subject. However, repeated caffeine doses increased cortisol levels across the test day without regard to the sex of the subject or type of stressor employed (p<.00001). Caffeine may elevate cortisol by stimulating the central nervous system in men but may interact with peripheral metabolic mechanisms in women.

Determinação do valor de referência para o cortisol basal sérico em população pediátrica sem doença adrenal

OpenAIRE

Cristina Botelho Barra

2012-01-01

A medida do cortisol basal reflete a atividade hipotalâmica-hipofisária-adrenal. É utilizada na avaliação da integridade da resposta do eixo, principalmente em pacientes submetidos a longos períodos de tratamento glicocorticoide, por apresentarem maior risco de supressão adrenal. Em pediatria, a supressão adrenal deve ser sempre considerada em crianças que receberam doses suprafisiológicas de glicocorticoides por mais de duas semanas. Nessas condições, há risco de crise adrenal mesmo em vigên...

Exhaustion measured by the SF-36 vitality scale is associated with a flattened diurnal cortisol profile

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindeberg, Sara I; Eek, Frida; Lindbladh, Eva

2008-01-01

cortisol profile. The study population included 78 working individuals. The study group was dichotomised into exhausted and non-exhausted groups by means of the SF-36 vitality scale. Salivary cortisol was measured at three times during 1 workday: at awakening, 30min after awakening, and in the evening....... The results showed that diurnal cortisol variation was significantly reduced in exhausted individuals. The difference in cortisol variation was mainly due to lowered morning cortisol in the exhausted group. Differences in cortisol levels at each sampling time or in mean diurnal output of cortisol were...... not statistically significant. The results would support the notion that exhaustion is associated with HPA axis hypoactivity as assessed by salivary cortisol. Furthermore, the SF-36 vitality provides a measure of exhaustion that may be useful in epidemiological studies in order to explore long-term health effects...

Papel de la testosterona y el cortisol en el síndrome metabólico y la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 Role of testosterone and cortisol in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Aimée M. Álvarez Álvarez

2010-04-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCCIÓN: el síndrome metabólico y la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 son trastornos metabólicos que han sido ampliamente abordados en la literatura científica por su alta incidencia, así como la alta morbilidad y mortalidad que a ellos se asocia. En los últimos años se han explorado nuevos elementos de posible impacto en su fisiopatogenia, dentro de los que se destacan los esteroides sexuales y los glucocorticoides. En este trabajo se revisaron y comentaron los conocimientos más actuales sobre el papel de la testosterona y el cortisol en la fisiopatogenia del síndrome metabólico y de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en los hombres. DESARROLLO: la testosterona desempeña un papel importante en la modulación de la sensibilidad a la insulina y en la homeostasis de la glucosa, de manera que en los hombres, los niveles bajos de testosterona resultan un elemento predictor de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y del síndrome metabólico. Se ha establecido la existencia de una relación bidireccional y reversible entre la deficiencia de andrógenos y la adiposidad, así como entre la deficiencia de andrógenos y la resistencia a la insulina. Se sugiere que los niveles bajos de testosterona podrían predisponer a la obesidad abdominal, que provoca una alteración del metabolismo de los ácidos grasos, lo cual a la vez promovería la resistencia a la insulina. La secreción de cortisol y la de testosterona están interrelacionadas y tienen efectos inversos sobre la resistencia a la insulina. En la obesidad abdominal el eje hipotalámico-hipofisario-adrenal se hipersensibiliza lo cual provoca aumento frecuente de la secreción de cortisol y disminución de la secreción de esteroides sexuales. Por otro lado, un aumento desproporcionado de la respuesta fisiológica al estrés, induce un incremento de la secreción de cortisol que podría a su vez causar la aparición de la resistencia a la insulina y del síndrome metabólico. Uno de los mecanismos patog

Neutralización del efecto hemorrágico inducido por veneno de Bothrops asper (Serpentes: Viperidae por extractos de plantas tropicales

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Oscar Castro

1999-09-01

Full Text Available Se evaluó la capacidad de extractos orgánicos de 48 especies de plantas costarricenses para neutralizar la actividad hemorrágica del veneno de la serpiente Bothrops asper (terciopelo. Los extractos se evaluaron mediante un bioensayo basado en inyecciones intradérmicas de veneno en ratones, o de mezclas veneno-extracto, seguidas de la cuantificación macroscópica de la hemorragia. Se observó una inhibición total de la hemorragia con los extractos etanólico, de acetato de etilo y acuoso de Bursera simaruba, Clusia torresii, C. palmana, Croton draco, Persea americana, Phoebe brenesii, Pimenta dioica, Sapindus saponaria, Smilax cuculmeca y Virola koschnyi. El análisis químico de estos extractos permitió identificar catequinas, flavonas, antocianinas y taninos condensados, los cuales podrían jugar un papel en la inhibición del efecto hemorrágico debido a la capacidad de quelar el ion zinc requerido por las metaloproteinasas hemorrágicas para su acción.Organic extracts representing 48 species included in 30 families of Costa Rican tropical plants were evaluated for their ability to neutralize hemorrhagic activity induced by the venom of the snake Bothrops asper. A bioassay in mice was used, based on intradermal injection of either venom or venom-extract mixtures followed by the measurement of hemorrhagic areas. Total inhibition of hemorrhage was observed with the ethanolic, ethyl acetate and aquous extracts of Bursera simaruba, Clusia torresii, C. palmana, Croton draco, Persea americana, Phoebe brenesii, Pimenta dioica, Sapindus saponaria, Smilax cuculmeca and Virola koschnyi. Chemical analysis of these extracts identified catequines, flavones, anthocyanines and condensated tannins, which may be responsible for the inhibitory effect observed, probably owing to the chelation of the zinc required for the catalytic activity of venom’s hemorrhagic metalloproteinases.

Concentraciones plasmáticas de cortisol materno secundarias al uso de betametasona para la maduración pulmonar fetal

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Keibis Jiménez Castillejo

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Resumen (español El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar las concentraciones plasmáticas de cortisol materno secundarias al uso de betametasona para la maduración pulmonar fetal. Se realizó una investigación con un diseño tipo cuasi-experimental y una muestra no probabilística intencional de 106 pacientes que acudieron a la consulta pre-natal de alto riesgo del Hospital Central “Dr. Urquinaona". Una vez seleccionadas las pacientes se le administró inyecciones intramusculares de betametasona (12 mg por dos días consecutivos. Las mediciones se realizaron en tres ocasiones: La primera medición, antes de la administración de la primera dosis de betametasona; la segunda medición, 24 horas después de la segunda y última inyección; y la tercera medición, siete días luego de la administración de la última dosis de betametasona. Se observó que las inyecciones con betametasona producían disminuciones de las concentraciones plasmáticas de cortisol materno, ya que el valor de la primera medición fue de 30,1 +/- 9,4 picogramos/dL, las concentraciones disminuyeron a 5,6 +/- 1,9 picogramos/dL durante la segunda medición y luego aumentaron a 23,2 +/- 4,2 picogramos/dL a la tercera medición. Las variaciones de las concentraciones de cortisol de la segunda y tercera medición se consideraron estadísticamente significativas al compararlas con las concentraciones iniciales (p = 0,001. Se concluye que el uso de betametasona para inducir la maduración pulmonar fetal produce disminución significativa en las concentraciones plasmáticas de cortisol materno

Attachment predicts cortisol response and closeness in dyadic social interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Ketay, Sarah; Beck, Lindsey A

2017-06-01

The present study examined how the interplay of partners' attachment styles influences cortisol response, actual closeness, and desired closeness during friendship initiation. Participants provided salivary cortisol samples at four timepoints throughout either a high or low closeness task that facilitated high or low levels of self-disclosure with a potential friend (i.e., another same-sex participant). Levels of actual closeness and desired closeness following the task were measured via inclusion of other in the self. Results from multi-level modeling indicated that the interaction of both participants' attachment avoidance predicted cortisol response patterns, with participants showing the highest cortisol response when there was a mismatch between their own and their partners' attachment avoidance. Further, the interaction between both participants' attachment anxiety predicted actual closeness and desired closeness, with participants both feeling and wanting the most closeness with partners when both they and their partners were low in attachment anxiety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glucocorticoid exposure in preterm babies predicts saliva cortisol response to immunization at 4 months.

Science.gov (United States)

Glover, Vivette; Miles, Rachel; Matta, Simon; Modi, Neena; Stevenson, James

2005-12-01

Preterm babies are exposed to multiple stressors and this may have long-term effects. In particular, high levels of endogenous cortisol might have a programming effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as may administered glucocorticoids. In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that the level of endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoid exposure during the neonatal period predicts the saliva cortisol response to immunization at 4 mo of age. We followed 45 babies born below 32 wk gestation. We showed that their concentration of plasma cortisol during the first 4 wk was 358, 314, 231, and 195 nmol/L cortisol, respectively (geometric mean). This is four to seven times higher than fetal levels at the same gestational age range. We used routine immunization at 4 mo and 12 mo as a stressor and measured the change in saliva cortisol as the stress response. Mean circulating cortisol in the first 4 wk predicted the cortisol response at 4 but not at 12 mo. Path analysis showed that birthweight for gestational age, therapeutic antenatal steroids, and therapeutic postnatal steroids also contributed to the magnitude of the saliva cortisol response at 4 mo. This provides evidence that the magnitude of glucocorticoid exposure, both endogenous and exogenous, may have an effect on later stress responses.

Childhood parental divorce and cortisol in young adulthood: evidence for mediation by family income.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, Amy J; Luecken, Linda J

2009-10-01

Childhood parental divorce has been linked with negative physical and psychological health in adulthood, potentially due to alterations in adrenocortical activity resulting from chronic stress. The current study evaluated cortisol in 94 young adults (mean age 19.9) from families characterized by parental divorce (n=43) or intact parental marriages (n=51). Salivary cortisol was assessed prior to and at 3 time points after a challenging speech task. Participants from divorced families had significantly lower cortisol across the experimental period than those from intact families, even after controlling for family conflict and current depression and anxiety. Lower family income was also associated with lower cortisol, and partially mediated the relationship between parental divorce and cortisol. Findings suggest that childhood parental divorce is associated with attenuated cortisol in young adulthood, which may be explained by lower income in divorced families.

Correlates of cortisol in human hair: implications for epidemiologic studies on health effects of chronic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Wosu, Adaeze C; Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur; Shields, Alexandra E; Williams, David R; Williams, Michelle A

2013-12-01

Assessment of cortisol concentrations in hair is one of the latest innovations for measuring long-term cortisol exposure. We performed a systematic review of correlates of cortisol in human hair to inform the design, analysis, and interpretation of future epidemiologic studies. Relevant publications were identified through electronic searches on PubMed, WorldCat, and Web of Science using keywords, "cortisol," "hair," "confounders," "chronic," "stress," and "correlates." Thirty-nine studies were included in this review. Notwithstanding scarce data and some inconsistencies, investigators have found hair cortisol concentrations to be associated with stress-related psychiatric symptoms and disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder), medical conditions indicating chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (e.g., Cushing's syndrome), and other life situations associated with elevated risk of chronic stress (e.g., shiftwork). Results from some studies suggest that physical activity, adiposity, and substance abuse may be correlates of hair cortisol concentrations. In contrast to measures of short-term cortisol release (saliva, blood, and urine), cigarette smoking and use of oral contraceptives appear not to be associated with hair cortisol concentrations. Studies of pregnant women indicate increased hair cortisol concentrations across successive trimesters. The study of hair cortisol presents a unique opportunity to assess chronic alterations in cortisol concentrations in epidemiologic studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local preparation and evaluation of liquid phase radioimmunoassay for determination of human serum cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sallam, Kh.M.; El-Bayoumy, A.S.A.; Ebeid, N.H.; Michael, E.; Zein, N.; Elfarargy, Ah.F.

2017-01-01

The main objective of the present study was the preparation of the primary reagents of cortisol radioimmunoassay (RIA) using liquid phase double antibody technique. Three basic components were prepared and characterized to obtain valid and accurate system. These components were polyclonal anti-cortisol antibody, "1"2"5I-cortisol RIA tracer and cortisol standards. Cortisol requires conjugation step to be real antigen. Therefore, in this study this mandatory conjugation step was performed & characterized. Then formulation, optimization and validation of this liquid phase RIA technique were carried out. This assay is precise, specific and sensitive enough for using as a diagnostic tool for the adrenal cortex status. (author)

Salivary Cortisol Reactivity in Preterm Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care: An Integrative Review

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Evalotte Mörelius

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Recently, more and more researchers have been using salivary cortisol reactivity to evaluate stress in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU. The aim of this integrative literature review was to summarize the evidence of interventions leading to a change in salivary cortisol from the baseline in preterm infants in the NICU. The electronic databases of PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for relevant studies. The inclusion criteria were studies with preterm infants exposed to an intervention evaluated by salivary cortisol reactivity before discharge from the NICU, which were published in English. In total, 16 studies were included. Eye-screening examination and heel lance provoked an increase in the salivary cortisol level. Music, prone position, and co-bedding among twins decreased the salivary cortisol level. Several studies reported a low rate of successful saliva sampling or did not use control groups. Future studies need to focus on non-painful interventions in order to learn more about salivary cortisol regulation in preterm infants. Moreover, these studies should use study designs comprising homogenous gestational and postnatal age groups, control groups, and reliable analysis methods that are able to detect cortisol in small amounts of saliva.

Momentary work worries, marital disclosure, and salivary cortisol among parents of young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Slatcher, Richard B; Robles, Theodore F; Repetti, Rena L; Fellows, Michelle D

2010-11-01

To investigate whether worries about work are linked to people's own cortisol levels and their spouses' cortisol levels in everyday life and whether marital factors may moderate these links. Although research has shown that satisfying marriages can buffer the physiological effects of everyday stress, the specific mechanisms through which marriage influences the processing and transmission of stress have not yet been identified. Thirty-seven healthy married couples completed baseline measures and then provided saliva samples and indicated their worries about work for six times a day from a Saturday morning through a Monday evening. Wives' cortisol levels were associated positively with their own work worries (p = .008) and with their husbands' work worries (p = .006). Husbands' cortisol levels were associated positively only with their own work worries (p = .015). Wives low in both marital satisfaction and disclosure showed a stronger association between work worries and cortisol compared with wives reporting either high marital satisfaction and/or high marital disclosure. These results suggest that momentary feelings of stress affect not only one's own cortisol levels but affect close others' cortisol levels as well. Furthermore, they suggest that, for women, the stress-buffering effects of a happy marriage may be partially explained by the extent to which they disclose their thoughts and feelings with their spouses.

Increased Cortisol and Cortisone Levels in Overweight Children

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Chu, Lanling; Sheng, Kangwei; Liu, Ping; Ye, Kan; Wang, Yu; Li, Chen; Kang, Xuejun; Song, Yuan

2017-01-01

Background It has been unclear whether relatively high cortisol and cortisone levels are related to overweight in childhood, parental body mass index (BMI), and family dietary habits. The aim of this study was to compare cortisol and cortisone levels in urine and saliva from overweight and normal children, as well as correlations between children?s BMI, parental BMI and family dietary behavior questionnaire score (QS). Material/Methods We analyzed the data from 52 overweight children and 53 a...

Long-term stability of diurnal salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase secretion patterns.

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Skoluda, Nadine; La Marca, Roberto; Gollwitzer, Mario; Müller, Andreas; Limm, Heribert; Marten-Mittag, Birgitt; Gündel, Harald; Angerer, Peter; Nater, Urs M

2017-06-01

This study aimed to investigate long-term stability and variability of diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase patterns. Diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase secretion patterns were assessed on a single workday with three waves of measurement across a total time period of 24months in 189 participants. Separate hierarchical linear models were analyzed, with and without a number of potential predictor variables (age, BMI, smoking, chronic stress, stress reactivity). While low long-term stability was found in diurnal cortisol, the stability of diurnal alpha-amylase was moderate across the time period of 24months. Several predictor variables had a positive impact on diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase secretion patterns averaged across waves. Our findings underpin the notion that long-term stability is not necessarily warranted in longitudinal studies. It is important to choose an appropriate study design when attempting to disentangle clinically and biologically relevant changes from naturally occurring variations in diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cortisol increases in response to brief social exchanges with opposite sex partners.

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Jaremka, Lisa M; Collins, Nancy L

2017-03-01

Researchers recently demonstrated that cortisol increases in response to mating-relevant social interactions. An important next step is investigating factors that explain individual differences in cortisol reactivity within these contexts. The current study examined demographic, situational, and individual difference predictors of cortisol reactivity following brief, non-face-to-face interactions with potential dating partners. College students made a video introducing themselves to another participant. During another appointment, they watched a short video of an opposite-sex confederate introducing himself/herself, and believed the other person was watching their video. Participants were told they would get to know the confederate more during a web-chat, which never took place. Participants received either rejection, acceptance, or no feedback from the confederate. Cortisol levels increased over baseline in all feedback conditions. Cortisol increases were particularly strong for participants who perceived the confederate as a more desirable dating partner, participants who were independently rated as a less desirable partner, and men. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cortisol levels and sleep patterns in infants with orofacial clefts undergoing surgery

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Mueller AA

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Andreas A Mueller,1,2 Nadeem Kalak,3 Katja Schwenzer-Zimmerer,1,2 Edith Holsboer-Trachsler,3 Serge Brand3,4 1Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 2Hightech Research Center of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 3Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress, and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland; 4Department of Sport and Health Science, Division of Sport Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland Background: Traumatic events during early infancy might damage infants’ psychobiological functioning, such as sleep and cortisol secretion. Infants born with orofacial clefts (OFCs undergo functional, anatomical, and aesthetic surgery. The aim of the present study was to determine whether infants with OFC and undergoing OFC surgery show deteriorated sleep and cortisol secretion compared with healthy controls and with their presurgery status.Methods: A total of 27 infants with OFC (mean age: 22 weeks and 30 healthy controls (mean age: 23 weeks took part in the study. For infants with OFC, sleep actigraphy was performed and saliva cortisol was analyzed 5 days before, during, and 5 days after surgery. For controls, sleep and saliva cortisol were assessed similarly, except for the period taken up with surgery.Results: Compared with healthy controls, infants with OFC undergoing OFC surgery did not differ in sleep and cortisol secretion. Their sleep and cortisol secretion did deteriorate during the perisurgical period but recovered 5 days postsurgery. Conclusion: In infants with OFC undergoing corrective surgery, the pattern of results for sleep and cortisol suggests that OFC surgery does not seem to constitute a traumatic event with long-term consequences. Keywords: cortisol, sleep, orofacial cleft, surgery, infants

Hair cortisol as a biomarker of stress in the 2011 Libyan war.

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Etwel, Fatma; Russell, Evan; Rieder, Michael J; Van Uum, Stan H; Koren, Gideon

2014-12-01

There is a substantial body of research that utilizes saliva cortisol levels to examine wartime stress; however, there is a paucity of literature that utilizes hair cortisol levels, which allows for long-term assessment of chronic stress, to investigate the stress of war. The present study aimed to evaluate changes in hair cortisol concentrations before, during, and after the 2011 Libyan war. This study examined hair cortisol concentrations of young adult women who were living in Tripoli, Libya during the 2011 war. The participants were recruited at the campus of Tripoli University. Participants needed to have at least 24 cm of hair and to have resided in Tripoli before, during and after the 2011 Libyan war. Hair was sectioned to reflect 3 month windows of cortisol exposure corresponding to periods before, during and after the war. Hair cortisol concentrations were quantified using a modified salivary ELISA test. The women were also asked to complete the Perceived Stress Scale pertaining to the post-war period. Median hair cortisol concentrations in the post-war period (226.11 ng/g; range 122.95-519.85 ng/g) were significantly higher than both the pre-war (180.07 ng/g; 47.13-937.85 ng/g) and wartime (186.65 ng/g; 62.97-771.79 ng/g) periods (Pwar period appears to have been more stressful than the war itself. This is consistent with the fact that during the war the civilian participants were not directly involved with warfare, nor were they targeted by the international coalition fighting Gaddafi. In contrast, the post-war period was characterized by chaos and total lack of authority, with the participants exposed to injury, lack of food and destruction. This study documents the utility of hair cortisol levels to retrospectively assess stress before, during, and after an armed conflict.

Associations of salivary cortisol with cognitive function in the Baltimore memory study.

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Lee, Brian K; Glass, Thomas A; McAtee, Matthew J; Wand, Gary S; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Bolla, Karen I; Schwartz, Brian S

2007-07-01

The stress responses of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can produce adverse effects on the brain. Previous studies have concluded that an elevated level of cortisol is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction and decline in aging but have been limited by sex exclusion, restricted cognitive batteries, and small sample sizes. To examine associations among salivary cortisol metrics and cognitive domain scores in an urban adult population. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from a longitudinal study involving 1140 Baltimore, Maryland, residents aged 50 to 70 years. Four salivary cortisol samples were obtained from 967 participants across 1 study visit (before, during, and after cognitive testing as well as at the end of the visit) from which 7 cortisol metrics were created. We examined associations of cortisol metrics with cognitive performance using multiple linear regression. Performance on 20 standard cognitive tests was measured and combined to form summary measures in 7 domains (language, processing speed, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning, verbal memory and learning, visual memory, and visuoconstruction). Higher levels of pretest and mean cortisol as well as the area under the curve of cortisol over the study visit were associated with worse performance (P executive functioning, verbal memory and learning, and visual memory). For instance, an interquartile range increase in the area under the curve was equivalent to a decrease in the language score expected from an increase in 5.6 (95% confidence interval, 4.2-7.1) years of age. Elevated cortisol was associated with poorer cognitive function across a range of domains in this large population-based study. We believe the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation may be a risk factor for poorer cognitive performance in older persons.

Disrupted Prenatal Maternal Cortisol, Maternal Obesity, and Childhood Wheeze. Insights into Prenatal Programming

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Fisher, Kate; Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda; Wright, Robert O.; Fein, Rebecca; Cohen, Sheldon; Coull, Brent A.

2013-01-01

Rationale: Exploring prenatal factors influencing childhood wheeze may inform programming mechanisms. Objectives: We examined associations among prenatal maternal cortisol profiles, maternal obesity, and repeated wheeze up to age 2 years (n = 261). Methods: Salivary cortisol was collected five times per day over 3 days at 29.0 ± 4.9 weeks gestation. Mothers were categorized as obese (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) versus nonobese (body mass index cortisol metrics (level at each time point, morning rise, diurnal and afternoon slopes) and obesity on wheeze adjusting for covariates. Linear mixed models were implemented to examine associations between cortisol trajectories and wheezing. Interactions between maternal cortisol and obesity were considered. Measurements and Main Results: Mothers were primarily minority (56.5% Hispanic, 24.1% African American), 61% had less than or equal to 12 years of education, 34% were obese, and 8.4% of children had repeated wheeze. An interquartile range increase in mean log cortisol at bedtime (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–4.09) and maternal obesity (odds ratio, 3.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.26–9.35) were independently associated with wheeze. Linear mixed models revealed an association between a flatter afternoon slope (slower decline in log cortisol per hour) and repeated wheeze in children of obese mothers (children with [−0.017 change] and without [−0.061 change] wheeze [P = 0.009 for time × wheeze interaction]), but not in children of nonobese mothers (with [−0.050 change] and without [−0.061 change] wheeze [P = 0.51]). Conclusions: Maternal prenatal cortisol disruption and obesity were independently associated with children’s wheeze. Obese women with adverse cortisol profiles were most likely to have children with repeated wheeze. PMID:23590260

Cortisol Modulation by Ayahuasca in Patients With Treatment Resistant Depression and Healthy Controls

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Ana C. de Menezes Galvão

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Major depression is a highly prevalent mood disorder, affecting about 350 million people, and around 30% of the patients are resistant to currently available antidepressant medications. Recent evidence from a randomized controlled trial (RCT supports the rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of ayahuasca on plasma cortisol and awakening salivary cortisol response, in the same group of treatment-resistant patients (MD and in healthy volunteers (C. Subjects received a single dose of ayahuasca or placebo (dosing session, and both plasma and awakening salivary cortisol response were measured at baseline (before dosing session and 48 h after the dosing session. Baseline assessment (D0 showed blunted awakening salivary cortisol response and hypocortisolemia in patients, with respect to healthy controls. Salivary cortisol was also measured during dosing session, and we observed higher increases for both C and MD that ingested ayahuasca than placebo. After 48 h from the dosing session with ayahuasca, patients' awakening salivary cortisol response is similar to the ones detected in controls. No significant changes in plasma cortisol levels were observed 48 h after the sessions. Therefore, these findings point to new evidence on the modulation of salivary cortisol levels as a result of an ayahuasca session, both in healthy and depressive volunteers. Considering that cortisol acts in regulation of distinct physiological pathways, emotional and cognitive processes, it is assumed to be critically involved to the etiology of depression and its regulation seems to be important for the treatment and remission of major depression, ayahuasca use as antidepressant should be further investigated. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of psychedelics in the treatment of human mental disorders.

A stochastic differential equation model of diurnal cortisol patterns

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Brown, E. N.; Meehan, P. M.; Dempster, A. P.

2001-01-01

Circadian modulation of episodic bursts is recognized as the normal physiological pattern of diurnal variation in plasma cortisol levels. The primary physiological factors underlying these diurnal patterns are the ultradian timing of secretory events, circadian modulation of the amplitude of secretory events, infusion of the hormone from the adrenal gland into the plasma, and clearance of the hormone from the plasma by the liver. Each measured plasma cortisol level has an error arising from the cortisol immunoassay. We demonstrate that all of these three physiological principles can be succinctly summarized in a single stochastic differential equation plus measurement error model and show that physiologically consistent ranges of the model parameters can be determined from published reports. We summarize the model parameters in terms of the multivariate Gaussian probability density and establish the plausibility of the model with a series of simulation studies. Our framework makes possible a sensitivity analysis in which all model parameters are allowed to vary simultaneously. The model offers an approach for simultaneously representing cortisol's ultradian, circadian, and kinetic properties. Our modeling paradigm provides a framework for simulation studies and data analysis that should be readily adaptable to the analysis of other endocrine hormone systems.

Emotional memory can be persistently weakened by suppressing cortisol during retrieval.

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Rimmele, Ulrike; Besedovsky, Luciana; Lange, Tanja; Born, Jan

2015-03-01

Cortisol's effects on memory follow an inverted U-shaped function such that memory retrieval is impaired with very low concentrations, presumably due to insufficient activation of high-affine mineralocorticoid receptors (MR), or with very high concentrations, due to predominant low-affine glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation. Through corresponding changes in re-encoding, the retrieval effect of cortisol might translate into a persistent change of the retrieved memory. We tested whether partial suppression of morning cortisol synthesis by metyrapone, leading to intermediate, circadian nadir-like levels with presumed predominant MR activation, improves retrieval, particularly of emotional memory, and persistently changes the memory. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, within-subject cross-over design, 18 men were orally administered metyrapone (1g) vs. placebo at 4:00 AM to suppress the morning cortisol rise. Retrieval of emotional and neutral texts and pictures (learned 3 days earlier) was assessed 4h after substance administration and a second time one week later. Metyrapone suppressed endogenous cortisol release to circadian nadir-equivalent levels at the time of retrieval testing. Contrary to our expectations, metyrapone significantly impaired free recall of emotional texts (ppictures remained unaffected. One week later, participants still showed lower memory for emotional texts in the metyrapone than placebo condition (pmemories corroborates the concept that retrieval effects of cortisol produce persistent memory changes, possibly by affecting re-encoding. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parenting stressors and morning cortisol in a sample of working mothers.

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Hibel, Leah C; Mercado, Evelyn; Trumbell, Jill M

2012-10-01

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is a normative rise in cortisol levels across the 30 minutes post awakening. Both the levels and the degree of change in cortisol across this time period are sensitive to the perceived challenges of the day and are thought to prepare the individual to meet these tasks. However, working parents of young children may be under unique strains at this time as they attempt to simultaneously care for their children while also preparing themselves for the workday ahead. In these analyses we examined the contributions of both work and parenting stress on maternal cortisol levels and awakening responses, and how these relationships differed on workdays compared with nonworkdays. To do this, saliva samples were collected from 56 working mothers (25% single) with a child between the ages of 2 and 4 years old (mode = 2 children), at awakening and 30 min postawakening. Samples were collected on 4 consecutive days-2 nonworkdays followed by 2 workdays. Analyses revealed mothers reporting higher levels of parenting stress had higher average a.m. cortisol on workdays compared with nonworkdays. Further, mothers reporting a combination of high job strain and high parenting stress had significantly higher cortisol levels and steeper CAR increases on workdays compared with nonworkdays. Findings are discussed by integrating knowledge from the fields of parenting stress, work-family, and stress physiology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Socioeconomic Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Diurnal Cortisol Trajectories in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

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Samuel, Laura J; Roth, David L; Schwartz, Brian S; Thorpe, Roland J; Glass, Thomas A

2018-03-02

Slow afternoon cortisol decline may be a marker of aging. We hypothesize that lower socioeconomic status (SES) and African American race are associated with lower waking cortisol and slower afternoon decline. Six salivary cortisol samples, collected within a 24-hr period from 566 cohort participants aged 56-78 years, were examined in random-effects models. SES measures included socioeconomic vulnerability (household income and assets Accounting for African American race/ethnicity, socioeconomic vulnerability was associated with a 3% faster decline, and education was not associated with cortisol. African Americans had 26% lower average waking cortisol and 1% slower decline than others. African American race/ethnicity, but not lower SES, was associated with lower waking cortisol and slower afternoon decline in middle-aged and older adults. This pattern is likely a marker of earlier biological aging in vulnerable groups. Race/ethnicity may compete with SES as a measure of cumulative vulnerability.

Effect of Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning on Blood Cortisol Level

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Fariba Farnaghi

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Acute intoxication with ALP is extremely lethal. The present study was conducted to determine the range of serum cortisol levels in ALP poisoning and its correlation with patient outcome. Methods: This study was carried out on patients who were intoxicated with ALP. Their demographic data and pertinent findings in their history and physical examination were recorded at the time of arrival and also when shock and severe metabolic acidosis emerged. 5cc blood was taken from the patients to measure blood cortisol level, when shock and severe metabolic acidosis developed. Blood cortisol level analysis was performed using ELISA method. Data analysis was done using SPSS software version 16.0. Results: The average ingested dose was 1.98+1.79 tablets each containing 3 grams of ALP. Overall, 77% of the patients presented tachycardia and hypotension. Blood cortisol level less than 15 µg/dl, 15-33 µg/dl, and more than 34 µg/dl were regarded as adrenal insufficiency, critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency, and adequate adrenal response, respectively. Eventually, 3 patients fell within the first category, 24 patients matched with the second category, and 3 patients corresponded to the last category. Conclusion: Blood cortisol concentration is satisfactory only in 10% of the patients. In majority of the patients although it is not apparently low, it has not shown the expected rise comparable to the shock and stress state of such patients. It defines a role for corticosteroids therapy in management of ALP poisoning, particularly if it does not respond to conventional treatments.

Effect of childhood physical abuse on cortisol stress response.

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Carpenter, Linda L; Shattuck, Thaddeus T; Tyrka, Audrey R; Geracioti, Thomas D; Price, Lawrence H

2011-03-01

Abuse and neglect are highly prevalent in children and have enduring neurobiological effects. Stressful early life environments perturb the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which in turn may predispose to psychiatric disorders in adulthood. However, studies of childhood maltreatment and adult HPA function have not yet rigorously investigated the differential effects of maltreatment subtypes, including physical abuse. In this study, we sought to replicate our previous finding that childhood maltreatment was associated with attenuated cortisol responses to stress and determine whether the type of maltreatment was a determinant of the stress response. Salivary cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was examined in a non-clinical sample of women (n = 110). Subjects had no acute medical problems and were not seeking psychiatric treatment. Effects of five maltreatment types, as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, on cortisol response to the TSST were investigated. To further examine the significant (p < 0.005) effect of one maltreatment type, women with childhood physical abuse (PA) (n = 20) were compared to those without past PA (n = 90). Women reporting childhood PA displayed a significantly blunted cortisol response to the TSST compared with subjects without PA, after controlling for estrogen use, age, other forms of maltreatment, and other potential confounds. There were no differences between PA and control groups with regard to physiological arousal during the stress challenge. In a non-clinical sample of women with minimal or no current psychopathology, physical abuse is associated with a blunted cortisol response to a psychosocial stress task.

Association of cortisol and the metabolic syndrome in Korean men and women.

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Park, Sat Byul; Blumenthal, James A; Lee, Soon Young; Georgiades, Anastasia

2011-07-01

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are closely related and have become increasingly prevalent in Korea. The cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors comprising the metabolic syndrome have previously been associated with increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) activity, but the associations have not been extensively examined in non-Caucasian populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between cortisol, adiposity and the metabolic syndrome in a Korean population. A total of 1,881 adults participated in the study between January 2001 and February 2008. Sociodemographic data were assessed by questionnaires. Body composition, clinic blood pressures as well as metabolic variables including glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were assessed and analyzed in relation to cortisol levels. Mean age of the participants was 58.7 ± 10.8 yr. Higher levels of cortisol was associated with elevated blood pressure, fasting glucose and total cholesterol in men, and between cortisol and systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and total cholesterol in women. There was an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome associated with higher cortisol levels in both men (P cortisol levels are associated with several CVD risk factors and the metabolic syndrome, independent of overall of adiposity level, in Korean men and women.

Differential effects of stress-induced cortisol responses on recollection and familiarity-based recognition memory.

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McCullough, Andrew M; Ritchey, Maureen; Ranganath, Charan; Yonelinas, Andrew

2015-09-01

Stress-induced changes in cortisol can impact memory in various ways. However, the precise relationship between cortisol and recognition memory is still poorly understood. For instance, there is reason to believe that stress could differentially affect recollection-based memory, which depends on the hippocampus, and familiarity-based recognition, which can be supported by neocortical areas alone. Accordingly, in the current study we examined the effects of stress-related changes in cortisol on the processes underlying recognition memory. Stress was induced with a cold-pressor test after incidental encoding of emotional and neutral pictures, and recollection and familiarity-based recognition memory were measured one day later. The relationship between stress-induced cortisol responses and recollection was non-monotonic, such that subjects with moderate stress-related increases in cortisol had the highest levels of recollection. In contrast, stress-related cortisol responses were linearly related to increases in familiarity. In addition, measures of cortisol taken at the onset of the experiment showed that individuals with higher levels of pre-learning cortisol had lower levels of both recollection and familiarity. The results are consistent with the proposition that hippocampal-dependent memory processes such as recollection function optimally under moderate levels of stress, whereas more cortically-based processes such as familiarity are enhanced even with higher levels of stress. These results indicate that whether post-encoding stress improves or disrupts recognition memory depends on the specific memory process examined as well as the magnitude of the stress-induced cortisol response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Concordance of mother-daughter diurnal cortisol production: Understanding the intergenerational transmission of risk for depression.

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LeMoult, Joelle; Chen, Michael C; Foland-Ross, Lara C; Burley, Hannah W; Gotlib, Ian H

2015-05-01

A growing body of research is demonstrating concordance between mother and child diurnal cortisol production. In the context of maternal history of depression, intergenerational concordance of cortisol production could contribute to hypercortisolemia in children of depressed mothers, which has been shown to increase risk for MDD. The current study is the first to examine concordance in diurnal cortisol production between mothers with a history of depression and their never-depressed, but high-risk, children. We collected salivary cortisol across 2 days from mothers with (remitted; RMD) and without (CTL) a history of recurrent episodes of depression and their never-depressed daughters. As expected, RMD mothers and their daughters both exhibited higher cortisol production than did their CTL counterparts. Moreover, both across and within groups, mothers' and daughters' cortisol production were directly coupled. These findings suggest that there is an intergenerational concordance in cortisol dysregulation that may contribute to hypercortisolemia in girls at familial risk for depression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cortisol patterns are associated with T cell activation in HIV.

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Sarah Patterson

Full Text Available The level of T cell activation in untreated HIV disease is strongly and independently associated with risk of immunologic and clinical progression. The factors that influence the level of activation, however, are not fully defined. Since endogenous glucocorticoids are important in regulating inflammation, we sought to determine whether less optimal diurnal cortisol patterns are associated with greater T cell activation.We studied 128 HIV-infected adults who were not on treatment and had a CD4(+ T cell count above 250 cells/µl. We assessed T cell activation by CD38 expression using flow cytometry, and diurnal cortisol was assessed with salivary measurements.Lower waking cortisol levels correlated with greater T cell immune activation, measured by CD38 mean fluorescent intensity, on CD4(+ T cells (r = -0.26, p = 0.006. Participants with lower waking cortisol also showed a trend toward greater activation on CD8(+ T cells (r = -0.17, p = 0.08. A greater diurnal decline in cortisol, usually considered a healthy pattern, correlated with less CD4(+ (r = 0.24, p = 0.018 and CD8(+ (r = 0.24, p = 0.017 activation.These data suggest that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis contributes to the regulation of T cell activation in HIV. This may represent an important pathway through which psychological states and the HPA axis influence progression of HIV.

Análisis de los cambios epigenéticos en la metilación del DNA inducidos por la diabetes y sus posibles mecanismos

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Perna Chaux, Angelina

2016-01-01

Los cambios epigenéticos son responsables de la aparición de muchas patologías humanas y sus causas son debido a factores ambientales como genéticos. Se ha descrito en enfermedades crónicas como la Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 (T2DM) que se caracteriza por los estados de hiperglucemia y el incremento en el estrés oxidativo que conlleva a complicaciones micro y macro vasculares, asociado a una desmetilación global del genoma. Nuestra hipótesis corresponde a que los órganos diana son afectados por ...

Salivary cortisol and sleep problems among civil servants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Åse Marie; Thomsen, Jane Frølund; Kaergaard, Anette

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The present study used information from a field study conducted among 4489 civil servants (70% women) in Denmark in 2007. The purpose was to examine the association between sleep problems and salivary cortisol by using a cross-sectional design with repeated measures in a subsample three...... during the past four weeks were associated with low morning and evening saliva cortisol concentrations: [-3.1% per score of disturbed sleep (p=.009); and -4.7% per score of awakening problems (p...

Ontogeny of the cortisol stress response in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

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Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone which is an endocrine signaling molecule in all vertebrates and acts through intracellular glucocorticoid receptors (GR). Cortisol affects many biological functions including immunity, stress, growth, ion homeostasis, and reproduction. The objective of this stu...

Comparison of the transplacental pharmacokinetics of cortisol and triamcinolone acetonide in the rhesus monkey

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Slikker, W. Jr.; Althaus, Z.R.; Rowland, J.M.; Hill, D.E.; Hendrickx, A.G.

1982-01-01

The late gestational age rhesus monkey was used to study the transplacental pharmacokinetics of radiolabeled triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) and cortisol. Tritiated-TAC and [ 14 C]cortisol were administered simultaneously via the maternal radial vein were administered simultaneously via the maternal radial vein and blood samples were serially drawn from catheters implanted in both the maternal femoral artery and fetal umbilical vein and artery. High-performance liquid chromatography of the processed blood samples revealed that from 93 to 100% of the 3 H in the fetal circulation was parent TAC, whereas only 14 to 49% of the 14 C was cortisol during the 40-min period after dose administration. Fetal tissue samples taken at 3 hr after dose administration showed that 75 to 96% of the 3 H present was TAC, whereas no cortisol was observed. TAC demonstrated dose-independent kinetics. Samples collected from the umbilical vein of the in situ placenta after fetectomy revealed that cortisol was extensively converted to cortisone by the placenta, whereas TAC was refractory to placental metabolism. This placental conversion of cortisol to cortisone and the further metabolism and conjugation of cortisol by the fetoplacental unit resulted in a fetal to maternal plasma cortisol ratio of 0.2. In contrast, the lack of placental or fetoplacental metabolism of TAC resulted in a fetal to maternal plasma TAC ratio of 0.6

Differences in cortisol concentrations in adolescents with eating disorders: a systematic review.

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Luz Neto, Laércio Marques da; Vasconcelos, Flávia Maria Nassar de; Silva, Jacqueline Elineuza da; Pinto, Tiago Coimbra Costa; Sougey, Éverton Botelho; Ximenes, Rosana Christine Cavalcanti

2018-04-12

To perform a systematic review of the literature for scientific evidence of possible differences in cortisol concentrations in adolescents with eating disorders. Electronic searches were conducting in the PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Virtual Health Library, and Science Direct databases for articles published between 2007 and 2017 using the keywords, cortisol, hydrocortisone; eating disorders, bulimia, bulimia nervosa, anorexia, anorexia nervosa; adolescence, adolescent, adolescents. A total of 192 articles were found. After the analysis of the eligibility criteria using the PRISMA method, 19 articles were selected for the present review. Most studies were conducted in Europe. Adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were evaluated in all studies, except one, when other eating disorders were investigated. Blood was the means used for the determination of cortisol. In ten studies, cortisol levels were higher in the group with anorexia than the control group and a reduction in cortisol levels occurred in the adolescents after being submitted to nutritional recovery. Patients with eating disorders may have several clinical consequences, such as changes in body fat distribution, changes in bone mineral density, worsening of neurocognitive ability, and endocrine changes (e.g., hypercortisolemia), which in turn can lead to hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hypertension, and increased risk of infections. The findings demonstrate that adolescents with eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, have increased cortisol levels, which are reduced after the treatment period. Further studies on differences in cortisol concentrations in adolescents with other eating disorders are needed, using different methods. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Associations among Child Maltreatment, Social Functioning, and Cortisol Regulation

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Alink, Lenneke R. A.; Cicchetti, Dante; Kim, Jungmeen; Rogosch, Fred A.

2012-01-01

Child maltreatment increases the risk for impaired social functioning and cortisol regulation. However, the longitudinal interplay among these factors is still unclear. This study aimed to shed light on the effect of maltreatment on social functioning and cortisol regulation over time. The sample consisted of 236 children (mean age 7.64 years, SD…

Comparison of VIDAS and Radioimmunoassay Methods for Measurement of Cortisol Concentration in Bovine Serum

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Daniela Proverbio

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Radioimmunoassay (RIA is the “gold standard” method for evaluation of serum cortisol concentration. The VIDAS cortisol test is an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay designed for the MiniVidas system. The aim of this study was to compare the VIDAS method with RIA for measurement of bovine serum cortisol concentration. Cortisol concentrations were evaluated in 40 cows using both VIDAS and RIA methods, the latter as the reference method. A paired Student’s -test, Pearson’s correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plot, and Deming regression analysis were used to compare the two methods. There was no statistically significant difference between mean serum cortisol concentrations measured by VIDAS or RIA methods (. Both methods were able to detect significant differences in mean low and high cortisol concentrations ( RIA and VIDAS. The correlation coefficient was low, but a Bland-Altman plot and Deming regression analysis show neither constant nor proportional error. The VIDAS method produced slightly higher values than RIA, but the difference was small and in no case did the mean value move the normal range. Results suggest that VIDAS method is suitable for the determination of bovine serum cortisol concentration in studies of large numbers of animals.

Anesthesia of silver catfish with eugenol: time of induction, cortisol response and sensory analysis of fillet Anestesia de jundiás com eugenol: tempo de indução, resposta ao cortisol e análise sensorial do filé

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Mauro Alves da Cunha

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify the time of anesthetic induction and recovery of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen exposed to eugenol. It was also determined the efficacy of the anesthetic as a stress reducing agent and performed a sensory analysis of the fillets from fish exposed to this substance. The silver catfish were exposed to air for 1min to carry out biometry, and blood was collected at 0, 1 and 4 hours later. Eugenol can be used in the range of 20-50mg L-1 for anesthetic induction in silver catfish, and recovery time from anesthesia was not affected by eugenol concentration. The control group showed significantly higher cortisol levels 4 hours after biometry than at time zero. Fish anesthetized with eugenol (50mg L-1 presented significantly lower plasma cortisol levels than control fish at the same time. These data indicate that eugenol inhibits the rise of cortisol in the blood. The sensory analysis test demonstrated that eugenol modifies the flavor of the fillet and therefore is contra-indicated for anesthetization of silver catfish that are intended for human consumption.O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar o tempo de indução e recuperação anestésica de jundiás (Rhamdia quelen expostos ao eugenol, bem como a eficácia desse anestésico na inibição do estresse e realizar análise sensorial dos filés dos peixes expostos a essa substância. Os jundiás foram expostos ao ar por um minuto para realização da biometria, e o sangue foi coletado zero, uma e quatro horas depois. O eugenol pode ser usado na faixa de 20-50mg L-1 para a indução da anestesia em jundiás, e o tempo de recuperação da anestesia não foi afetado pela concentração do eugenol. O grupo de controle mostrou níveis significativamente mais elevados do cortisol quatro horas após a biometria que no tempo zero. Os peixes anestesiados com eugenol (50mg L-1 apresentaram níveis significativamente mais baixos do cortisol plasmático do que peixes do grupo

Usefulness of Time-Point Serum Cortisol and ACTH Measurements for the Adjustment of Glucocorticoid Replacement in Adrenal Insufficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseau, Elise; Joubert, Michael; Trzepla, Géraldine; Parienti, Jean Jacques; Freret, Thomas; Vanthygem, Marie Christine; Desailloud, Rachel; Lefebvre, Hervé; Coquerel, Antoine; Reznik, Yves

2015-01-01

Adjustment of daily hydrocortisone dose on clinical criteria lacks sensitivity for fine tuning. Long term hydrocortisone (HC) over-replacement may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI). Biochemical criteria may help detecting over- or under-replacement but have been poorly evaluated. Multicenter, institutional, pharmacokinetic study on ACTH and cortisol plasma profiles during HC replacement in 27 AI patients compared to 29 matched controls. All AI patients were administered HC thrice daily at doses of 6, 10 and 14 mg/m2/d. Blood samples were drawn hourly from 0800h to 1900h. The main outcome measures were: i) plasma peak cortisol and cortisol area under the curve (AUC) in AI patients compared to controls, ii) correlations between cortisol AUC vs single-point cortisol or ACTH decrease from baseline (ΔACTH) and iii) the predictive value of the two latters for obtaining AI patients' cortisol AUC in the control range. Cortisol peaks were observed 1h after each HC intake and a dose response was demonstrated for cortisol peak and cortisol AUC. The comparison of AI patients' cortisol AUC to controls showed that 81.5% AI patients receiving 6mg/m2/d were adequately replaced, whereas most patients receiving higher doses were over-replaced. The correlation coefficient between 1000h/1400h cortisol concentrations and 0800-1900h cortisol AUC were 0.93/0.88 respectively, whereas the 0800-1200h ΔACTH fairly correlated with 0800-1900h cortisol AUC (R = 0.57). ROC curve analysis indicated that the 1000h and 1400h cortisol concentrations best predicted over-replacement. Patients receiving a 6mg/m2 hydrocortisone daily dose exhibited the most physiological daytime cortisol profile. Single point plasma cortisol correlated with daytime cortisol AUC in AI patients. Although hydrocortisone dose should be currently determined on clinical grounds, our data suggest that single point plasma cortisol may be an adjunct for further hydrocortisone

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis; Conway, Paul Maurice; Bonde, Jens Peter; Garde, Anne Helene; Gullander, Maria; Kaerlev, Linda; Persson, Roger; Rugulies, Reiner; Vammen, Marianne Agergaard; Høgh, Annie; Hansen, Åse Marie

2017-09-16

Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. Participants came from two Danish cohort studies, the "Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease" (PRISME) cohort and the "Workplace Bullying and Harassment" (WBH) cohort (n = 5418). Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points with approximately two years in between. After each data collection, all participants were followed for two years in registers, and cases with long-term sickness absence lasting 30 or more consecutive days were identified. The association between cortisol levels and subsequent sickness absence was assessed by logistic regression, while the extent to which the association between bullying and sickness absence was mediated by cortisol was quantified through natural direct and indirect effects. High evening cortisol was associated with a decreased risk of sickness absence (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68-0.99), but we did not find that high morning cortisol levels (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.81-1.18) or high morning-to-evening slope (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.82-1.18) were associated with subsequent sickness absence. We also tested for reverse causation and found that long-term sickness absence, but not salivary cortisol, was a strong risk factor for subsequent workplace bullying. There was no indication that cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We found no

Psychosocial factors at home and at work and levels of salivary cortisol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eller, Nanna Hurwitz; Netterstrøm, Bo; Hansen, Ase Marie

2006-01-01

Salivary cortisol as a physiological measure of stress has attracted great interest in recent years.......Salivary cortisol as a physiological measure of stress has attracted great interest in recent years....

Correlates of Cortisol in Human Hair: Implications for Epidemiologic Studies on Health Effects of Chronic Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Wosu, Adaeze C.; Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur; Shields, Alexandra E.; Williams, David R.; Williams, Michelle A.

2013-01-01

Assessment of cortisol concentrations in hair is one of the latest innovations for measuring long-term cortisol exposure. We performed a systematic review of correlates of cortisol in human hair to inform the design, analysis and interpretation of future epidemiologic studies. Relevant publications were identified through electronic searches on PubMed, WorldCat, and Web of Science using keywords, “cortisol” “hair” “confounders” “chronic” “stress” and “correlates.” Thirty-nine studies were included in this review. Notwithstanding scarce data and some inconsistencies, investigators have found hair cortisol concentrations to be associated with stress-related psychiatric symptoms and disorders (e.g., PTSD), medical conditions indicating chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (e.g., Cushing´s syndrome) and other life situations associated with elevated risk of chronic stress (e.g., shiftwork). Results from some studies suggest that physical activity, adiposity, and substance abuse may be correlates of hair cortisol concentrations. In contrast to measures of short-term cortisol release (saliva, blood, and urine), cigarette smoking and use of oral contraceptives appear to not be associated with hair cortisol concentrations. Studies of pregnant women indicate increased hair cortisol concentrations across successive trimesters. The study of hair cortisol presents a unique opportunity to assess chronic alterations in cortisol concentrations in epidemiologic studies. PMID:24184029

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis

2017-01-01

two Danish cohort studies, the "Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease" (PRISME) cohort and the "Workplace Bullying and Harassment" (WBH) cohort (n = 5418). Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points......BACKGROUND: Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol...... levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. METHODS: Participants came from...

Increased cortisol levels in hair of recent Ecstasy/MDMA users.

Science.gov (United States)

Parrott, A C; Sands, H R; Jones, L; Clow, A; Evans, P; Downey, L A; Stalder, T

2014-03-01

Previous research has revealed an acute 8-fold increase in salivary cortisol following self-administrated Ecstasy/MDMA in dance clubbers. It is currently not known to what extent repeated usage impacts upon activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis over a more prolonged period of time. This study investigated the integrated cortisol levels in 3-month hair samples from recent Ecstasy/MDMA users and non-user controls. One hundred and one unpaid participants (53 males, 48 females; mean age 21.75 years) completed the University of East London recreational drug use questionnaire, modified to cover the past 3-months of usage. They comprised 32 light recent Ecstasy/MDMA users (1-4 times in last 3 months), 23 recent heavy MDMA users (+5 times in last 3 months), and 54 non-user controls. Volunteers provided 3 cm hair samples for cortisol analysis. Hair cortisol levels were observed to be significantly higher in recent heavy MDMA users (mean = 55.0 ± 80.1 pg/mg), compared to recent light MDMA users (19.4 ± 16.0 pg/mg; p=0.015), and to non-users (13.8 ± 6.1 pg/mg; pEcstasy/MDMA was associated with almost 4-fold raised hair cortisol levels, in comparison with non-user controls. The present results are consistent with the bio-energetic stress model for Ecstasy/MDMA, which predicts that repeated stimulant drug use may increase cortisol production acutely, and result in greater deposits of the hormone in hair. These data may also help explain the neurocognitive, psychiatric, and other psychobiological problems of some abstinent users. Future study design and directions for research concerning the psychoneuroendocrinological impact of MDMA are also discussed. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. and ECNP.

Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making

Science.gov (United States)

Kaimal, Girija; Ray, Kendra; Muniz, Juan

2016-01-01

This quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of visual art making on the cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults. Participants provided saliva samples to assess cortisol levels before and after 45 minutes of art making. Participants also provided written responses about the experience at the end of the session. Results indicate that art…

Relationship between cyberbullying roles, cortisol secretion and psychological stress

OpenAIRE

González-Cabrera, Joaquín (UNIR); Calvete, Esther; León-Mejía, Ana (UNIR); Pérez-Sancho, Carlota; Peinado, José M.

2017-01-01

Although cyberbullying is associated with different psychological problems, the role of biological markers of stress in cyberbullying has been relatively neglected. The aims of this study were: 1) to analyze the profile of cortisol secretion along the day in subjects involved in cyberbullying and 2) to investigate whether the predictive relationship between cyberbullying victimization and subjective symptoms of stress and anxiety are accounted for by cortisol reactivity. A longitudinal study ...

Colloidal gold probe based rapid immunochromatographic strip assay for cortisol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nara, Seema; Tripathi, Vinay; Singh, Harpal; Shrivastav, Tulsidas G.

2010-01-01

A rapid and semi-quantitative immunochromatographic strip (ICS) test for cortisol analysis in serum was developed. The test strip was based on a competitive assay format. Colloidal gold nanoparticles were synthesized and coupled with cortisol-3-carboxymethyloxime-adipic acid dihydrazide-bovine serum albumin (F-3-CMO-ADH-BSA) antigen to directly compete with cortisol in human serum samples. F-3-CMO-ADH-BSA-gold label and uncoupled colloidal gold nanoparticles were appropriately characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Anticortisol antibody raised against F-3-CMO-BSA immunogen in New Zealand white rabbits was coated on the NC membrane as test line. Anti-BSA antibody was used as control line. The lower detection limit of the ICS test was 30 ng mL -1 with visual detection and was completed in 10 min. About 30 human serum samples were also analyzed by the developed strip test and their range of cortisol concentration was established. The developed ICS test is rapid, economic and user friendly.

Colloidal gold probe based rapid immunochromatographic strip assay for cortisol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nara, Seema, E-mail: seemanara@mnnit.ac.in [Department of Applied Mechanics (Biotechnology), Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad 211004 (India); Department of Reproductive Biomedicine, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Munirka, New Delhi 110067 (India); Center for BioMedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi 110016 (India); Tripathi, Vinay [Department of Reproductive Biomedicine, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Munirka, New Delhi 110067 (India); Center for BioMedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi 110016 (India); Singh, Harpal [Center for BioMedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi 110016 (India); Shrivastav, Tulsidas G. [Department of Reproductive Biomedicine, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Munirka, New Delhi 110067 (India)

2010-12-03

A rapid and semi-quantitative immunochromatographic strip (ICS) test for cortisol analysis in serum was developed. The test strip was based on a competitive assay format. Colloidal gold nanoparticles were synthesized and coupled with cortisol-3-carboxymethyloxime-adipic acid dihydrazide-bovine serum albumin (F-3-CMO-ADH-BSA) antigen to directly compete with cortisol in human serum samples. F-3-CMO-ADH-BSA-gold label and uncoupled colloidal gold nanoparticles were appropriately characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Anticortisol antibody raised against F-3-CMO-BSA immunogen in New Zealand white rabbits was coated on the NC membrane as test line. Anti-BSA antibody was used as control line. The lower detection limit of the ICS test was 30 ng mL{sup -1} with visual detection and was completed in 10 min. About 30 human serum samples were also analyzed by the developed strip test and their range of cortisol concentration was established. The developed ICS test is rapid, economic and user friendly.

The impact of negative family-work spillover on diurnal cortisol.

Science.gov (United States)

Zilioli, Samuele; Imami, Ledina; Slatcher, Richard B

2016-10-01

Both dimensions of the work-family interface, work-to-family and family-to-work spillover, have important implications for health and well-being. Despite the importance of these associations, very little is known about the physiological mechanisms through which the interplay between family and work experiences are translated into long-lasting consequences for health. This study investigated both positive and negative aspects of each spillover dimension on diurnal cortisol secretion patterns in a large panel study of working adults between the ages of 33 and 80. Greater negative family-to-work (NFW) spillover predicted lower wake-up cortisol values and a flatter (less "healthy") diurnal cortisol slope. This effect was evident even after controlling for the effects of the other spillover dimensions. These findings indicate that not all aspects of the work-family interface might impact stress physiology to the same extent and suggest that diurnal cortisol may be an important pathway through which negative aspects of the work-family interface leave their mark on health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Transferencia de embriones en vacas receptoras angus y brahman: Efecto de dos métodos de sincronización de celos sobre el celo inducido y preñez

OpenAIRE

Chase, Jr, Chad C; Vargas, Carlos A; Hammond, Andrew C; Olson, Timothy A; Griffin, James L; Murphy, Clifton N; Tewolde, Assefaw; Fields, Michael J

2009-01-01

Durante tres años, vacas receptoras Angus (88) y Brahman (87) se utilizaron para determinar los efectos de raza y método de sincronización sobre las características del celo inducido y la preñez subsecuente a la transferencia embrionaria. El celo fue sincronizado en las receptoras utilizando PGF2 (Lutalyse ®) o progesterona (PRO; Syncro-Mate-B). Un grupo de receptoras fue inyectado (im) con PGF los días 11 (25 mg), 0 (12,5 mg), y 1 (12,5 mg). Otro grupo fue tratado con PRO el dia -9 (implant...

Daily positive events and diurnal cortisol rhythms: Examination of between-person differences and within-person variation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sin, Nancy L; Ong, Anthony D; Stawski, Robert S; Almeida, David M

2017-09-01

Growing evidence from field studies has linked daily stressors to dysregulated patterns of diurnal cortisol. Less is known about whether naturally-occurring positive events in everyday life are associated with diurnal cortisol. The objectives of this study were to evaluate daily positive events as predictors of between-person differences and within-person (day-to-day) variations in diurnal cortisol parameters, in addition to daily positive events as buffers against the associations between daily stressors and cortisol. In the National Study of Daily Experiences, 1657 adults ages 33-84 (57% female) reported daily experiences during telephone interviews on 8 consecutive evenings. Saliva samples were collected 4 times per day on 4 interview days and assayed for cortisol. Multilevel models were used to estimate associations of daily positive events with cortisol awakening response (CAR), diurnal cortisol slope, and area under the curve (AUC). At the between-person level, people who experienced more frequent positive events exhibited a steeper diurnal cortisol slope, controlling for daily stressors, daily affect, and other covariates. At the within-person level, positive events in the morning (but not prior-night or afternoon/evening events) predicted steeper decline in cortisol across that day; positive events were also marginally associated with lower same-day AUC. Associations were not mediated by daily positive affect, and positive events did not buffer against stressor-related cortisol alterations. These findings indicate that individual differences and day-to-day variations in daily positive events are associated with diurnal cortisol patterns, independent of stressors and affect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Egg cortisol exposure enhances fearfulness in larvae and juvenile rainbow trout

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colson, Violaine; Valotaire, Claudiane; Geffroy, Benjamin

2015-01-01

We investigated the effects of an early boost of cortisol exposure in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs during fertilisation on subsequent behavioural responses when exposed to a sudden stimulus in larvae and juveniles. At 55 d post-fertilisation (dpf), treatment had no effect on high...... accelerations occurring after a sudden event. At 146 dpf, these high accelerations were more frequent in cortisol-treated fish than in controls. At 146 dpf also, swimming activity was increased in cortisol-treated fish both before and after the sudden stimulus. This study underlines the important behavioural...... modifications in both larvae and juveniles, linked to a change in the surrounding environment of the embryo. Indeed, fish exposed to cortisol as eggs showed a higher level of fearfulness later in life. Our findings are of major interest for stress management in an aquaculture context and also allow for a better...

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation and cortisol activity in obesity: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Incollingo Rodriguez, Angela C; Epel, Elissa S; White, Megan L; Standen, Erin C; Seckl, Jonathan R; Tomiyama, A Janet

2015-12-01

Although there is substantial evidence of differential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in both generalized and abdominal obesity, consistent trends in obesity-related HPA axis perturbations have yet to be identified. To systematically review the existing literature on HPA activity in obesity, identify possible explanations for inconsistencies in the literature, and suggest methodological improvements for future study. Included papers used Pubmed, Google Scholar, and the University of California Library search engines with search terms body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference, sagittal diameter, abdominal versus peripheral body fat distribution, body fat percentage, DEXA, abdominal obesity, and cortisol with terms awakening response, slope, total daily output, reactivity, feedback sensitivity, long-term output, and 11β-HSD expression. Empirical research papers were eligible provided that they included at least one type of obesity (general or abdominal), measured at least one relevant cortisol parameter, and a priori tested for a relationship between obesity and cortisol. A general pattern of findings emerged where greater abdominal fat is associated with greater responsivity of the HPA axis, reflected in morning awakening and acute stress reactivity, but some studies did show underresponsiveness. When examined in adipocytes, there is a clear upregulation of cortisol output (due to greater expression of 11β-HSD1), but in hepatic tissue this cortisol is downregulated. Overall obesity (BMI) appears to also be related to a hyperresponsive HPA axis in many but not all studies, such as when acute reactivity is examined. The reviewed literature contains numerous inconsistencies and contradictions in research methodologies, sample characteristics, and results, which partially precluded the development of clear and reliable patterns of dysregulation in each investigated cortisol parameter. The literature to date is

The effects of exogenous cortisol on myostatin transcription in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Science.gov (United States)

Galt, Nicholas J; Froehlich, Jacob Michael; Remily, Ethan A; Romero, Sinibaldo R; Biga, Peggy R

2014-09-01

Glucocorticoids (GCs) strongly regulate myostatin expression in mammals via glucocorticoid response elements (GREs), and bioinformatics methods suggest that this regulatory mechanism is conserved among many vertebrates. However, the multiple myostatin genes found in some fishes may be an exception. In silico promoter analyses of the three putative rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) myostatin promoters have failed to identify putative GREs, suggesting a divergence in myostatin function. Therefore, we hypothesized that myostatin mRNA expression is not regulated by glucocorticoids in rainbow trout. In this study, both juvenile rainbow trout and primary trout myoblasts were treated with cortisol to examine the effects on myostatin mRNA expression. Results suggest that exogenous cortisol does not regulate myostatin-1a and -1b expression in vivo, as myostatin mRNA levels were not significantly affected by cortisol treatment in either red or white muscle tissue. In red muscle, myostatin-2a levels were significantly elevated in the cortisol treatment group relative to the control, but not the vehicle control, at both 12 h and 24 h post-injection. As such, it is unclear if cortisol was acting alone or in combination with the vehicle. Cortisol increased myostatin-1b expression in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Further work is needed to determine if this response is the direct result of cortisol acting on the myostatin-1b promoter or through an alternative mechanism. These results suggest that regulation of myostatin by cortisol may not be as highly conserved as previously thought and support previous work that describes potential functional divergence of the multiple myostatin genes in fishes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of Salivary Cortisol Circadian Rhythm and Reference Intervals in Full-Term Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivars, Katrin; Nelson, Nina; Theodorsson, Annette; Theodorsson, Elvar; Ström, Jakob O; Mörelius, Evalotte

2015-01-01

Cortisol concentrations in plasma display a circadian rhythm in adults and children older than one year. Earlier studies report divergent results regarding when cortisol circadian rhythm is established. The present study aims to investigate at what age infants develop a circadian rhythm, as well as the possible influences of behavioral regularity and daily life trauma on when the rhythm is established. Furthermore, we determine age-related reference intervals for cortisol concentrations in saliva during the first year of life. 130 healthy full-term infants were included in a prospective, longitudinal study with saliva sampling on two consecutive days, in the morning (07:30-09:30), noon (10:00-12:00) and evening (19:30-21:30), each month from birth until the infant was twelve months old. Information about development of behavioral regularity and potential exposure to trauma was obtained from the parents through the Baby Behavior Questionnaire and the Life Incidence of Traumatic Events checklist. A significant group-level circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol secretion was established at one month, and remained throughout the first year of life, although there was considerable individual variability. No correlation was found between development of cortisol circadian rhythm and the results from either the Baby Behavior Questionnaire or the Life Incidence of Traumatic Events checklist. The study presents salivary cortisol reference intervals for infants during the first twelve months of life. Cortisol circadian rhythm in infants is already established by one month of age, earlier than previous studies have shown. The current study also provides first year age-related reference intervals for salivary cortisol levels in healthy, full-term infants.

Cortisol in hair measured in young adults - a biomarker of major life stressors?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theodorsson Elvar

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stress as a cause of illness has been firmly established. In public health and stress research a retrospective biomarker of extended stress would be an indispensible aid. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate whether concentrations of cortisol in hair correlate with perceived stress, experiences of serious life events, and perceived health in young adults. Methods Hair samples were cut from the posterior vertex area of (n = 99 university students who also answered a questionnaire covering experiences of serious life events, perceived Stress Scale and perceived health during the last three months. Cortisol was measured using a competitive radioimmunoassay in methanol extracts of hair samples frozen in liquid nitrogen and mechanically pulverised. Results Mean cortisol levels were significantly related to serious life events (p = 0.045, weakly negatively correlated to perceived stress (p = 0.025, r = -0.061 but nor affected by sex, coloured/permed hair, intake of pharmaceuticals or self-reported health. In a multiple regression model, only the indicator of serious life events had an independent (p = 0.041 explanation of increased levels of cortisol in hair. Out of four outliers with extremely high cortisol levels two could be contacted, both reported serious psychological problems. Conclusions These findings suggest that measurement of cortisol in hair could serve as a retrospective biomarker of increased cortisol production reflecting exposure to major life stressors and possibly extended psychological illness with important implications for research, clinical practice and public health. Experience of serious life events seems to be more important in raising cortisol levels in hair than perceived stress.

Increased cortisol bioavailability, abdominal obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in obese women.

Science.gov (United States)

Duclos, Martine; Marquez Pereira, Patricia; Barat, Pascal; Gatta, Blandin; Roger, Patrick

2005-07-01

This study was conducted to obtain a detailed profile of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and reactivity and its differential relationships with body fat distribution and total fat mass in premenopausal obese women. Cortisol responses to stimulation (awakening, food intake, exercise) and suppression (0.25 mg dexamethasone), cortisol metabolism, and tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids were studied in 53 premenopausal obese women grouped according to their waist-to hip ratio: women with abdominal body fat distribution (A-BFD; n = 31) and women with peripheral fat distribution (P-BFD; n = 22). Comparatively, A-BFD women had 1) lower awakening salivary cortisol levels; 2) increased salivary responsiveness to a standardized lunch; 3) similar pituitary sensitivity to dexamethasone but decreased sensitivity of monocytes to dexamethasone; 4) similar 24-hour urinary free cortisol but increased 24-hour urinary ratio of cortisone-to-cortisol; and 5) no difference in corticosteroid binding protein parameters. Although abdominal obesity is not very different from generalized obesity in terms of HPA function, subtle variations in HPA axis activity and reactivity are evidenced in A-BFD premenopausal obese women.

Cortisol concentration in the saliva of horses subjected to different kinds of exercise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Strzelec

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to characterize the stress level in sport horses subjected to exercise by measuring the cortisol concentration in their saliva. The experiment was conducted on 5 groups of horses (49 animals: one control and four groups undergoing different types of exercises. The saliva samples were collected 3 × a day: late at night (between 20:00 and 23:00 h, early in the morning (between 5:00 and 8:00 h and directly after the exercise. The concentration of cortisol was measured by the enzyme-immunoassay programme. The highest cortisol concentration was observed for the horses participating in 3-day events (8.93 nmol/dm3, whereas in the control group it was only 0.28 nmol/dm3. When compared to the cortisol concentration of other horse groups, this suggests that the stress level as measured by the cortisol concentration in saliva increases with increasing exercise intensity and its duration. The obtained results do not confirm the existence of a day rhythm of the cortisol concentration in horses. Moreover, the results may help in choosing the appropriate system of training and in improving horse welfare during competitions.

Sex-specific consequences of experimental cortisol elevation in pre-reproductive wild largemouth bass.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Constance M; Nannini, Michael; Wahl, David H; Wilson, Samantha M; Gilmour, Kathleen M; Cooke, Steven J

2013-01-01

Experimental implants were used to investigate the effect of elevated cortisol (the primary stress hormone in teleost fish) on energetic and physiological condition prior to reproduction in male and female largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Fish were wild-caught from lakes in Illinois, and held in experimental ponds for the duration of the study. Between 9 and 13 days after cortisol treatment, and immediately prior to the start of the reproductive period, treated and control animals were sampled. Females exhibited lower muscle lipid content, lower liver glycogen content, and higher hepatosomatic indices than males, regardless of treatment. Also, cortisol-treated females had higher hepatosomatic indices and lower final mass than control females, whereas males showed no differences between treatment groups. Finally, cortisol-treated females had higher gonadal cortisol concentrations than control females. In general, we found evidence of reduced energetic stores in female fish relative to male fish, likely due to timing differences in the allocation of resources during reproduction between males and females. Perhaps driven by the difference in energetic reserves, our data further suggest that females are more sensitive than males to elevated cortisol during the period immediately prior to reproduction. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inducción del cierre apical en el diente con necrosis pulpar y el ápice no formado

OpenAIRE

Canalda Sahli, Carlos

1988-01-01

Se efectúa una revisión del proceso de apicoformación en dientes con necrosis pulpar y ápice no formado, analizando el mecanismo de cierre apical inducido por el hidróxido de calcio y otras substancias, así como la histopatología del mismo.

Effect of cortisol infusion patterns and castration on metabolic and immunological indices of stress response in cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

Ting, S T L; Earley, B; Crowe, M A

2004-05-01

This study tested the hypotheses that: (1) either acute stress induced by Burdizzo castration, or cortisol infusion would modulate plasma glucose, insulin and growth hormone (GH) concentrations; and (2) immune modulation induced by cortisol would be dependent on the pattern, intensity and duration of circulating cortisol concentrations. Fifty 9.2-month-old Holstein x Friesian bulls (232 +/- 2.0 kg) were blocked by weight and randomly assigned to one of five treatments (n = 10 per treatment): (1) sham handled control; (2) Burdizzo castration; (3) hydrocortisone infusion to mimic the castration-induced secretion pattern of cortisol; (4) hourly pulse infusion of hydrocortisone; and (5) sustained infusion of hydrocortisone for 8h. Blood samples were collected intensively on day 0, and weekly from days 1 to 35. Castration acutely increased plasma cortisol, GH and haptoglobin concentrations, suppressed lymphocyte in vitro interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production, but had no effect on plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. Cortisol infusion to simulate the castration-induced secretion pattern of cortisol, and pulse infusion of cortisol did not suppress the IFN-gamma production. A sustained infusion of cortisol resulted in the transient suppression of IFN-gamma production. Moreover, the sustained cortisol infusion resulted in increased plasma glucose, insulin and GH concentrations. The overall 14-day feed intakes and 35-day growth rates were not affected by treatments. In conclusion, cortisol infusion to induce immune suppression in vivo occurred only at pharmacological doses. Within physiological ranges, cortisol was not associated with the suppression of immune function, indicating that during castration cortisol per se is not responsible for the suppression of in vitro IFN-gamma production.

Efecto del estrés social agudo sobre impulsividad, toma de riesgos y sesgos atencionales en jóvenes con y sin historia familiar de abuso de alcohol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelina Pilatti

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo analizó el efecto del estrés social —inducido experimentalmente— en jóvenes con historia familiar positiva (HFP o negativa (HFN de abuso de alcohol. Se midieron los niveles de cortisol en saliva, la percepción subjetiva del estado emocional y el desempeño en pruebas que miden atención hacia estímulos que señalizan al alcohol, impulsividad y conductas de riesgo. Los participantes expuestos al estrés tuvieron niveles más altos de cortisol en saliva y una percepción subjetiva de mayor malestar y de menor bienestar comparados con los controles. Los HFP reportaron un nivel significativamente menor de bienestar y de mayor malestar que sus pares HFN. No se encontraron efectos significativos de tratamiento, ni interacciones significativas entre tratamiento e historia familiar, en las pruebas de medir impulsividad, conductas riesgosas y sesgos atencionales.

Social behavior correlates of cortisol activity in child care: gender differences and time-of-day effects.

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Tout, K; de Haan, M; Campbell, E K; Gunnar, M R

1998-10-01

The relations between social behavior and daily patterns of a stress-sensitive hormone production were examined in preschool children (N = 75) attending center-based child care. Three behavioral dimensions, shy/anxious/internalizing, angry/aggressive/externalizing, and social competence, were assessed by teacher report and classroom observation, and their relations with 2 measures of cortisol activity, median (or typical) levels and reactivity (quartile range score between second and third quartile values) were explored. Cortisol-behavior relations differed by gender: significant associations were found for boys but not for girls. Specifically, for boys externalizing behavior was positively associated with cortisol reactivity, while internalizing behavior was negatively associated with median cortisol. Time of day of cortisol measurement affected the results. Surprisingly, median cortisol levels rose from morning to afternoon, a pattern opposite to that of the typical circadian rhythm of cortisol. This rise in cortisol over the day was positively correlated with internalizing behavior for boys. The methodological and theoretical implications of these findings for the study of the development of hormone-behavior relations are discussed.

CRH-stimulated cortisol release and food intake in healthy, non-obese adults.

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George, Sophie A; Khan, Samir; Briggs, Hedieh; Abelson, James L

2010-05-01

There is considerable anecdotal and some scientific evidence that stress triggers eating behavior, but underlying physiological mechanisms remain uncertain. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a key mediator of physiological stress responses and may play a role in the link between stress and food intake. Cortisol responses to laboratory stressors predict consumption but it is unclear whether such responses mark a vulnerability to stress-related eating or whether cortisol directly stimulates eating in humans. We infused healthy adults with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) at a dose that is subjectively undetectable but elicits a robust endogenous cortisol response, and measured subsequent intake of snack foods, allowing analysis of HPA reactivity effects on food intake without the complex psychological effects of a stress paradigm. CRH elevated cortisol levels relative to placebo but did not impact subjective anxious distress. Subjects ate more following CRH than following placebo and peak cortisol response to CRH was strongly related to both caloric intake and total consumption. These data show that HPA axis reactivity to pharmacological stimulation predicts subsequent food intake and suggest that cortisol itself may directly stimulate food consumption in humans. Understanding the physiological mechanisms that underlie stress-related eating may prove useful in efforts to attack the public health crises created by obesity. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hormonal status of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in an elderly Tunisian population.

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Chehab, Olfa; Ouertani, Mohamed; Chaieb, Kamel; Haouala, Faouzi; Mahdouani, Kacem

2007-10-01

Adrenal function and aging have been the object of intense interest recently, especially as regards dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), which is of major importance, since it is distinct from cortisol and aldosterone in declining with age. In a group of healthy old Tunisians, we investigated the association between cortisol and DHEA-S, on the one hand, and age, sex, lifestyle, physical health, including the body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and smoking indicators, on the other hand. We observed that cortisol concentrations did not change with aging, while DHEA-S concentrations decrease with age in both sexes. Cortisol/DHEA-S ratio, however, increases with aging. Our results revealed that DHEA-S levels are affected neither by physical activity nor by weight. It appears also that current smoking could not affect the level of DHEA-S. Relationships were found between DHEA-S concentrations and BMI, then between DHEA-S levels and serum cholesterol, triglycerides and calcium. No modification in the morning serum cortisol was found to be associated with aging. Decrease in DHEA-S levels is, however, clearly associated with this phenomenon. High cortisol/DHEA-S ratio accelerates the occurrence of some adult diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, dementia, and osteoporosis. Generally, the adrenal insufficiency marked by a cognitive impairment, immune disorders, sexual dysfunction, and scores for depression and anxiety can be corrected by a replacement of deficient DHEA-S.

Evidence for disruption of normal circadian cortisol rhythm in women with obesity.

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Al-Safi, Zain A; Polotsky, Alex; Chosich, Justin; Roth, Lauren; Allshouse, Amanda A; Bradford, Andrew P; Santoro, Nanette

2018-04-01

Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may play a role in the pathogenesis of comorbidities encountered in obesity, including the relative hypogonadotropic hypogonadism that we and others have observed. We sought to examine serum cortisol profiles throughout the day and evening in a sample of normal weight women and women with obesity. In this cross-sectional study, regularly cycling obese (n = 12) and normal weight (n = 10) women were recruited. Mean serum cortisol was measured by frequent blood sampling for 16 h (8am-midnight) in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Women with obesity had significantly higher overall cortisol levels when compared to normal weight women (6.2 [4.3, 6.6] vs. 4.7 [3.7, 5.5] ug/dl, p = .04). Over the two-hour postprandial period, obese women displayed an almost two-fold greater (7.2 [6.5, 8.6] ug/dl) rise in cortisol than normal weight controls (4.4 [3.7, 6.2] ug/dl, p obese women demonstrated a sustained evening cortisol elevation compared to normal weight women, who displayed the typical decline in cortisol (3.2 [2.3, 4] vs. 2 [1.5, 3.2] ug/dl, p obesity may be related to risks of obesity-associated metabolic comorbidities and reproductive dysfunction often seen in these women.

Possible Contribution of PTSD to Altered Cortisol Activity in Young Adult Obese African-American Women.

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Taylor, Teletia R; Van Kirk, Kendra; Tapscott, Denia; Bernard, Monet; Llano, Juliana; Mellman, Thomas A

2015-06-01

African-Americans have been found to experience increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obesity, and flatter diurnal cortisol slopes compared to other demographic groups. Further exploration, however, is needed to understand how PTSD impacts diurnal cortisol activity in obese African-American women. The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between salivary cortisol levels and PTSD in a sample of obese young adult African-American women and to examine how depression and insomnia influence the relationship. Thirty-four young adult African-American women (mean age = 24.0 years; mean BMI = 37.4 kg/m(2), 6/34 of the sample had a score of 40 or above on the PTSD Checklist (PCL) representing clinically significant PTSD) filled out questionnaires assessing PTSD, lifetime exposure to traumatic events, insomnia severity, and depression. A home-based assessment of salivary cortisol was provided upon awakening at 30 min and 1, 3, 6, and 12 h. There was a significant interaction between PTSD status and diurnal cortisol activity (p cortisol levels at awakening (p cortisol was attenuated by co-varying for depression and insomnia (p > 0.05). PTSD, influenced by depression and insomnia symptoms, has an impact on diurnal cortisol activity in obese young adult African-American women.

Is peri-operative cortisol secretion related to post-operative cognitive dysfunction?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rasmussen, L.S.; O'Brien, J.T.; Silverstein, J.H.; Johnson, T.; Siersma, V.D.; Canet, J.; Jolles, J.; Hanning, C.D.; Kuipers, H.M.; Abildstrom, H.; Papaioannou, A.; Raeder, J.; Yli-Hankala, A.; Sneyd, J.R.; Munoz, L.; Moller, J.T.

2005-01-01

Background: The pattern of cortisol secretion is influenced by surgery. As cortisol can adversely affect neuronal function, this may be an important factor in the development of post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). We hypothesized that the incidence of POCD would be related to changes in

Urinary cortisol and psychopathology in obese binge eating subjects.

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Lavagnino, Luca; Amianto, Federico; Parasiliti Caprino, Mirko; Maccario, Mauro; Arvat, Emanuela; Ghigo, Ezio; Abbate Daga, Giovanni; Fassino, Secondo

2014-12-01

Investigations on the relationship between obesity, binge eating and the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have led to inconsistent results. General psychopathology affects HPA axis function. The present study aims to examine correlations between binge eating, general psychopathology and HPA axis function in obese binge eaters. Twenty-four hour urinary free cortisol (UFC/24 h) was measured in 71 obese binge eating women. The patients were administered psychometric tests investigating binge eating, psychopathology and clinical variables. The relationship between binge eating, psychopathology and urinary cortisol was investigated, controlling for age and BMI. We found an inverse correlation between UFC/24 h and binge eating, depression, obsessive-compusive symptoms, somatization and sensitivity. In a regression model a significant inverse correlation between urinary cortisol and psychopathology was confirmed. Urinary cortisol levels in obese patients with binge eating disorder show an inverse correlation with several dimensions of psychopathology which are considered to be typical of a cluster of psychiatric disorders characterized by low HPA axis function, and are very common in obese binge eating patients. If these results are confirmed, UFC/24 h might be considered a biomarker of psychopathology in obese binge eaters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the levels of serum cortisol and gastrin in dogs with vibration-induced injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Zikun

2005-01-01

Objective: To study the changes of levels of serum cortisol and gastrin in dogs with vibration-induced injury for providing better treatment regimen. Methods: In this experiment, 8 or 10 domestic dogs were placed on each of four sites away from explosion center about 0, 100, 200, 300 meters respectively. The dogs were standing uncontrolled or lying right side down under anesthesia. Serum cortisol and gastrin levels were detected with RIA both before and after explosion. Results: The levels of serum cortisol and gastrin began to fall about 24 hours after explosion. The serum levels of cortisol were still decreased significantly after 9 days and 17 days. Conclusion: The levels of the serum cortisol declined when the animals were injured by vibration. Detection of serum cortisol levels might lead to definitive diagnosis and supplemental treatment with cortical hormones for vibration-induced injury. (authors)

Clinical significance of the changes of plasma cortisol levels in patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zhiqiang

2005-01-01

Objective: To explore the changes of plasma cortisol levels in patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage. Methods: Plasma cortisol levels were measured with RIA at 24:00 and 8:00 right after admission in 68 patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage and the tests were repeated in 61 patients one week later 40 controls entered this study. Results: The plasma cortisol levels were significantly higher in the patients than the corresponding readings in controls (P<0.001) with obliteration of the normal diurnal rhythm of secretion. The increase of the cortisol levels was positively correlated with the severity of the disease. As the condition of the patients improved, the cortisol levels dropped gradually. Conclusion: The plasma cortisol levels in patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage were closely related to the severity of the disease and were of prognostic value. (authors)

The relationship between objectively measured physical activity, salivary cortisol, and the metabolic syndrome score in girls.

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DuBose, Katrina D; McKune, Andrew J

2014-08-01

The relationship between physical activity levels, salivary cortisol, and the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) score was examined. Twenty-three girls (8.4 ± 0.9 years) had a fasting blood draw, waist circumference and blood pressure measured, and wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for 5 days. Saliva samples were collected to measure cortisol levels. Previously established cut points estimated the minutes spent in moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. A continuous MetSyn score was created from blood pressure, waist circumference, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride, and glucose values. Correlation analyses examined associations between physical activity, cortisol, the MetSyn score, and its related components. Regression analysis examined the relationship between cortisol, the MetSyn score, and its related components adjusting for physical activity, percent body fat, and sexual maturity. Vigorous physical activity was positively related with 30 min post waking cortisol values. The MetSyn score was not related with cortisol values after controlling for confounders. In contrast, HDL was negatively related with 30 min post waking cortisol. Triglyceride was positively related with 30 min post waking cortisol and area under the curve. The MetSyn score and many of its components were not related to cortisol salivary levels even after adjusting for physical activity, body fat percentage, and sexual maturity.

Impact of emotional support on serum cortisol in breast cancer patients

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Sampoornam Webster

2016-01-01

Methods: The study was designed to compare the effectiveness of emotional support focused nurse directed intervention in terms of verbal, written and telephone basis on serum cortisol among breast cancer patients in Cancer Centre at Erode. Participants were randomly allocated by using Sequentially Numbered Opaque Sealed Envelope (SNOSE method. 2 ml of blood samples were collected from 30 breast cancer patients who were selected randomly by adopting random number table, 10 in each experimental arm during evening at 18 hour; radioimmunoassay method was used to measure the level of serum cortisol before and after intervention. The intervention was given twice in a week for the duration of 30-45 minutes, in which early 20-30 minutes spares to express thoughts and feelings of the participants and subsequent 10-15 minutes for rendering informational support and later follow up session for the period of 1 month. Results: Emotional support was effective in reducing serum cortisol level among breast cancer patients. There was no statistically significant difference between arms on serum cortisol levels. Conclusions: Marginal differences were noted between posttest mean scores of serum cortisol among verbal, written and telephone arms. Further emotional support can be rendered according to the preference of the breast cancer patients.

Parent Cortisol and Family Relatedness Predict Anxious Behavior in Emerging Adults

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Johnson, Vanessa Kahen; Gans, Susan E.

2016-01-01

Emerging adult cortisol response during family interaction predicts change in EA anxious behavior during the transition to college (Gans & Johnson, in press). In the present study, we take an additional step toward integrating family systems research and physiology by including assessment of parent physiology. We collect salivary cortisol from parents and emerging-adults during triadic family interaction. Emerging adults (N = 101) between the ages of 17 and 19 were assessed at three time points across their first college year: the summer before college, fall and spring semesters. Two parents accompanied the emerging adult child to the summer assessment; all family members provided four saliva samples each at 20-minute intervals. Later assessments of emerging adults included measures of internalizing behaviors. Parents’ cortisol secretion patterns during family interaction predict their emerging adult child’s cortisol secretion pattern, parent perceptions of the family environment, and emerging adult children’s internalizing behavior during the college transition. Different patterns of results emerged for mothers’ and fathers’ cortisol response to family interaction, and for families with sons or with daughters. The approach taken by this study provides a first step toward understanding how interrelationships among elements of physiology and family functioning contribute to adjustment during major life transitions. PMID:27536860

Moderating Effects of Cortisol on Neural-Cognitive Association in Cognitively Normal Elderly Subjects

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Lau, Way K. W.; Leung, Mei Kei; Law, Andrew C. K.; Lee, Tatia M. C.

2017-01-01

Cortisol homeostasis is important for healthy brain and cognitive aging. The aim of the current study is to investigate the role of serum cortisol levels in the relationship between regional brain volumes and cognitive processing speed in a group of cognitively normal elderly subjects. Forty-one healthy elderly participants were from a parallel longitudinal study. The reported data in this study reflects baseline measurements. Whole-brain anatomical scanning was performed using a 3.0 Tesla Philips Medical Systems Achieva scanner. Cognitive processing speed was assessed by the digit-symbol and symbol search tests, from the Chinese version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—third edition (WAIS-III). Serum cortisol levels (sampled in the late morning) were measured by ELISA kits. Whole-brain regression analysis revealed that serum cortisol levels positively predicted the white matter volumes (WMV) of the right thalamus, the gray matter volumes (GMV) of the left thalamus and right cerebellar tonsil, and negatively predicted the WMV and GMV of the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) in 41 healthy elderly participants. Furthermore, serum cortisol significantly moderated the relationship between the GMV of the left MTG and processing speed, as well as the GMV of the left thalamus and processing speed. This study provided the first piece of evidence supporting serum cortisol levels in moderating the relationship between regional brain volumes and processing speed in healthy elderly subjects. This observation enriches our understanding of the role of cortisol in brain morphology and cognitive functioning. PMID:28596732

Moderating Effects of Cortisol on Neural-Cognitive Association in Cognitively Normal Elderly Subjects

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Way K. W. Lau

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Cortisol homeostasis is important for healthy brain and cognitive aging. The aim of the current study is to investigate the role of serum cortisol levels in the relationship between regional brain volumes and cognitive processing speed in a group of cognitively normal elderly subjects. Forty-one healthy elderly participants were from a parallel longitudinal study. The reported data in this study reflects baseline measurements. Whole-brain anatomical scanning was performed using a 3.0 Tesla Philips Medical Systems Achieva scanner. Cognitive processing speed was assessed by the digit-symbol and symbol search tests, from the Chinese version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—third edition (WAIS-III. Serum cortisol levels (sampled in the late morning were measured by ELISA kits. Whole-brain regression analysis revealed that serum cortisol levels positively predicted the white matter volumes (WMV of the right thalamus, the gray matter volumes (GMV of the left thalamus and right cerebellar tonsil, and negatively predicted the WMV and GMV of the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG in 41 healthy elderly participants. Furthermore, serum cortisol significantly moderated the relationship between the GMV of the left MTG and processing speed, as well as the GMV of the left thalamus and processing speed. This study provided the first piece of evidence supporting serum cortisol levels in moderating the relationship between regional brain volumes and processing speed in healthy elderly subjects. This observation enriches our understanding of the role of cortisol in brain morphology and cognitive functioning.

Interleukin-1 Antagonism Decreases Cortisol Levels in Obese Individuals

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Urwyler, Sandrine Andrea; Schuetz, Philipp; Ebrahimi, Fahim; Donath, Marc Y.; Christ-Crain, Mirjam

2017-01-01

Increased cortisol levels in obesity may contribute to the associated metabolic syndrome. In obesity, the activated innate immune system leads to increased interleukin (IL)-1β, which is known to stimulate the release of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH).; We hypothesized that in obesity IL-1 antagonism would result in downregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to decreased cortisol levels.; In this prospective intervention study, we included 73 patients with obesity (b...

Morning plasma cortisol is low among obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

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Shabir, Iram; Ganie, Mohd Ashraf; Praveen, Edavan P; Khurana, Madan L; John, Jomimol; Gupta, Nandita; Kumar, Guresh; Ammini, Ariachery C

2013-12-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause for androgen excess in women. It is associated with wide variety of metabolic disorders. The present study assessed morning plasma cortisol in women with PCOS. One hundred and ninety seven cases and 55 controls were enrolled for this study. The mean age of patients and controls were 23 ± 5.6 years and 25 ± 4.3 years. One hundred twelve (56%) women with PCOS had BMI >25. Serum cortisol levels were significantly higher in lean PCOS women compared to controls (13.4 ± 5.1 versus 11.3 ± 4.5, p cortisol was lower among obese women with PCOS. Morning plasma cortisol correlated negatively with BMI in PCOS women with normal glucose tolerance.

Childhood Adversity, Self-Esteem, and Diurnal Cortisol Profiles across the Lifespan

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Zilioli, Samuele; Slatcher, Richard B.; Chi, Peilian; Li, Xiaoming; Zhao, Junfeng; Zhao, Guoxiang

2016-01-01

Childhood adversity is associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood; the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been proposed as a crucial biological intermediary of these long-term effects. Here we tested whether childhood adversity was associated with diurnal cortisol parameters, and whether this link was partially explained by self-esteem. In both adults and children, childhood adversity was associated with lower levels of cortisol at awakening and this association was partially driven by low self-esteem. Further, we found a significant indirect pathway through which greater adversity during childhood was linked to a flatter cortisol slope via self-esteem. Lastly, those youth who had a caregiver with high self-esteem experienced a steeper decline in cortisol throughout the day compared to those youth whose caregiver reported low self-esteem. We conclude that self-esteem is a plausible psychological mechanism through which childhood adversity may get embedded in the activity of the HPA axis across the lifespan. PMID:27481911

Detección y estudio mediante Fluorescencia Inducida por Láser de radicales libres formados por Disociación Multifotónica Infrarroja

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, M.; Díaz, L.; Torresano, J. A.; Rubio, L.; Samoudi, B.

Una de las principales aplicaciones actuales de los procesos de disociación multifotónica inducidos por radiación láser infrarroja (DMI) es la producción de radiales libres, con el fin de estudiar sus propiedades cinéticas y espectroscópicas. La disociación de moléculas poliatómicas en el IR con láseres de CO2 tiene lugar desde la superficie de energía molecular mas baja y conduce generalmente a la formación de fragmentos en el estado electrónico fundamental, con diversos grados de excitación vibracional. En el Grupo de Procesos Multifotónicos del Instituto de Estructura de la Materia del C.S.I.C. hemos puesto a punto la técnica de Fluorescencia Inducida por Láser (LIF) para la detección y análisis en tiempo real de los fragmentos producidos en la DMI inducida mediante uno o dos campos láseres de diferentes longitudes de onda. Objetivos de nuestro trabajo han sido el estudio de los canales de disociación mayoritarios y de las especies transitoria producidas, así como de la distribución de energía interna con que éstas son generadas. En particular hemos detectado mediante LIF las especies: C2, CF, CH, SiH2, CF2, CH2, SiHCl, y CF3 a partir de la disociación de, entre otras, las siguientes moléculas: C2H3Br, C3F6, C4H8Si, C2H5ClSi y CH5ClSi. En este trabajo presentamos algunos de los resultados obtenidos mediante el estudio por LIF de estos radicales: estudio temporal de la señal LIF obtenida con determinación de tiempos de vida, espectros de excitación y fluorescencia, temperaturas vibracionales de formación, variación de la intensidad LIF con el tiempo de retraso entre los láseres de disociación y prueba, etc.

Atypical evening cortisol profile induces visual recognition memory deficit in healthy human subjects

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Gilpin Heather

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Diurnal rhythm-mediated endogenous cortisol levels in humans are characterised by a peak in secretion after awakening that declines throughout the day to an evening trough. However, a significant proportion of the population exhibits an atypical cycle of diurnal cortisol due to shift work, jet-lag, aging, and mental illness. Results The present study has demonstrated a correlation between elevation of cortisol in the evening and deterioration of visual object recognition memory. However, high evening cortisol levels have no effect on spatial memory. Conclusion This study suggests that atypical evening salivary cortisol levels have an important role in the early deterioration of recognition memory. The loss of recognition memory, which is vital for everyday life, is a major symptom of the amnesic syndrome and early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, this study will promote a potential physiologic marker of early deterioration of recognition memory and a possible diagnostic strategy for Alzheimer's disease.

Effects of sleep deprivation on serum cortisol level and mental health in servicemen.

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Song, Hong-Tao; Sun, Xin-Yang; Yang, Ting-Shu; Zhang, Li-Yi; Yang, Jia-Lin; Bai, Jing

2015-06-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on serum cortisol level and mental health and explore the correlations between them in servicemen. A total of 149 out of the 207 Chinese servicemen were randomly selected to go through 24hour sleep deprivation, leaving the rest (58) as the control group, before and after which their blood samples were drawn for cortisol measurement. Following the procedure, all the participants were administered the Military Personnel Mental Disorder Prediction Scale, taking the military norm as baseline. The results revealed that the post-deprivation serum cortisol level was positively correlated with the factor score of mania in the sleep deprivation group (rSp=0.415, pSleep deprivation could significantly increase serum cortisol level and may affect mental health in servicemen. The increase of serum cortisol level is significantly related to mania disorder during sleep deprivation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioimmunological determination of cortisol in serum or plasma of cattle, swine, and sheep

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kratzsch, J.; Bier, H.; Leistner, E.; Hubald, J.; Forschungsinst. fuer Koerperkultur und Sport, Leipzig

1987-01-01

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the determination of the glucocorticoid cortisol in serum or plasma of swine, cattle, and sheep was tested for its clinical validity. Specific antisera were obtained from rabbit, following immunization, using the immunogenic cortisol-3-0-(carboxymethyl)oxime bovine serum albumin. The sensitivity of the method is 6 pg per measured sample or 1.7 nmol/l serum. Cross reactivities of physiologically relevant hormones were below two per cent but for 11-deoxycortisol (9.1 per cent). The resulting high specificity of the RIA proved to enable high accuracy determination of cortisol under conditions of corticosterone or progesterone levels of about 100 per cent with regard to cortisol concentration, that is conditions likely to occur primarily during pregnancy of swine, cattle, and sheep. The cortisol concentrations recorded from serum or plasma of the above species provided a general picture of hormone concentrations and their dimensions which have to be expected under various physiological conditions. (author)

Cortisol secretion after adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH and Dexamethasone tests in healthy female and male dogs

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Castillo Victor

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For the conclusive diagnosis of Cushing's Syndrome, a stimulating ACTH test or a low suppressive Dexamethasone test is used. Reports in other species than the dog indicate that plasma cortisol concentration after ACTH administration is affected by gender. We investigated the effect of gender on the cortisol response to ACTH and Dexamethasone tests in dogs. Methods Seven healthy adult Cocker Spaniels (4 females and 3 males were assigned to a two by two factorial design: 4 dogs (2 females and 2 males received IV Dexamethasone 0.01 mg/kg, while the other 3 dogs received an IV saline solution (control group. Two weeks later the treatments were reversed. After one month, ACTH was given IV (250 μg/animal to 4 dogs (2 female and 2 males while the rest was treated with saline solution (control group. Cortisol concentrations were determined by a direct solid-phase radioimmunoassay and cholesterol and triglycerides by commercial kits. Results and Discussion No effect of treatment was observed in metabolite concentrations, but females presented higher cholesterol concentrations. ACTH-treated dogs showed an increase in cortisol levels in the first hour after sampling until 3 hours post injection. Cortisol concentrations in Dexamethasone-treated dogs decreased one hour post injection and remained low for 3 hours, thereafter cortisol concentrations increased. The increase in cortisol levels from one to two hours post ACTH injection was significantly higher in females than males. In Dexamethasone-treated males cortisol levels decreased one hour post injection up to 3 hours; in females the decrease was more pronounced and prolonged, up to 5 hours post injection. Conclusion We have demonstrated that cortisol response to ACTH and Dexamethasone treatment in dogs differs according to sex.

Habitual sleep quality and diurnal rhythms of salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone in postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Tianyi; Poole, Elizabeth M; Vetter, Celine; Rexrode, Kathryn M; Kubzansky, Laura D; Schernhammer, Eva; Rohleder, Nicolas; Hu, Frank B; Redline, Susan; Tworoger, Shelley S

2017-10-01

Dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been suggested as a potential mechanism linking sleep and cardiometabolic disorders. However, the associations of two primary outputs of the HPA axis, cortisol and its antagonist dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), with sleep are less well studied. In the Nurses' Health Study II, 233 postmenopausal women provided five timed saliva samples over one day (immediately upon waking, 45min, 4h, and 10h after waking, and prior to going to sleep) to measure cortisol and DHEA. Of these, 209 completed assessment of their habitual sleep patterns using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We used piecewise linear mixed models to compare cross-sectional associations of slopes reflecting diurnal cortisol and DHEA rhythms with overall sleep quality and with seven sub-components. Overall, we observed no differences in the diurnal patterns of cortisol or DHEA between good versus poor sleepers as assessed by the global PSQI score. However, longer sleep latency was associated with significantly reduced cortisol awakening rise (p=0.02). Poorer subjective sleep quality (p=0.02), shorter sleep duration (p=0.02), and lower sleep efficiency (p=0.03) were associated with slower rate of cortisol decline later in the day. Women reporting daytime dysfunction had a sharper cortisol decline early in the day (p=0.03) but a flattened decline later in the day (p=0.01). The differences in diurnal patterns of DHEA between good versus poor sleepers, though less pronounced, were similar in direction to those of cortisol. Self-reported sleep duration, efficiency, latency and daytime dysfunction were associated with altered diurnal rhythms of cortisol and, to a lesser extent, DHEA. These findings provide support for the interplay between sleep and the HPA axis that may contribute to cardiometabolic disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal study

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Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. Methods Participants came from two Danish cohort studies, the “Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease” (PRISME cohort and the “Workplace Bullying and Harassment” (WBH cohort (n = 5418. Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points with approximately two years in between. After each data collection, all participants were followed for two years in registers, and cases with long-term sickness absence lasting 30 or more consecutive days were identified. The association between cortisol levels and subsequent sickness absence was assessed by logistic regression, while the extent to which the association between bullying and sickness absence was mediated by cortisol was quantified through natural direct and indirect effects. Results High evening cortisol was associated with a decreased risk of sickness absence (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68–0.99, but we did not find that high morning cortisol levels (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.81–1.18 or high morning-to-evening slope (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.82–1.18 were associated with subsequent sickness absence. We also tested for reverse causation and found that long-term sickness absence, but not salivary cortisol, was a strong risk factor for subsequent workplace bullying. There was no indication that cortisol mediated the association

Determinación de la producción de Öxido Nítrico en Macrófagos Activados J774.1 como respuesta al tamaño de la carga fagocítica de partículas de látex y Leishmania amazonensis Determination of Nitric Oxide Production in Activate Macrophages J774.1 as effect of Phagocitic Load Volume of Latex Beads and Leishmania amazonensis

OpenAIRE

Camargo Jiménez Maria Helena; Camacho Maria Marcela

2000-01-01

La leishmaniosis es una enfermedad parasitaria causada por el protozoario Leishmania. Cercade 12 millones de personas padecen esta enfermedad y 350 millones de personas están enriesgo de contraerla. Existe evidencia de que la infección por Leishmania amazonensisdisminuyela producción de óxido nítrico (NO) de macrófagos; se ha interpretado que este deterioroes inducido por el parásito. Esta investigación corrobora esta idea, pero contradice que seaexclusivo de la infección. En este trabajo, cu...

Childhood abuse is associated with increased hair cortisol levels among urban pregnant women.

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Schreier, Hannah M C; Enlow, Michelle Bosquet; Ritz, Thomas; Gennings, Chris; Wright, Rosalind J

2015-12-01

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity is known to be altered following events such as childhood abuse. However, despite potential adverse consequences for the offspring of women who have experienced abuse, very little is known about altered HPA axis activity during pregnancy. During pregnancy, 180 women from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds reported on their exposure to emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse before the age of 11, and general post-traumatic stress symptoms (ie, not limited to childhood years or abuse experiences). Around delivery, they provided hair samples for the assessment of cortisol levels during pregnancy. Hair cortisol was assessed for each pregnancy trimester. The effect of childhood abuse on hair cortisol was assessed using mixed-effects analyses of covariance models allowing for within-subject correlated observations, and were first performed in the entire sample and subsequently stratified by race/ethnicity. Controlling for post-traumatic stress symptoms, hair cortisol levels varied by history of child abuse, F(2,166)=3.66, p=0.028. Childhood physical and/or sexual abuse was associated with greater hair cortisol levels, t(166)=2.65, p=0.009, compared with no history of abuse. Because childhood rates of abuse and hair cortisol levels varied by race/ethnicity, analyses were stratified by race/ethnicity. The associations between history of abuse and cortisol levels were only significant among black women, F(2,23)=5.37, p=0.012. Childhood abuse, especially physical and/or sexual abuse, is associated with differences in cortisol production during pregnancy, particularly among black women. Future research should investigate how these differences impact physical and mental health outcomes among offspring of affected women. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The Evaluation of Psychological Factor and Salivary Cortisol and IgA Levels in

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Fateme Arbabi-Kalati

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP is a chronic immunological disorder with unknown etiology. The aim of this study was to determine psychological factors and salivary cortisol, IgA level in patients with oral lichen planus. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 20 patients with OLP and healthy person were admitted to this study. Saliva samples were collected between - Am. saliva cortisol, IgA level was detected by ELIZA method. In this study, patients with anxiety and depression were measured using the SCL-90 questionnaire. Data analyzed by t-test. Results: The mean salivary cortisol level in patients with OLP was 3.2±1.9 ng/mL and the mean saliva cortisol level in healthy person was 3.5±1.9 ng/mL. Significant difference was observed in the salivary cortisol levels in the 2 study groups (p=0.04. The mean salivary IgA level in patients with OLP was 0.69±0.29 ng/mL and the mean saliva IgA level in healthy person was 0.9±0.43 ng/mL but no significant difference was observed in the salivary cortisol levels in the 2 study groups. Results showed that anxiety levels in patients with oral lichen planus were slightly higher than controls but there was no significant difference between healthy subjects. Conclusion: Finding revealed the mean salivary cortisol level in patient with OLP less than healthy persons. Significant difference was observed in the salivary cortisol levels in the 2 study groups. Based on the t-student test, no significant difference was observed in the salivary IgA levels in the 2 study groups. Anxiety levels in patients with oral lichen planus were slightly higher than controls.

Sex differences in the functional connectivity of the amygdalae in association with cortisol.

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Kogler, Lydia; Müller, Veronika I; Seidel, Eva-Maria; Boubela, Roland; Kalcher, Klaudius; Moser, Ewald; Habel, Ute; Gur, Ruben C; Eickhoff, Simon B; Derntl, Birgit

2016-07-01

Human amygdalae are involved in various behavioral functions such as affective and stress processing. For these behavioral functions, as well as for psychophysiological arousal including cortisol release, sex differences are reported. Here, we assessed cortisol levels and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of left and right amygdalae in 81 healthy participants (42 women) to investigate potential modulation of amygdala rsFC by sex and cortisol concentration. Our analyses revealed that rsFC of the left amygdala significantly differed between women and men: Women showed stronger rsFC than men between the left amygdala and left middle temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, postcentral gyrus and hippocampus, regions involved in face processing, inner-speech, fear and pain processing. No stronger connections were detected for men and no sex difference emerged for right amygdala rsFC. Also, an interaction of sex and cortisol appeared: In women, cortisol was negatively associated with rsFC of the amygdalae with striatal regions, mid-orbital frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, middle and superior frontal gyri, supplementary motor area and the parietal-occipital sulcus. Contrarily in men, positive associations of cortisol with rsFC of the left amygdala and these structures were observed. Functional decoding analyses revealed an association of the amygdalae and these regions with emotion, reward and memory processing, as well as action execution. Our results suggest that functional connectivity of the amygdalae as well as the regulatory effect of cortisol on brain networks differs between women and men. These sex-differences and the mediating and sex-dependent effect of cortisol on brain communication systems should be taken into account in affective and stress-related neuroimaging research. Thus, more studies including both sexes are required. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stress among nurses: an examination of salivary cortisol levels on work and day off

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Maria Cecilia Pires da Rocha

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The present study evaluates the use of salivary cortisol concentration as a physiological index of the stress level among nurses on their work day and day off and correlates it with the questionnaire used to measure occupational stress in nurses (Inventário de Estresse em Enfermeiros - IEE. This is a comparative, cross-sectional descriptive study in which sociodemographic data, IEE results and salivary cortisol levels were used. Fifty-seven nurses participated in the study (80.7% females and a mean age of 37.1 years old. The IEE average score was 124.5. The average cortisol level was 564.1 ng/m on work day and 354.1 ng/mL on day off. Nurses who had double workdays presented high values of salivary cortisol during the work day (638.1 ng/mL. In conclusion, salivary cortisol identified the nurses’ stress level, and differences were found between a work day and day off. On the nurses’ day off, their salivary cortisol levels and stress scores were lower.

Cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test in obese and reduced obese individuals.

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Therrien, Fanny; Drapeau, Vicky; Lalonde, Josée; Lupien, Sonia J; Beaulieu, Serge; Doré, Jean; Tremblay, Angelo; Richard, Denis

2010-05-01

Impact of body weight loss, body fat distribution and the nutritional status on the cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was investigated in this study. Fifty-one men (17 non-obese, 20 abdominally obese and 14 reduced obese) and 28 women (12 non-obese, 10 peripherally obese and 6 reduced obese) were subjected to the TSST in fed and fasted states. The TSST response was determined using salivary cortisol measurements. The nutritional status (being fed or fasted) had no effect on the cortisol levels during and following the TSST. Reduced obese men exhibited lower cortisol levels than non-obese men. Cortisol levels in obese men were not different from those of non-obese and reduced obese subjects. In women, there was no significant difference between groups. These finding suggest that weight status in men influences cortisol reactivity to a psychological stress and the different responses seen among genders could be linked to the different fat distributions that characterize men and women. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress and parental care in a wild Teleost fish: insights from exogenous supraphysiological cortisol implants.

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O'Connor, Constance M; Gilmour, Kathleen M; Arlinghaus, Robert; Van Der Kraak, Glen; Cooke, Steven J

2009-01-01

Male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) provide sole parental care over a 4-6-wk period to a single brood, fanning the eggs to keep them oxygenated and free of silt and defending the brood until the offspring develop antipredator tactics. During this period, fish are highly active and have few opportunities for feeding, so this activity is energetically costly. To understand some of the consequences of stress during this challenging period, we injected fish with cortisol suspended in coconut oil to experimentally raise circulating cortisol in parental males for the first week of the parental care period. We compared parental care behavior between cortisol-treated, sham-treated (injected only with coconut oil), and control parental males. We further compared physiological parameters associated with metabolism and reproductive function between cortisol-treated and control males. The cortisol injections resulted in supraphysiological levels of circulating plasma cortisol, giving us insight into potential maximal effects of stress during parental care. At these supraphysiological levels, the cortisol-treated fish displayed higher concentrations of circulating glucose and cholesterol and lower concentrations of circulating triglycerides when compared with control fish, with no change in plasma concentrations of total protein. Plasma concentrations of androgen were similarly unaffected by cortisol treatment. In the short term (initial 1-2 wk), parental care of eggs and egg-sac fry was maintained by all groups, with no differences observed in behavior (e.g., tending, vigilance, defense) among the groups. However, the cortisol-treated fish abandoned their offspring at a higher rate than in the control or sham groups. The fish treated with cortisol also tended to develop external Saprolegnian infections, indicative of compromised immune function. These data demonstrate that exogenous cortisol elevation during parental care results in changes in energy use and a

Shift work at young age is associated with elevated long-term cortisol levels and body mass index.

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Manenschijn, Laura; van Kruysbergen, Rulanda G P M; de Jong, Frank H; Koper, Jan W; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C

2011-11-01

The incidence of obesity and other features of the metabolic syndrome is increased in shift workers. This may be due to a misalignment between the internal circadian rhythm and the behavioral rhythm. The stress hormone cortisol could play a role in this phenomenon because it is secreted in a circadian rhythm, and long-term elevated cortisol leads to components of the metabolic syndrome. We compared cortisol levels in scalp hair of shift and day workers to study changes in long-term cortisol due to shift work. Hair samples were collected from 33 shift workers and 89 day workers. Cortisol was extracted from the hair samples with methanol, and cortisol levels were measured using ELISA. Height and weight were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Shift workers had higher hair cortisol levels than day workers: 47.32 pg/mg hair [95% confidence interval (CI) = 38.37-58.21] vs. 29.72 pg/mg hair (95% CI = 26.18-33.73) (P cortisol levels were present only in younger shift workers: 48.53 pg/mg hair (95% CI = 36.56-64.29) vs. 26.42 pg/mg hair (95% CI = 22.91-30.55) (P cortisol and BMI were positively correlated (β = 0.262; P = 0.005). Shift work at a young adult age is associated with elevated long-term cortisol levels and increased BMI. Elevated cortisol levels and BMI may contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk found in shift workers.