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Ok J, Park S, Jung YH, Kim TI. Wearable and Implantable Cortisol-Sensing Electronics for Stress Monitoring. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2211595. [PMID: 36917076 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202211595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is released from the body in response to stress. Although a moderate level of cortisol secretion can help the body maintain homeostasis, excessive secretion can cause various diseases, such as depression and anxiety. Conventional methods for cortisol measurement undergo procedures that limit continuous monitoring, typically collecting samples of bodily fluids, followed by separate analysis in a laboratory setting that takes several hours. Thus, recent studies demonstrate wearable, miniaturized sensors integrated with electronic modules that enable wireless real-time analysis. Here, the primary focus is on wearable and implantable electronic devices that continuously measure cortisol concentration. Diverse types of cortisol-sensing techniques, such as antibody-, DNA-aptamer-, and molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensors, as well as wearable and implantable devices that aim to continuously monitor cortisol in a minimally invasive fashion are discussed. In addition to the cortisol monitors that directly measure stress levels, other schemes that indirectly measure stress, such as electrophysiological signals and sweat are also summarized. Finally, the challenges and future directions in stress monitoring and management electronics are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jehyung Ok
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sumin Park
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Yei Hwan Jung
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Il Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
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2
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Pai J, Joshi RK, Bhaskar S, Patil S, Bv S, R S, Iyengar AR, Agarwal N, Shorie M. Revisiting the cortisol reference ranges in humans: the role of demographics. Endocrine 2023; 82:414-418. [PMID: 37501014 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03456-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The current study explores the effect of demographics on serum cortisol expression in a study group of 52 individuals to improve the current serum reference ranges to produce personalized expression profiles consequently increasing clinical confidence in the diagnosis. The serum cortisol concentration was inspected against demographical data like age, sex, and body mass index and showed an association with age and sex. The serum cortisol values also indicated a positive association with chronic illnesses however this finding requires a more focused study for establishment. Additionally, saliva samples are also collected from the same study group at the same time through drool and an absorbent sponge and correlated with serum values to draw an alternative route of serological testing. Salivary cortisol from drool showed a linear correlation with Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.71 and 0.72 with serum cortisol and with saliva samples collected using a porous sponge respectively. Overall, the study shows the role of demographics in shaping the reference ranges for cortisol, suggesting a path for developing personalized diagnostics. The study also highlights the efficacy of saliva as an alternative to serum cortisol to facilitate cortisol measurement for efficient stress management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayeeta Pai
- Cortiqa Health Private Limited, Bangalore, India.
| | | | | | - Seema Patil
- DA Pandu Memorial RV Dental College, Bangalore, India
| | - Subhash Bv
- DA Pandu Memorial RV Dental College, Bangalore, India
| | - Shriyanka R
- DA Pandu Memorial RV Dental College, Bangalore, India
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3
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DeCaro JA, Helfrecht C. Applying minimally invasive biomarkers of chronic stress across complex ecological contexts. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23814. [PMID: 36201446 PMCID: PMC9788276 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is both theoretically and methodologically challenging to operationalize through biomarkers. Yet minimally invasive, field-friendly biomarkers of chronic stress are valuable in research linking biology and culture, seeking to understand differential patterns of human development across ecological contexts, and exploring the evolution of human sociality. For human biologists, a central question in measurement and interpretation of biomarkers is how stress-responsive physiological systems are regulated across diverse human ecologies. This article aims to describe a conditional toolkit for human biologists interested in the study of chronic stress, highlighting a mix of longstanding and novel biomarkers, with special focus on hair/fingernail cortisol, latent herpesvirus antibodies, allostatic load indices, and serial/ambulatory data collection approaches. Future trends in chronic stress biomarker research, including epigenetic approaches, are briefly considered. This overview considers: (1) challenges in separating a distinctly psychosocial dimension of chronic stress from adversity more broadly; (2) essential characteristics of human ecology that shape interpretation; (3) retrospective vs. longitudinal sampling; (4) the role of age, developmental effects, and local biologies; (5) different timescales of chronicity; and (6) the role of culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A. DeCaro
- Department of AnthropologyThe University of AlabamaTuscaloosaAlabamaUSA
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4
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Jankovic-Rankovic J, Oka RC, Meyer JS, Snodgrass JJ, Eick GN, Gettler LT. Transient refugees' social support, mental health, and physiological markers: Evidence from Serbian asylum centers. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23747. [PMID: 35349201 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Refugees seeking safety across international borders are often exposed to a wide breadth of psychosocially stressful experiences that may fracture existing sources of social support and impair the generation of new social relationships, with implications for their long-term health and resilience. Using data from recently settled refugees in two asylum centers in Serbia, we examined the associations between social support, mental health, and physiological markers. METHODS In this mixed-method study of refugees (age 18-50 years, n = 76), we collected key socio-demographic information and conducted semi-structured interviews about refugees' journey and stay in Serbia, trauma/loss, and their sources of social support. We also collected self-reported measures of mental well-being as well as physiological markers relevant to repeated exposure to chronic psychosocial stress (fingernail cortisol and dried blood spots for analysis of Epstein-Barr virus [EBV] antibody titers). RESULTS We found that refugees with longer journeys reported lower social support than those with shorter journeys. Refugees with lower social support reported poorer mental well-being, greater PTSD-related symptoms, and higher recent perceived stress than those with higher social support. We also observed that refugees with lower social support and higher recent stress, respectively, tended to exhibit higher fingernail cortisol levels. However, we did not observe comparable patterns linking EBV antibodies with psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSION Our cross-sectional findings are consistent with the notion that social support is likely to be a critical component in effective interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse health effects of relocation-related illnesses and poor social functioning as they await resettlement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rahul C Oka
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Jerrold S Meyer
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - J Josh Snodgrass
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Geeta N Eick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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5
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Rodrigues MA, Yoon SO, Clancy KBH, Stine-Morrow EAL. What are friends for? The impact of friendship on communicative efficiency and cortisol response during collaborative problem solving among younger and older women. J Women Aging 2021; 33:411-427. [PMID: 34038325 DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2021.1915686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Conversation is a skilled activity that depends on cognitive and social processes, both of which develop through adulthood. We examined the effects of age and partner familiarity on communicative efficiency and cortisol reactivity. Younger and older women interacted with familiar or unfamiliar partners in a dyadic collaborative conversation task (N = 8 in each group). Regardless of age, referential expressions among familiar and unfamiliar partners became more efficient over time, and cortisol concentrations were lower for speakers interacting with familiar partners. These findings suggest that communicative effectiveness is largely preserved with age, as is the stress-buffering effect of a familiar partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Rodrigues
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Si On Yoon
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Kathryn B H Clancy
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth A L Stine-Morrow
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Nepomnaschy PA, Rowlands A, Prescivalli Costa AP, Salvante KG. Socio-Ecological Challenges as Modulators of Women's Reproductive Trajectories. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANTHROPOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anthro-102317-045930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Amenorrhea, anovulatory cycles, miscarriages, and other reproductive outcomes are often seen as pathological. Life history theory, in contrast, treats those outcomes as adaptations that helped women optimize the timing of reproductive ventures across our evolutionary history. Women's bodies adjust their reproductive strategies in response to socio-ecological conditions, a process mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). Here, we review the links between socio-ecological conditions, HPAA activity, and the pace of women's reproductive transitions such as puberty, age at first birth, interbirth interval, and perimenopause. We also discuss the HPAA's role as a modulator of reproductive function: It not only suppresses it but may also prime women's bodies for future reproductive ventures. We conclude by reviewing challenges and opportunities within our subfield, including the need for transdisciplinary teams to develop longitudinal studies to improve our understanding of women's reproductive trajectories and outcomes from the moment they are conceived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A. Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Amanda Rowlands
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Ana Paula Prescivalli Costa
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Katrina G. Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
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7
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Ponzi D, Flinn MV, Muehlenbein MP, Nepomnaschy PA. Hormones and human developmental plasticity. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 505:110721. [PMID: 32004677 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Natural selection favors the evolution of mechanisms that optimize the allocation of resources and time among competing traits. Hormones mediate developmental plasticity, the changes in the phenotype that occur during ontogeny. Despite their highly conserved functions, the flexibilities of human hormonal systems suggest a strong history of adaptation to variable environments. Physiological research on developmental plasticity has focused on the early programming effects of stress, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA) during critical periods, when the hormones produced have the strongest influence on the developing brain. Often this research emphasizes the maladaptive effects of early stressful experiences. Here we posit that the HPAA and HPAG systems in human developmental plasticity have evolved to be responsive to complex and dynamic problems associated with human sociality. The lengthy period of human offspring dependency, and its associated brain development and risks, is linked to the uniquely human combination of stable breeding bonds, extensive paternal effort in a multi-male group, extended bilateral kin recognition, grandparenting, and controlled exchange of mates among kin groups. We evaluate an evolutionary framework that integrates proximate physiological explanations with ontogeny, phylogeny, adaptive function, and comparative life history data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Ponzi
- Unit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Italy.
| | - Mark V Flinn
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
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van Tetering AAC, Wijsman JLP, Truijens SEM, Fransen AF, van der Hout-van der Jagt MB, Oei SG. Comparison of the psychological and physiological effects on students of a video-assisted or text introduction to a simulated task. BMJ SIMULATION & TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED LEARNING 2019; 5:96-101. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjstel-2017-000272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
IntroductionThe use of different methods for introducing the scenario in simulation-based medical education has not been investigated before and may be a useful element to optimise the effectiveness of learning. The aim of this study was to compare an immersive video-assisted introduction to a minimal text-based one, with regard to emotional assessment of the situation.MethodsIn this pilot study, 39 students participated in a medical simulated scenario. The students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (video-assisted introduction) or a control group (minimal textual introduction) and both were followed by performing surgery on LapSim (Surgical Science, Gothenburg, Sweden). The emotional assessment of the situation, cognitive appraisal, was defined as the ratio of the demands placed by an individual’s environment (primary appraisal) to that person’s resources to meet the demands (secondary appraisal). Secondary outcomes were anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), physiological parameters (heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance, salivary cortisol), engagement (Game Engagement Questionnaire), motivation (Intrinsic Motivation Inventory) and performance (mean score in percentage calculated by LapSim of predefined levels).ResultsParticipants in the immersive video group (n=17) were overloaded in terms of their perceived demands (a ratio of 1.17, IQR 0.30) compared with those in the control group (a ratio of 1.00, IQR 0.42, n=22) (P=0.01). No significant differences were found between the groups in secondary outcomes. Both groups showed an increase of anxiety after the introduction method. In the experimental group, this score increased from 9.0 to 11.0, and in the textual group from 7.5 to 10.5, both P<0.01.DiscussionThis study shows that the method of introducing a simulated scenario may influence the emotional assessment of the situation. It may be possible to make your simulation introduction too immersive or stimulating, which may interfere with learning. Further research will be necessary to investigate the impact and usefulness of these findings on learning in simulation-based medical education.
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Early post-conception maternal cortisol, children’s HPAA activity and DNA methylation profiles. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2018; 10:73-87. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174418000880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPAA) plays a critical role in the functioning of all other biological systems. Thus, studying how the environment may influence its ontogeny is paramount to understanding developmental origins of health and disease. The early post-conceptional (EPC) period could be particularly important for the HPAA as the effects of exposures on organisms’ first cells can be transmitted through all cell lineages. We evaluate putative relationships between EPC maternal cortisol levels, a marker of physiologic stress, and their children’s pre-pubertal HPAA activity (n=22 dyads). Maternal first-morning urinary (FMU) cortisol, collected every-other-day during the first 8 weeks post-conception, was associated with children’s FMU cortisol collected daily around the start of the school year, a non-experimental challenge, as well as salivary cortisol responses to an experimental challenge (all Ps<0.05), with some sex-related differences. We investigated whether epigenetic mechanisms statistically mediated these links and, therefore, could provide cues as to possible biological pathways involved. EPC cortisol was associated with >5% change in children’s buccal epithelial cells’ DNA methylation for 867 sites, while children’s HPAA activity was associated with five CpG sites. Yet, no CpG sites were related to both, EPC cortisol and children’s HPAA activity. Thus, these epigenetic modifications did not statistically mediate the observed physiological links. Larger, prospective peri-conceptional cohort studies including frequent bio-specimen collection from mothers and children will be required to replicate our analyses and, if our results are confirmed, identify biological mechanisms mediating the statistical links observed between maternal EPC cortisol and children’s HPAA activity.
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10
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Barha CK, Salvante KG, Hanna CW, Wilson SL, Robinson WP, Altman RM, Nepomnaschy PA. Child mortality, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and cellular aging in mothers. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177869. [PMID: 28542264 PMCID: PMC5444612 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological challenges, including traumatic events, have been hypothesized to increase the age-related pace of biological aging. Here we test the hypothesis that psychological challenges can affect the pace of telomere attrition, a marker of cellular aging, using data from an ongoing longitudinal-cohort study of Kaqchikel Mayan women living in a population with a high frequency of child mortality, a traumatic life event. Specifically, we evaluate the associations between child mortality, maternal telomere length and the mothers’ hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), or stress axis, activity. Child mortality data were collected in 2000 and 2013. HPAA activity was assessed by quantifying cortisol levels in first morning urinary specimens collected every other day for seven weeks in 2013. Telomere length (TL) was quantified using qPCR in 55 women from buccal specimens collected in 2013. Results: Shorter TL with increasing age was only observed in women who experienced child mortality (p = 0.015). Women with higher average basal cortisol (p = 0.007) and greater within-individual variation (standard deviation) in basal cortisol (p = 0.053) presented shorter TL. Non-parametric bootstrapping to estimate mediation effects suggests that HPAA activity mediates the effect of child mortality on TL. Our results are, thus, consistent with the hypothesis that traumatic events can influence cellular aging and that HPAA activity may play a mediatory role. Future large-scale longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm our results and further explore the role of the HPAA in cellular aging, as well as to advance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy K. Barha
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katrina G. Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Courtney W. Hanna
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Samantha L. Wilson
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Wendy P. Robinson
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rachel M. Altman
- Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Pablo A. Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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11
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Gerber LM, Sievert LL, Schwartz JE. Hot flashes and midlife symptoms in relation to levels of salivary cortisol. Maturitas 2017; 96:26-32. [PMID: 28041591 PMCID: PMC5215844 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined the relationship between salivary cortisol levels and hot flashes during midlife. Previous studies have shown that cortisol levels increase with hot flashes in the laboratory, and higher cortisol levels have been associated with more severe hot flashes. Salivary cortisol levels were also examined in relation to total number of midlife symptoms. METHODS Women aged 40-60 years (n=109) reported the presence or absence of 23 symptoms, including hot flashes, during the previous 2 weeks. Salivary samples were collected at waking, 30min after waking, 1h before bedtime, and at bedtime. The cortisol awakening response (CAR), cortisol daily decline (CDD), log transformed salivary cortisol levels at each time point, and mean cortisol levels were compared by hot flash report using t-tests. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between each cortisol measure and the presence or absence of hot flashes, after controlling for potential covariates. RESULTS Salivary cortisol levels were not significantly associated with hot flashes or sum of symptoms. Hot flash report did not differentiate women who had a positive CAR from those who did not, or women who showed strong CDD from those who did not. CONCLUSION Symptomatic women - defined by hot flash report or symptom total - were not found to have higher salivary cortisol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda M Gerber
- Department of Healthcare Policy & Research, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, United States; Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, Weill Cornell Medical College, United States.
| | - Lynnette L Sievert
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States
| | - Joseph E Schwartz
- Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, United States
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12
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Ogirala T, Eapen A, Salvante KG, Rapaport T, Nepomnaschy PA, Parameswaran AM. Smartphone-based colorimetric ELISA implementation for determination of women's reproductive steroid hormone profiles. Med Biol Eng Comput 2017; 55:1735-1741. [PMID: 28083733 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-016-1605-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Biologists frequently collect and analyze biospecimens in naturalistic (i.e., field) conditions to ascertain information regarding the physiological status of their study participants. Generally, field-collected biospecimens need to be stored frozen in the field and then transported frozen to laboratory facilities where traditional biomarker assays, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), are conducted. As proper storage and transport of frozen specimens is often logistically difficult and expensive, particularly in nonurban field settings, methods that reduce the need for specimen storage and transport would benefit field-research dependent disciplines such as biology, ecology and epidemiology. One limiting factor to running assays in the field is the use of large and expensive equipment to visualize and quantify the assays, such as microplate readers. Here, we describe an implementation of colorimetric ELISA visualization and quantification using two novel and portable imaging instrumentation systems and data processing techniques for the determination of women's reproductive steroid hormone profiles. Using the light absorbance and transmittance properties of the chemical compounds that make up the hormone assay, we were able to estimate unknown hormone concentrations using a smartphone system and a webcam system. These estimates were comparable to those from a standard laboratory multiple reader (smartphone: accuracy = 82.20%, R 2 > 0.910; webcam: accuracy = 87.59%, R 2 > 0.942). This line of applied research, in the long run, is expected to provide necessary information for examining the extent to which reproductive function varies within and between populations and how it is influenced by psychosocial, energetic and environmental challenges. Our validation of these novel, portable visualization and quantification systems allows for the eventual development of a compact and economical closed system which can be used to quantify biomarker concentrations in remote areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejaswi Ogirala
- School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.
| | - Ashley Eapen
- School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Katrina G Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.,Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Tomas Rapaport
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Pablo A Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.,Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
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13
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Nepomnaschy PA, Salvante KG, Zeng L, Pyles C, Ma H, Blais JC, Wen L, Barha CK. Variation in maternal urinary cortisol profiles across the peri-conceptional period: a longitudinal description and evaluation of potential functions. Hum Reprod 2015; 30:1460-72. [PMID: 25904636 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION How do women's first morning urinary cortisol levels, a marker of stress axis activity, vary during the peri-conceptional period (the 12 weeks around conception)? SUMMARY ANSWER First morning urinary cortisol follows an overall increasing trajectory across the peri-conceptional period, interrupted by 2 week-long decreases during the week preceding conception and the fifth week following conception. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Later gestational stages (i.e. second and third trimesters) are characterized by increasing levels of circulating cortisol. This increase is hypothesized to constitute a response to the energy demands imposed by fetal growth, and the development of energy reserves in preparation for nursing and performing regular activities while carrying pregnancy's extra weight and volume. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This study is based on a data set collected as part of a longitudinal, naturalistic investigation into the interactions between the stress (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA)) and reproductive (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA)) axes. Biomarkers of HPAA and HPGA function were quantified in first morning urinary specimens collected every other day from 22 healthy women who conceived a pregnancy during the study. We analyzed the longitudinal within- and between-individual variation in first morning urinary cortisol levels across the 12-week peri-conceptional period. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Participants were recruited from two rural, aboriginal, neighboring communities in Guatemala. Cortisol, estradiol and progesterone metabolites (estrone-3-glucuronide and pregnanediol glucuronide, respectively) and hCG levels were quantified in first morning urinary specimens using immunoassays to determine time of conception and confirm pregnancy maintenance. Linear mixed-effects models with regression splines were used to evaluate the magnitude and significance of changes in cortisol trajectories. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Overall, maternal first morning urinary cortisol increased from 6 weeks prior to conception (geometric mean ± SD = 58.14 ± 36.00 ng/ml) to 6 weeks post-conception (89.29 ± 46.76 ng/ml). The magnitude of the increase between the pre- and post-conception periods varied significantly between women (likelihood ratio test statistic = 8.0017, P = 0.005). The peri-conceptional period is characterized by an increasing cortisol trajectory (+1.36% per day; P = 0.007) interrupted by a week-long decline immediately prior to conception (-4.02% per day; P = 0.0013). After conception cortisol increased again (+1.73% per day; P = 0.0008) for 4 weeks, fell in the fifth week (-6.60% per day; P = 0.0002) and increased again in post-conceptional week 6 (+8.86% per day; P = 0.002). Maternal urinary cortisol levels varied with sex of the gestating embryo. During gestational week 2, mothers carrying female embryos (N = 10) had higher mean cortisol levels than those carrying male embryos (N = 9) (t(17) = 2.28, P = 0.04). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our results are based on a relatively small sample (n = 22) of women. However, our repeated-measures design with an average of 27 ± 8 (mean ± SD) data points per woman strengthens the precision of estimates resulting in high statistical power. Additionally, our study population's high degree of ethnic and cultural homogeneity reduces the effects of confounders compared with those found in industrialized populations. This higher level of homogeneity also increases our statistical power. However, since there may be small differences in absolute cortisol values among ethnic groups, the social and biological background of our sample may affect the generalizability of our results. General patterns of HPAA activity, however, are expected to be universal across women. Finally, as there is, to the best of our knowledge, no evidence to the contrary, we assumed that urinary cortisol levels reflect HPAA activity and that changes in gonadal steroids across the menstrual cycle do not affect the levels of free cortisol measured in urine. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal profile of basal maternal HPAA activity across the peri-conceptional period. A basic understanding of the normative (basal as opposed to stress-induced) changes in HPAA activity across this period is needed to accurately assess women's stress at this juncture. Importantly, changes in HPAA activity are likely to play a critical role in ovulation, fertilization, implantation, placentation and embryonic programing. Thus, this novel information should aid in the development of interventions aimed at preventing or moderating undesired effects of maternal physiological stress during the peri-conceptional period on reproductive outcomes as well as embryonic development. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This research was funded by a CIHR IGH Open Operating grant (CIHR 106705) to P.A.N. and L.Z.; a Simon Fraser University (SFU) President's Start-up grant, a Community Trust Endowment Fund grant through SFU's Human Evolutionary Studies Program and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Career Investigator Scholar Award to P.A.N.; an NSERC Discovery grant to L.Z.; a CIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship to C.K.B. and an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award to H.M. and J.C.B. The funding agencies had no role in the design, analysis, interpretation or reporting of the findings. There are no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - K G Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - L Zeng
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - C Pyles
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - H Ma
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - J C Blais
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - L Wen
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - C K Barha
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
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14
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Sumra MK, Schillaci MA. Stress and the multiple-role woman: taking a closer look at the "superwoman". PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120952. [PMID: 25816317 PMCID: PMC4376732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the academic literature there is debate as to whether women who engage in multiple social roles experience more or less stress than women in fewer roles. For the present research we examined the relationship between levels of engagement in seven distinct roles and perceived stress and life satisfaction in a small non-random sample of women in North America (N = 308). We did not find a significant correlation between role engagement and perceived stress, though we did find a small but significant positive correlation between role engagement and life satisfaction. Similarly, in a subset of the participants (N = 31), there was not a significant relationship between the level of role engagement and physiological stress as measured by hair or urinary cortisol levels. We found a significant negative correlation between perceived stress and life satisfaction, and role satisfaction. The results from multiple regression models did not identify the level of role engagement as a significant predictor of either perceived stress or life satisfaction. Role satisfaction in addition to several life style variables such as the frequency of sex and exercise were identified as significant predictors of both outcome variables. We also examined the popularized notion of the "superwoman", which we defined as women who fell within the 4th quartile of role engagement, or those engaged in the wife/mother/worker/homemaker role combination. Based on popular discourses surrounding the superwoman we expected that superwomen would exhibit higher levels of perceived stress. Our results revealed that superwomen do not experience a significantly higher level of perceived stress than non-superwomen. The results of our study therefore suggest that multiple role engagement in women, even at a relatively high level as experienced by "superwomen", is not associated with significantly higher stress, or reduced life satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika K. Sumra
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Michael A. Schillaci
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
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15
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von Rueden CR, Trumble BC, Emery Thompson M, Stieglitz J, Hooper PL, Blackwell AD, Kaplan HS, Gurven M. Political influence associates with cortisol and health among egalitarian forager-farmers. Evol Med Public Health 2014; 2014:122-33. [PMID: 25214482 PMCID: PMC4178369 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eou021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Low social status increases risk of disease due, in part, to the psychosocial stress that accompanies feeling subordinate or poor. Previous studies report that chronic stress and chronically elevated cortisol can impair cardiovascular and immune function. We test whether lower status is more benign in small-scale, relatively egalitarian societies, where leaders lack coercive authority and there is minimal material wealth to contest. METHODOLOGY Among Tsimane' forager-horticulturalists of lowland Bolivia, we compare informal political influence among men with urinary cortisol, immune activation (innate and acquired), and morbidity as assessed during routine medical exams. RESULTS After controlling for potential confounds, we find that politically influential men have lower cortisol, and that this association is partly attributable to access to social support. Cortisol is positively associated with men's income, which may reflect chronic psychosocial stress from market involvement. Greater influence is also associated with lower probability of respiratory infection, which is a frequent source of morbidity among Tsimane'. Among men who lost influence over a 4-year period, cortisol and probability of respiratory infection were higher the greater the decline in influence. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Deleterious effects of low status on health are not merely 'diseases of civilization' but may result from how (even subtle) status differences structure human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R von Rueden
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Benjamin C Trumble
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Melissa Emery Thompson
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Jonathan Stieglitz
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Paul L Hooper
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Aaron D Blackwell
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Hillard S Kaplan
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Michael Gurven
- Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173; Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anthopology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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16
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Relationship status and relationship instability, but not dominance, predict individual differences in baseline cortisol levels. PLoS One 2013; 8:e84003. [PMID: 24358324 PMCID: PMC3865306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated variation in baseline cortisol levels in relation to relationship status (single or in a relationship), relationship characteristics (length, stability, presence or absence of clear dominance), or individual attributes (dominant or subordinate status, relative physical attractiveness, relationship worries). Study participants were 77 men and 75 women aged between 18 and 38 years. Individuals in romantic relationships had lower cortisol levels than singles. Individuals of African ethnicity, however, showed the opposite pattern. Individuals who perceived their relationship to be highly unstable had higher cortisol levels. Aside from African-Americans, married individuals reported the lowest relationship instability and the lowest cortisol levels, followed by individuals in long-term relationships, and by individuals in short-term relationships. The presence or absence of clear dominance in the relationship, dominance status, or relationship worries did not affect cortisol levels. Therefore relationship status and relationship instability were better predictors of variation in cortisol (presumably through stress-related mechanisms) than individual attributes.
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17
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Cardas J, Azpiroz A, Pascual-Sagastizabal E, Pérez-Yarza EG, Etxebarria AE, Azurmendi A, Sanchez-Martín JR. Factors associated with cortisol levels and health in 5-6-year-old children. Am J Hum Biol 2013; 25:606-16. [PMID: 23904406 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2012] [Revised: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study assesses the relationships between social context (family and inter-peer context), stress, and illness in 5-6-year-old children. METHODS To this end, data were collected on spontaneous social interpeer behavior; families provided data on stress, anxiety, and parental acceptance-rejection; and the children's pediatricians provided data relative to their health. Data on stress-related hormones (cortisol) were collected using saliva samples. RESULTS The results revealed that none of the variables examined were significantly related to illness development in the subjects in the sample group. Cortisol levels, however, were positively associated with a record of chronic or congenital illnesses, the manifestation of behaviors related to the search for leadership status in the group and the presence of stressful events in the family environment. CONCLUSIONS Despite finding no relationship between children's level of adrenocortical activity and the contracting or contingent development of diseases, we did find that chronic/congenital diseases may constitute a source of early stress in childhood. Certain conditions of uncertainty in the social context (family and interpeer) also seem to constitute different sources of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cardas
- Universidad Publica de Navarra, Los Magnolios Building, Arrosadia Campus, Pamplona, 31006, Spain
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18
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Sarkar PL, Zeng L, Chen Y, Salvante KG, Nepomnaschy PA. A longitudinal evaluation of the relationship between first morning urinary and salivary cortisol. Am J Hum Biol 2013; 25:351-8. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Revised: 12/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Leilei Zeng
- Department of Statistics & Actuarial Sciences; University of Waterloo; Waterloo; Ontario; Canada
| | - Yingying Chen
- Department of Statistics & Actuarial Sciences; University of Waterloo; Waterloo; Ontario; Canada
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Borniger JC, Chaudhry A, Muehlenbein MP. Relationships among musical aptitude, digit ratio and testosterone in men and women. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57637. [PMID: 23520475 PMCID: PMC3592910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 01/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating adult testosterone levels, digit ratio (length of the second finger relative to the fourth finger), and directional asymmetry in digit ratio are considered sexually dimorphic traits in humans. These have been related to spatial abilities in men and women, and because similar brain structures appear to be involved in both spatial and musical abilities, neuroendocrine function may be related to musical as well as spatial cognition. To evaluate relationships among testosterone and musical ability in men and women, saliva samples were collected, testosterone concentrations assessed, and digit ratios calculated using standardized protocols in a sample of university students (N = 61), including both music and non-music majors. Results of Spearman correlations suggest that digit ratio and testosterone levels are statistically related to musical aptitude and performance only within the female sample: A) those females with greater self-reported history of exposure to music (p = 0.016) and instrument proficiency (p = 0.040) scored higher on the Advanced Measures of Music Audiation test, B) those females with higher left hand digit ratio (and perhaps lower fetal testosterone levels) were more highly ranked (p = 0.007) in the orchestra, C) female music students exhibited a trend (p = 0.082) towards higher testosterone levels compared to female non-music students, and D) female music students with higher rank in the orchestra/band had higher testosterone levels (p = 0.003) than lower ranked students. None of these relationships were significant in the male sample, although a lack of statistical power may be one cause. The effects of testosterone are likely a small part of a poorly understood system of biological and environmental stimuli that contribute to musical aptitude. Hormones may play some role in modulating the phenotype of musical ability, and this may be the case for females more so than males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy C. Borniger
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Adeel Chaudhry
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Michael P. Muehlenbein
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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