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Ip KI, Wen W, Sim L, Chen S, Kim SY. Associations of Household and Neighborhood Contexts and Hair Cortisol Among Mexican-Origin Adolescents From Low-Income Immigrant Families. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22519. [PMID: 38922899 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Although neighborhood contexts serve as upstream determinants of health, it remains unclear how these contexts "get under the skin" of Mexican-origin youth, who are disproportionately concentrated in highly disadvantaged yet co-ethnic neighborhoods. The current study examines the associations between household and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), neighborhood racial-ethnic and immigrant composition, and hair cortisol concentration (HCC)-a physiological index of chronic stress response-among Mexican-origin adolescents from low-income immigrant families in the United States. A total of 297 (54.20% female; mage = 17.61, SD = 0.93) Mexican-origin adolescents had their hair cortisol collected, and their residential addresses were geocoded and merged with the American Community Survey. Neighborhoods with higher Hispanic-origin and foreign-born residents were associated with higher neighborhood disadvantage, whereas neighborhoods with higher non-Hispanic White and domestic-born residents were associated with higher neighborhood affluence. Mexican-origin adolescents living in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Hispanic-origin residents showed lower levels of HCC, consistent with the role of the ethnic enclave. In contrast, adolescents living in more affluent neighborhoods showed higher levels of HCC, possibly reflecting a physiological toll. No association was found between household SES and HCC. Our findings underscore the importance of taking sociocultural contexts and person-environment fit into consideration when understanding how neighborhoods influence adolescents' stress physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka I Ip
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Wen Wen
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lester Sim
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shanting Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Florida City, Florida, USA
| | - Su Yeong Kim
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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2
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Ling J, Ordway MR, Zhang N. Baseline higher hair cortisol moderated some effects in a healthy lifestyle intervention. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 165:107058. [PMID: 38636353 PMCID: PMC11139563 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Children and families from socioeconomically marginalized background experience high levels of stress, especially persistent chronic stress, due to unstable housing, employment, and food insecurity. Although consistent evidence supports a stress-obesity connection, little research has examined the potential moderation role of stress in childhood obesity interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how chronic stress (hair cortisol) moderated the effects of a healthy lifestyle intervention on improving behavioral and anthropometric outcomes among 95 socioeconomically marginalized parent-child dyads. Data were collected in a cluster randomized controlled trial with 10 Head Start childcare centers being randomized into intervention and control. The child sample (3-5 years old) included 57.9 % female, 12.6 % Hispanic, and 40.0 % Black. For the parents, 91.6 % were female, 8.4 % were Hispanic, 36.8 % were Black, and 56.8 % were single. Parent baseline hair cortisol significantly moderated the intervention effects on child fruit intake (B = -1.56, p = .030) and parent nutrition self-efficacy (B = 1.49, p = .027). Specifically, higher parent hair cortisol lowered the increases in child fruit intake but improved the increases in parent nutrition self-efficacy in the intervention group compared to control group. Child higher baseline hair cortisol was significantly associated with the decreases in child fruit intake (B = -0.60, p = .025). Child baseline hair cortisol significantly moderated the intervention effects on parent physical activity (PA) self-efficacy (B = -1.04, p = .033) and PA parental support (B = -0.50, p = .016), with higher child hair cortisol decreasing the improvement on these two outcomes in the intervention group compared to control group. Results from this study shed lights on the moderation role of chronic stress on impacting healthy lifestyle intervention effects. Although needing further investigation, the adverse effects of chronic stress on intervention outcomes should be considered when developing healthy lifestyle interventions for preschoolers and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiying Ling
- Michigan State University College of Nursing, 1355 Bogue St., C241, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Monica R Ordway
- Yale School of Nursing, 400 West Campus Dr., West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Nanhua Zhang
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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3
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Schaefer JK, Engert V, Valk SL, Singer T, Puhlmann LM. Mapping pathways to neuronal atrophy in healthy, mid-aged adults: From chronic stress to systemic inflammation to neurodegeneration? Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 38:100781. [PMID: 38725445 PMCID: PMC11081785 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence implicates systemic inflammation in the loss of structural brain integrity in natural ageing and disorder development. Chronic stress and glucocorticoid exposure can potentiate inflammatory processes and may also be linked to neuronal atrophy, particularly in the hippocampus and the human neocortex. To improve understanding of emerging maladaptive interactions between stress and inflammation, this study examined evidence for glucocorticoid- and inflammation-mediated neurodegeneration in healthy mid-aged adults. N = 169 healthy adults (mean age = 39.4, 64.5% female) were sampled from the general population in the context of the ReSource Project. Stress, inflammation and neuronal atrophy were quantified using physiological indices of chronic stress (hair cortisol (HCC) and cortisone (HEC) concentration), systemic inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)), the systemic inflammation index (SII), hippocampal volume (HCV) and cortical thickness (CT) in regions of interest. Structural equation models were used to examine evidence for pathways from stress and inflammation to neuronal atrophy. Model fit indices indicated good representation of stress, inflammation, and neurological data through the constructed models (CT model: robust RMSEA = 0.041, robust χ2 = 910.90; HCV model: robust RMSEA <0.001, robust χ2 = 40.95). Among inflammatory indices, only the SII was positively associated with hair cortisol as one indicator of chronic stress (β = 0.18, p < 0.05). Direct and indirect pathways from chronic stress and systemic inflammation to cortical thickness or hippocampal volume were non-significant. In exploratory analysis, the SII was inversely related to mean cortical thickness. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the multidimensionality of systemic inflammation and chronic stress, with various indicators that may represent different aspects of the systemic reaction. We conclude that inflammation and glucocorticoid-mediated neurodegeneration indicated by IL-6 and hs-CRP and HCC and HEC may only emerge during advanced ageing and disorder processes, still the SII could be a promising candidate for detecting associations between inflammation and neurodegeneration in younger and healthy samples. Future work should examine these pathways in prospective longitudinal designs, for which the present investigation serves as a baseline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K. Schaefer
- Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany
| | - Veronika Engert
- Research Group “Social Stress and Family Health”, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Psychosocial Medicine, Psychotherapy and Psychooncology, Jena University Clinic, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Sofie L. Valk
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, FZ Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Social Neuroscience Lab, Max Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara M.C. Puhlmann
- Research Group “Social Stress and Family Health”, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
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4
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Johnson-Ferguson L, Shanahan L, Loher M, Bechtiger L, Binz TM, Baumgartner M, Ribeaud D, Eisner M, Quednow BB. Higher paracetamol levels are associated with elevated glucocorticoid concentrations in hair: findings from a large cohort of young adults. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:2261-2268. [PMID: 38615315 PMCID: PMC11168975 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03747-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter medications. Experimental studies suggest a possible stress-suppressing effect of paracetamol in humans facing experimental stress-inducing paradigms. However, no study has investigated whether paracetamol and steroid hormones covary over longer time frames and under real-life conditions. This study addresses this gap by investigating associations between steroid hormones (cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone) and paracetamol concentrations measured in human hair, indexing a timeframe of approximately three months. The data came from a large community sample of young adults (N = 1002). Hair data were assayed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple regression models tested associations between paracetamol and steroid hormones, while adjusting for a wide range of potential confounders, such as sex, stressful live events, psychoactive substance use, hair colour, and body mass index. Almost one in four young adults from the community had detectable paracetamol in their hair (23%). Higher paracetamol hair concentrations were robustly associated with more cortisol (β = 0.13, ηp = 0.016, p < 0.001) and cortisone (β = 0.16, ηp = 0.025, p < 0.001) in hair. Paracetamol and testosterone hair concentrations were not associated. Paracetamol use intensity positively correlated with corticosteroid functioning across several months. However, a potential corticosteroid-inducing effect of chronic paracetamol use has yet to be tested in future experimental designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Johnson-Ferguson
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lilly Shanahan
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michelle Loher
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Bechtiger
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina M Binz
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Baumgartner
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Denis Ribeaud
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Eisner
- Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Gettler LT, Jankovic-Rankovic J, Gengo RG, Eick GN, Nash MP, Arumah EN, Boru AM, Ali SA, Urlacher SS, Meyer JS, Snodgrass JJ, Oka RC. Refugee health and physiological profiles in transitional settlements in Serbia and Kenya: Comparative evidence for effects of gender and social support. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 165:107024. [PMID: 38569397 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107024] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
When armed conflict compels people to flee from their homelands, they embark on protracted journeys during which they experience wide ranging physical, social, and psychological challenges. Few studies have focused on refugee psychosocial and physiological profiles during the transitional phase of forced migration that often involves temporary sheltering. Transient refugees' experiences can vary substantially based on local socio-ecological conditions in temporary settlements, including the length of stay, living conditions, as well as the availability and accessibility of physical and social resources. In this study, we compared physiological and psychosocial data from refugees (N=365; 406 observations) in Serbia and Kenya, respectively, with divergent temporal (length of stay) and socio-ecological conditions. In Serbia, refugees resided in asylum centers (mean stay: 0.9 y); in Kenya they were living in Kakuma Refugee Camp (mean stay: 8.8 y), one of the world's largest camps at the time. We had limited ability to directly compare psychosocial measures and used meta-analytic techniques to evaluate predictors of refugee mental and physical health at the two sites, including based on perceived social support. Refugees in Serbia had higher fingernail cortisol (p < 0.001) and were less likely to have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p < 0.01) than refugees in Kakuma. We found common gender differences in both settings; women had lower cortisol but higher EBV antibody titers and higher likelihood of having elevated CRP compared to men (all p < 0.01). Woman also reported poorer mental and physical health (p < 0.001). These physiological and health differences may reflect variation between men and women in their psychosocial and physical experiences of factors such as stress, violence, and trauma during their journeys and as transitional refugees. Finally, we also found that refugees with lower levels of perceived social support reported poorer physical and mental health (p < 0.001). Although our results are cross-sectional, they suggest that this intermittent phase of the refugee experience is a key window for helping enhance refugee well-being through an emphasis on interpersonal and community support systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | | | - Rieti G Gengo
- Department of Anthropology, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Geeta N Eick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, OR, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jerrold S Meyer
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts- Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Rahul C Oka
- Keough School of Global Affairs, Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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6
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Askani E, Rospleszcz S, Lorbeer R, Wintergerst C, Müller-Peltzer K, Nattenmüller J, Hasic D, von Krüchten R, Kellner E, Reisert M, Rathmann W, Peters A, Schlett CL, Bamberg F, Storz C. MRI-based adrenal gland volume is associated with cardiovascular alterations in individuals without prior cardiovascular disease. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14664. [PMID: 38918570 PMCID: PMC11199666 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65673-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim of this study was to analyse the associations of cardiovascular health and adrenal gland volume as a rather new imaging biomarker of chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. The study population originates from the KORA population-based cross-sectional prospective cohort. 400 participants without known cardiovascular disease underwent a whole-body MRI. Manual segmentation of adrenal glands was performed on VIBE-Dixon gradient-echo sequence. MRI based evaluation of cardiac parameters was achieved semi-automatically. Cardiometabolic risk factors were obtained through standardized interviews and medical examination. Univariate and multivariate associations were derived. Bi-directional causal mediation analysis was performed. 351 participants were eligible for analysis (56 ± 9.1 years, male 58.7%). In multivariate analysis, significant associations were observed between adrenal gland volume and hypertension (outcome hypertension: Odds Ratio = 1.11, 95% CI [1.01, 1.21], p = 0.028), left ventricular remodelling index (LVRI) (outcome LVRI: β = 0.01, 95% CI [0.00, 0.02], p = 0.011), and left ventricular (LV) wall thickness (outcome LV wall thickness: β = 0.06, 95% CI [0.02, 0.09], p = 0.005). In bi-directional causal mediation analysis adrenal gland volume had a borderline significant mediating effect on the association between hypertension and LVRI (p = 0.052) as well as wall thickness (p = 0.054). MRI-based assessment of adrenal gland enlargement is associated with hypertension and LV remodelling. Adrenal gland volume may serve as an indirect cardiovascular imaging biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Askani
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Rospleszcz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Epidemiology, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Disease Research (DZHK E.V.), Munich, Germany
| | - Roberto Lorbeer
- Department of Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilans-University Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Charlotte Wintergerst
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Müller-Peltzer
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Nattenmüller
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dunja Hasic
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda von Krüchten
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elias Kellner
- Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, Medical Centre - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marco Reisert
- Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, Medical Centre - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Rathmann
- Institute of Biometrics and Epidemiology, German Diabetes Center, Duesseldorf, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Partner Site Neuherberg, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Annette Peters
- Department of Epidemiology, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Disease Research (DZHK E.V.), Munich, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Partner Site Neuherberg, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christopher L Schlett
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Bamberg
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Corinna Storz
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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7
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Pare SM, Gunn E, Morrison KM, Miller AL, Duncan AM, Buchholz AC, Ma DWL, Tremblay PF, Vallis LA, Mercer NJ, Haines J. Testing a Biobehavioral Model of Chronic Stress and Weight Gain in Young Children (Family Stress Study): Protocol and Baseline Demographics for a Prospective Observational Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2024; 13:e48549. [PMID: 38900565 DOI: 10.2196/48549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic stress is an important risk factor in the development of obesity. While research suggests chronic stress is linked to excess weight gain in children, the biological or behavioral mechanisms are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE The objectives of the Family Stress Study are to examine behavioral and biological pathways through which chronic stress exposure (including stress from COVID-19) may be associated with adiposity in young children, and to determine if factors such as child sex, caregiver-child relationship quality, caregiver education, and caregiver self-regulation moderate the association between chronic stress and child adiposity. METHODS The Family Stress Study is a prospective cohort study of families recruited from 2 Canadian sites: the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Participants will be observed for 2 years and were eligible to participate if they had at least one child (aged 2-6 years) and no plans to move from the area within the next 3 years. Study questionnaires and measures were completed remotely at baseline and will be assessed using the same methods at 1- and 2-year follow-ups. At each time point, caregivers measure and report their child's height, weight, and waist circumference, collect a hair sample for cortisol analysis, and fit their child with an activity monitor to assess the child's physical activity and sleep. Caregivers also complete a web-based health and behaviors survey with questions about family demographics, family stress, their own weight-related behaviors, and their child's mental health, as well as a 1-day dietary assessment for their child. RESULTS Enrollment for this study was completed in December 2021. The final second-year follow-up was completed in April 2024. This study's sample includes 359 families (359 children, 359 female caregivers, and 179 male caregivers). The children's mean (SD) age is 3.9 years (1.2 years) and 51% (n=182) are female. Approximately 74% (n=263) of children and 80% (n=431) of caregivers identify as White. Approximately 34% (n=184) of caregivers have a college diploma or less and nearly 93% (n=499) are married or cohabiting with a partner. Nearly half (n=172, 47%) of the families have an annual household income ≥CAD $100,000 (an average exchange rate of 1 CAD=0.737626 USD applies). Data cleaning and analysis are ongoing as of manuscript publication. CONCLUSIONS Despite public health restrictions from COVID-19, the Family Stress Study was successful in recruiting and using remote data collection to successfully engage families in this study. The results from this study will help identify the direction and relative contributions of the biological and behavioral pathways linking chronic stress and adiposity. These findings will aid in the development of effective interventions designed to modify these pathways and reduce obesity risk in children. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05534711; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05534711. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/48549.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Pare
- Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Gunn
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity & Diabetes Research, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine M Morrison
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity & Diabetes Research, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Alison L Miller
- Department of Health Behaviour and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Alison M Duncan
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea C Buchholz
- Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - David W L Ma
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Paul F Tremblay
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Lori Ann Vallis
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nicola J Mercer
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jess Haines
- Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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8
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Lee KM, Wang C, Du H, Hunger J, Tomiyama AJ. Weight stigma as a stressor: A preliminary multi-wave, longitudinal study testing the biobehavioral pathways of the Cyclic Obesity/Weight-Based Stigma (COBWEBS) model. Appetite 2024:107573. [PMID: 38908408 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Higher weight individuals often face significant weight stigma. According to the Cyclic Obesity/Weight-Based Stigma (COBWEBS) model, weight stigma operates as a stressor that increases the stress hormone cortisol and promotes comfort eating, thus resulting in weight gain. Such weight gain is harmful as it exposes individuals to further stigmatization. Thus far, no study has yet tested the mechanistic pathways of the COBWEBS model and prospective longitudinal studies are severely lacking. To fill this gap, the current study tested the biobehavioral pathways of the COBWEBS model using a 4-wave yearlong longitudinal study comprising 348 higher weight individuals. Using a structural equation modeling framework, we tested three cross lagged panel models for the putative mediator, comfort eating. The models examined either synchronous and/or lagged effects across weight stigma, perceived stress, comfort eating, weight, and future weight stigma. The best fitting model revealed significant associations between baseline weight stigma, perceived stress, and comfort eating within the same month. However, comfort eating did not significantly predict weight four months later. Weight status and baseline weight stigma both predicted future weight stigma as expected. Additionally, a separate path model with hair cortisol found that weight stigma predicted perceived stress four months later, but stress did not predict aggregate cortisol levels from months 10 and 11. Hair cortisol also did not predict later weight. This preliminary work lays the foundation for identifying modifiable targets of weight stigma, thereby offering potential avenues to reduce weight stigma's harm on higher weight individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Lee
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563.
| | - Christy Wang
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
| | - Han Du
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
| | - Jeffrey Hunger
- Miami University, 90 North Patterson Avenue Oxford, OH 45056
| | - A Janet Tomiyama
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
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9
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Kirschbaum C. What is hair cortisol analysis and how can it aid endocrinologists? Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2024:1-2. [PMID: 38900072 DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2024.2365786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
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10
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Wekenborg MK, Förster K, Schweden F, Weidemann R, Bechtolsheim FV, Kirschbaum C, Weitz J, Ditzen B. Differences in Physicians' Ratings of Work Stressors and Resources Associated With Digital Transformation: Cross-Sectional Study. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e49581. [PMID: 38885014 DOI: 10.2196/49581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated the need and implementation of digital innovations, especially in medicine. OBJECTIVE To gain a better understanding of the stress associated with digital transformation in physicians, this study aims to identify working conditions that are stress relevant for physicians and differ in dependence on digital transformation. In addition, we examined the potential role of individual characteristics (ie, age, gender, and actual implementation of a digital innovation within the last 3 years) in digitalization-associated differences in these working conditions. METHODS Cross-sectional web-based questionnaire data of 268 physicians (mean age 40.9, SD 12.3 y; n=150, 56% women) in Germany were analyzed. Physicians rated their chronic stress level and 11 relevant working conditions (ie, work stressors such as time pressure and work resources such as influence on sequence) both before and after either a fictional or real implementation of a relevant digital transformation at their workplace. In addition, a subsample of individuals (60; n=33, 55% women) submitted self-collected hair samples for cortisol analysis. RESULTS The stress relevance of the selected working conditions was confirmed by significant correlations with self-rated chronic stress and hair cortisol levels (hair F) within the sample, all of them in the expected direction (P values between .01 and <.001). Multilevel modeling revealed significant differences associated with digital transformation in the rating of 8 (73%) out of 11 working conditions. More precisely, digital transformation was associated with potentially stress-enhancing effects in 6 working conditions (ie, influence on procedures and complexity of tasks) and stress-reducing effects in 2 other working conditions (ie, perceived workload and time pressure). Younger individuals, women, and individuals whose workplaces have implemented digital innovations tended to perceive digitalization-related differences in working conditions as rather stress-reducing. CONCLUSIONS Our study lays the foundation for future hypothesis-based longitudinal research by identifying those working conditions that are stress relevant for physicians and prone to differ as a function of digital transformation and individual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Katharina Wekenborg
- Chair of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katharina Förster
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Florian Schweden
- Institute for Work Design and Organizational Development INAGO, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robin Weidemann
- Clinic of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus St. Joseph-Stift, Dresden, Germany
| | - Felix von Bechtolsheim
- Department of Gastrointestinal, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Chair of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jürgen Weitz
- Department of Gastrointestinal, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Juvinao-Quintero DL, Künzel RG, Larrabure-Torrealva G, Duncan L, Kirschbaum C, Sanchez SE, Gelaye B. Characterization of hair cortisol concentration pre-conception and during pregnancy. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 167:107089. [PMID: 38850884 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is a system involved in stress and pregnancy regulation, and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a promising biomarker of its activity. Assessing factors that influence HCC in the prenatal period is critical to understand whether and how HPA axis (dys-)regulation influences maternal health and child development, particularly in high-risk populations from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). AIMS This study aimed at characterizing preconception and pregnancy HCC with respect to multiple sociodemographic, pregnancy-related, and hair-related factors. METHODS In a sample of N = 2581 pregnant women in Perú, participants from two cohort studies provided a 6 cm scalp hair sample at three prenatal timepoints. Each hair sample was cut into two segments of 3 cm that represent cortisol secretion at four times: preconception, first-, second- and third trimester of pregnancy. Hair cortisol was extracted using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Spearman correlations, paired t-tests, and ANOVA were used to assess differences in log-transformed values of HCC (logHCC) across maternal sociodemographic, pregnancy-related, and hair-related factors. Multivariable linear regressions were used to examine independent associations of HCCs with selected correlates. RESULTS Mean logHCC values showed an increase across the four prenatal periods. Preconception BMI was consistently associated with HCC in all three trimesters, while difficulty accessing basic foods, education, hair dyeing, and infant sex showed time-specific associations with HCCs. In sensitivity analyses, we detected no substantial segment effects in the associations of HCCs with maternal characteristics. CONCLUSION This study is the largest to characterize HCC in pregnant women from a LMIC. Our findings provide a foundation for the use of HCC as a biomarker of prenatal HPA axis activity for future studies. This foundation may contribute to finding valid biomarkers of stress-response systems to promote maternal and child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana L Juvinao-Quintero
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 500, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Richard G Künzel
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 500, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ostenstraße 26, Eichstätt 85072, Germany.
| | - Gloria Larrabure-Torrealva
- Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima 15024, Peru; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas, Lima 15081, Peru
| | - Laramie Duncan
- Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 19, Dresden 01069, Germany
| | - Sixto E Sanchez
- Universidad de San Martin de Porres, Facultad de Medicina Humana, Instituto de Investigacion, Lima 15024, Peru; Asociación Civil PROESA, Lima 15024, Peru
| | - Bizu Gelaye
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 500, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, The Chester M. Pierce, M.D. Division of Global Psychiatry, 151 Merrimac Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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12
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Piccin J, Viduani A, Buchweitz C, Pereira RB, Zimerman A, Amando GR, Cosenza V, Ferreira LZ, McMahon NA, Melo RF, Richter D, Reckziegel FD, Rohrsetzer F, Souza L, Tonon AC, Costa-Valle MT, Zajkowska Z, Araújo RM, Hauser TU, van Heerden A, Hidalgo MP, Kohrt BA, Mondelli V, Swartz JR, Fisher HL, Kieling C. Prospective Follow-Up of Adolescents With and at Risk for Depression: Protocol and Methods of the Identifying Depression Early in Adolescence Risk Stratified Cohort Longitudinal Assessments. JAACAP OPEN 2024; 2:145-159. [PMID: 38863682 PMCID: PMC11163476 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaacop.2023.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Objective To present the protocol and methods for the prospective longitudinal assessments-including clinical and digital phenotyping approaches-of the Identifying Depression Early in Adolescence Risk Stratified Cohort (IDEA-RiSCo) study, which comprises Brazilian adolescents stratified at baseline by risk of developing depression or presence of depression. Method Of 7,720 screened adolescents aged 14 to 16 years, we recruited 150 participants (75 boys, 75 girls) based on a composite risk score: 50 with low risk for developing depression (LR), 50 with high risk for developing depression (HR), and 50 with an active untreated major depressive episode (MDD). Three annual follow-up assessments were conducted, involving clinical measures (parent- and adolescent-reported questionnaires and psychiatrist assessments), active and passive data sensing via smartphones, and neurobiological measures (neuroimaging and biological material samples). Retention rates were 96% (Wave 1), 94% (Wave 2), and 88% (Wave 3), with no significant differences by sex or group (p > .05). Participants highlighted their familiarity with the research team and assessment process as a motivator for sustained engagement. Discussion This protocol relied on novel aspects, such as the use of a WhatsApp bot, which is particularly pertinent for low- to-middle-income countries, and the collection of information from diverse sources in a longitudinal design, encompassing clinical data, self-reports, parental reports, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and ecological momentary assessments. The study engaged adolescents over an extensive period and demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a prospective follow-up study with a risk-enriched cohort of adolescents in a middle-income country, integrating mobile technology with traditional methodologies to enhance longitudinal data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jader Piccin
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Anna Viduani
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claudia Buchweitz
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rivka B. Pereira
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aline Zimerman
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Guilherme R. Amando
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratório de Cronobiologia e Sono, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Victor Cosenza
- Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPEL), Pelotas, Brazil
| | | | - Natália A.G. McMahon
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Danyella Richter
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Frederico D.S. Reckziegel
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Rohrsetzer
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Laila Souza
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - André C. Tonon
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratório de Cronobiologia e Sono, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marina Tuerlinckx Costa-Valle
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Zuzanna Zajkowska
- King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tobias U. Hauser
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom, Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom and with Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alastair van Heerden
- Human and Social Development, Human Sciences Research Council, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and Medical Research Council/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Maria Paz Hidalgo
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratório de Cronobiologia e Sono, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Valeria Mondelli
- King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Maudsley Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Helen L. Fisher
- King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Kieling
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Prodia - Child & Adolescent Depression Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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13
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Murray AL, Xie T, Power L, Condon L. Recruitment and retention of adolescents for an ecological momentary assessment measurement burst mental health study: The MHIM engagement strategy. Health Expect 2024; 27:e14065. [PMID: 38711174 DOI: 10.1111/hex.14065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recruitment and long-term retention of adolescent participants in longitudinal research are challenging and may be especially so in studies involving remote measurement and biosampling components. The ability to effectively recruit and retain participants can be supported by the use of specific evidence-based engagement strategies that are built in from the earliest stages. METHODS Informed by a review of the evidence on effective engagement strategies and consultations with adolescents (via two Young Person Advisory Groups [YPAGs]; ages 11-13 and 14-17), the current protocol describes the planned participant engagement strategy for the Mental Health in the Moment Study: a multimodal measurement burst study of adolescent mental health across ages 11-19. RESULTS The protocol incorporates engagement strategies in four key domains: consultations/co-design with the target population, incentives, relationship-building and burden/barrier reduction. In addition to describing general engagement strategies in longitudinal studies, we also discuss specific concerns regarding engagement in data collection methods such as biosampling and ecological momentary assessment where a paucity of evidence exists. CONCLUSION Engagement strategies for adolescent mental health studies should be based on existing evidence and consultations with adolescents. We present our approach in developing the planned engagement strategies and also discuss limitations and future directions in engaging adolescents in longitudinal research. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION The study design for this project places a strong emphasis on the active engagement of adolescents throughout its development. Specifically, the feedback and suggestions provided by the YPAGs have been instrumental in refining our strategies for maximising the recruitment and retention of participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aja L Murray
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tong Xie
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Luke Power
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lucy Condon
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West, Bristol, UK
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14
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Lin PI, John JR, Masi A, Ong LK, Mathew NE, Moni MA, Eapen V, Walker AK. The relationship between hair cortisol concentration and autism diagnosis. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 176:68-76. [PMID: 38850580 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autistic children are prone to experience heightened levels of distress and physiological reactivity to a range of sensory, social, and emotional stimuli. In line with this, multiple studies have demonstrated that autistic children have higher acute cortisol stress responses to adverse or threatening stimuli and altered cortisol awakening responses. However, few studies have examined whether this sensitivity may relate to heightened levels of chronic stress and persistently elevated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The measurement of cortisol accumulation in hair is considered a non-invasive biomarker of chronic stress and has been associated with several childhood diseases. Here, we investigated whether hair cortisol concentration in a large sample of autistic children differed from non-autistic children, and after accounting for a range of child, parental and family-level characteristics. METHODS Hair cortisol concentration was measured in 307 autistic children and 282 non-autistic controls aged between 2 and 17 years recruited from four Australian states who participated in providing hair samples and demographic data to the Australian Autism Biobank. Independent samples t-test or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to determine significant differences in the mean hair cortisol concentration (pg/mg) between potential covariates. Primary analysis included multivariable regression modelling of the collapsed sample to identify variables that were significantly associated with hair cortisol concentration after controlling for covariates. We also accounted for the potential interaction of multiple biological (e.g., age, sex, BMI) and psychosocial characteristics at the level of the child, the mother and the father, and the family unit. RESULTS Our findings suggest that the diagnosis of autism was not a significant predictor of chronic stress, as measured by hair cortisol concentration. However, findings of the multivariable regression analysis showed that key factors such as area of residence (Queensland vs Victorian state of residence) and decrease in child's age were significantly associated with higher hair cortisol concentration whereas lower family income was significantly associated with higher hair cortisol concentration. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that socioeconomic factors such as family annual income affect hair cortisol status in autistic children, indicating that the psychosocial environment may be a potential mediator for chronic stress in autistic children just as it has been demonstrated in non-autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-I Lin
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, MO, USA
| | - James Rufus John
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Anne Masi
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lin Kooi Ong
- School of Health and Medical Sciences & Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia; School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Heart and Stroke Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Nisha E Mathew
- Laboratory of ImmunoPsychiatry, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Mohammed Ali Moni
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia; Academic Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District (AUCS), Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam K Walker
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Laboratory of ImmunoPsychiatry, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia; Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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15
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Buckert M, Streibel C, Hartmann M, Monzer N, Kopf S, Szendrödi J, Wild B. Cross-sectional associations of self-perceived stress and hair cortisol with metabolic outcomes and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1289689. [PMID: 38813430 PMCID: PMC11133512 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1289689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Increasing evidence supports chronic psychological stress as a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. Much less is known, however, about the role of chronic stress in established diabetes. Methods The aim of the current study was to comprehensively assess chronic stress in a sample of 73 patients with type 2 diabetes and 48 non-diabetic control participants, and to investigate associations with indicators of glycemic control (HbA1c), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), β-cell functioning (C-peptide), illness duration, and the presence of microvascular complications. Chronic stress was measured using questionnaires [the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Screening Scale of the Trier Inventory of Chronic Stress (SSCS), the Perceived Health Questionnaire (PHQ) as well as the Questionnaire on Stress in Patients with Diabetes-Revised (QSD-R)]; hair cortisol was used as a biological indicator. Results We found that patients with type 2 diabetes had higher levels of hair cortisol in comparison to the control group (F(1,112) = 5.3; p = 0.023). Within the diabetic group, higher hair cortisol was associated with a longer duration of the illness (r = 0.25, p = 0.04). General perceived stress did not show significant associations with metabolic outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients. In contrast, higher diabetes-related distress, as measured with the QSD-R, was associated with lower glycemic control (r = 0.28, p = 0.02), higher insulin resistance (r = 0.26, p = 0.03) and a longer duration of the illness (r = 0.30, p = 0.01). Discussion Our results corroborate the importance of chronic psychological stress in type 2 diabetes. It appears, however, that once type 2 diabetes has developed, diabetes-specific distress gains in importance over general subjective stress. On a biological level, increased cortisol production could be linked to the course of the illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Buckert
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carmen Streibel
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mechthild Hartmann
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nelly Monzer
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kopf
- Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Szendrödi
- Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Wild
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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16
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May AK, Smeeth D, McEwen F, Moghames P, Karam E, Rieder MJ, Elzagallaai AA, van Uum S, Pluess M. Hair hormone data from Syrian refugee children: Perspectives from a two-year longitudinal study. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 18:100231. [PMID: 38645423 PMCID: PMC11026725 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
For numerous issues of convenience and acceptability, hair hormone data have been increasingly incorporated in the field of war trauma and forced displacement, allowing retrospective examination of several biological metrics thought to covary with refugees' mental health. As a relatively new research method, however, there remain several complexities and uncertainties surrounding the use of hair hormones, from initial hair sampling to final statistical analysis, many of which are underappreciated in the extant literature, and restrict the potential utility of hair hormones. To promote awareness, we provide a narrative overview of our experiences collecting and analyzing hair hormone data in a large cohort of Syrian refugee children (n = 1594), across two sampling waves spaced 12 months apart. We highlight both the challenges faced, and the promising results obtained thus far, and draw comparisons to other prominent studies in this field. Recommendations are provided to future researchers, with emphasis on longitudinal study designs, thorough collection and reporting of hair-related variables, and careful adherence to current laboratory guidelines and practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K. May
- Department of Psychological Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Demelza Smeeth
- Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Fiona McEwen
- Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Department of War Studies, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Elie Karam
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Balamand University, St Georges Hospital University Medical Center, Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC), Lebanon
| | - Michael J. Rieder
- Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Abdelbaset A. Elzagallaai
- Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Stan van Uum
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Pluess
- Department of Psychological Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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Fishman R, Kralj-Fišer S, Marglit S, Koren L, Vortman Y. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters: Sex-specific genetic architecture for fetal testosterone in a wild mammal. Horm Behav 2024; 161:105525. [PMID: 38452612 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105525] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone plays a critical role in mediating fitness-related traits in many species. Although it is highly responsive to environmental and social conditions, evidence from several species show a heritable component to its individual variation. Despite the known effects that in utero testosterone exposure have on adult fitness, the heritable component of individual testosterone variation in fetuses is mostly unexplored. Furthermore, testosterone has sex-differential effects on fetal development, i.e., a specific level may be beneficial for male fetuses but detrimental for females, producing sexual conflict. Such sexual conflict may be resolved by the evolution of a sex-specific genetic architecture of the trait. Here, we quantified fetal testosterone levels in a wild species, free-ranging nutrias (Myocastor coypus) using hair-testing and estimated testosterone heritability between parent and offspring from the same and opposite sex. We found that in utero accumulated hair testosterone levels were heritable between parents and offspring of the same sex. Moreover, there was a low additive genetic covariance between the sexes, and a low cross-sex genetic correlation, suggesting a potential for sex-specific trait evolution, expressed early on, in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Fishman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel(1); The Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Simona Kralj-Fišer
- Scientific and Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Sivan Marglit
- Hula Research Center, Department of Animal Sciences, Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel
| | - Lee Koren
- The Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Yoni Vortman
- Hula Research Center, Department of Animal Sciences, Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel; MIGAL-Galilee Research Institute, 11016 Kiryat Shmona, Israel
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18
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Berger E, Findlay H, Giguère CE, Lupien S, Ouellet-Morin I. Hair cortisol stability after 5-year storage: Insights from a sample of 17-year-old adolescents. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 18:100234. [PMID: 38660593 PMCID: PMC11039327 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hair has become an increasingly valuable medium to investigate the association between chronic stress, stable differences in systemic cortisol secretion and later health. Assessing cortisol in hair has many advantages, notably its non-invasive and retrospective nature, the need for a single biospecimen and convenient storage until analysis. However, few studies offered empirical evidence documenting the long-term temporal stability of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) prior to analysis, especially in humans. Yet, knowing how long hair samples can be stored without compromising the accuracy of cortisol measurement is of crucial importance when planning data collection and analysis. This study examined the stability of HCC in hair samples assayed twice, five years apart. Methods We randomly selected from a larger distribution of HCC measured in 17-year-old participants 39 hair samples to be reanalyzed five years later, under the same general conditions. Samples were assayed in duplicate using a luminescence immunoassay and compared with the original HCC using the Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), Bland-Altman plot analysis and Wilcoxon rank test. Results Findings indicated a good concordance and temporal stability between the two samples assayed five years apart (CCC [95% confidence interval] = 0.84 [0.72-0.91]), although a small decrease in HCC was noted 5 years later (8.4% reduction, p = 0.001). Conclusion Our study confirms that hair samples, when stored at room temperature and away from sunlight, can be assayed for at least five years without risking a loss of precision in HCC measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloïse Berger
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Helen Findlay
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charles-Edouard Giguère
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sonia Lupien
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Department Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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19
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Schmalbach I, Steudte-Schmiedgen S, Osmers A, Witthöft M, Drees P, Petrowski K. Longitudinal Assessment of Hair Cortisol as a Predictor of Psychological Symptoms During COVID-19. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 163:106991. [PMID: 38412741 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.106991] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a lack of evidence regarding enduring psychoneuroendocrine changes following an initial traumatic event, particular in the presence of an ongoing stressor. The coronavirus pandemic presents an opportunity to explore this matter. Consequently, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of the ongoing pandemic (2021) on individuals, who experienced a first-time motor vehicle crash (MVC) at least 6 years earlier. To this end, we hypothesized that hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) following a first-time traumatic event positively predict symptoms of depression. METHOD We investigated N = 69 individuals (18 - 65 yrs.), who were victims of a MVC during 2010 - 2014. Hair strands were collected 10 days (t1) and 3 months after the MVC (t2), as well during the pandemic in 2021 (t3). To assess symptoms of depression, the participants filled out the Beck Depression Inventory at t1 - t3 and were additionally interviewed (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I) at t1 and t2. Exclusion criteria conveyed a lifetime or acute mental disorder (incl. past trauma exposure). RESULTS Elevated pre-pandemic HCC following adversity (i.e., MVC) significantly predicted symptoms of depression in adults during the coronavirus pandemic (BDI: ß =.44, p =.010, R2 =.20), even after controlling for confounders. HCC significantly decreased over time, while in average psychological symptoms remained consistent. CONCLUSION Cortisol dysregulation in the past presents an enduring vulnerability to ongoing stress. In this regard, vulnerable groups may benefit from preventive measures. This finding validates the predictive power of HCC and extended past evidence in this regard, at the same time reinforcing the concept of the diathesis-stress model.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Schmalbach
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - S Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - A Osmers
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - M Witthöft
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - P Drees
- University Hospital of the University Johannes-Gutenberg Mainz, Department for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Mainz, Germany
| | - K Petrowski
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany; Dresden University of Technology, Carl Gustav Carus Medical Faculty, Department of General Medicine/MK3, Dresden, Germany.
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20
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Reyes Del Paso GA, Garcia-Hernandez A, Contreras-Merino AM, Galvez-Sánchez CM, de la Coba P, Montoro CI, Davydov DM. A two-component model of hair cortisol concentration in fibromyalgia: Independent effects of pain chronicity and severity. Eur J Pain 2024; 28:821-830. [PMID: 38102835 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder of unknown aetiopathogenesis, in which the role of activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is not clearly established. METHODS This study analysed the modulatory effects of disease chronicity and severity on cortisol levels. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and clinical evaluation data (pain severity, impact of FM on daily activities, depression, anxiety, fatigue and insomnia) were collected from 47 female patients with FM and 36 healthy women (HW). RESULTS The results showed that disease chronicity, with a negative effect, and symptom severity, with a positive effect, were independent predictors of HCC. Patients with a shorter disease duration had higher HCC than patients with a longer disease duration and healthy participants. Furthermore, patients with greater symptom severity had higher HCC than those patients with lower clinical severity and healthy participants. While disease chronicity in FM was associated with a decrease in HCC, clinical severity increased HCC. CONCLUSIONS These results support the existence of a dysfunction in the regulation of the HPA axis in FM and its possible contribution to chronic pain development. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first study to assess hair cortisol concentrations in a specific sample of patients with fibromyalgia (FM). This method is especially useful for the assessment of long-term regular cortisol excretion. Results showed a two-component model for explaining cortisol levels: disease chronicity, with a negative effect, and symptom severity, with a positive effect. This suggests that severe pain/stress evokes higher cortisol levels at earlier stages of FM, while in the longer term a decrease in cortisol levels was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - P de la Coba
- Department of Psychology and Anthropology, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - C I Montoro
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - D M Davydov
- María Zambrano senior scholar, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
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21
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Heming M, Angerer P, Apolinário-Hagen J, Liszio S, Nater UM, Skoluda N, Weber J. Hair cortisol concentration and its association with acute stress responses and recovery in a sample of medical students in Germany. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 163:106986. [PMID: 38367529 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.106986] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Experiencing acute and chronic stress can contribute to adverse health outcomes. Responses to acute stress differ between individuals (i.e., stress reactivity) and the experience of chronic stress has been discussed to be associated with acute stress responses and stress recovery. This study thus aims to investigate whether hair cortisol concentration (HCC), being an indicator for hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity over a prolonged period of time, is associated with acute stress responses and recovery in a sample of medical students. MATERIAL AND METHODS From July 2020 to July 2021, medical students (n = 54) underwent a virtual-reality Trier Social Stress Test in which their blood pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured, and hair samples were taken to determine HCC. Piecewise linear growth analyses were used to investigate whether HCC (categorized into low, medium and high levels) is associated with acute stress responses and recovery regarding blood pressure and HRV. RESULTS Significant interaction effects in piecewise linear growth analyses showed that participants with higher levels of HCC had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses compared to participants with medium levels of HCC. No significant interaction effects were observed for HRV responses or for recovery measures. CONCLUSIONS The study suggests that higher levels of HCC are associated with a lower cardiovascular response in terms of blood pressure to an acute stressor in medical students. Therefore, long-term HPA-axis activity may contribute to different magnitudes of acute stress responses in the autonomic nervous system. As the shown lower blood pressure responses to acute stress in individuals with increased long-term HPA-axis activity may represent inadequate stress responses, these should be further studied in order to find out more about their interaction and potential subsequent disease risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Heming
- Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Peter Angerer
- Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jennifer Apolinário-Hagen
- Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stefan Liszio
- Center for Virtual and Extended Reality in Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Germany
| | - Urs Markus Nater
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; University Research Platform "The Stress of Life (SOLE) - Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress", University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nadine Skoluda
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; University Research Platform "The Stress of Life (SOLE) - Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress", University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jeannette Weber
- Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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22
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Friedman MR, Badri S, Bowleg L, Haberlen SA, Jones DL, Kempf MC, Konkle-Parker D, Kwait J, Martinson J, Mimiaga MJ, Plankey MW, Stosor V, Tsai AC, Turan JM, Ware D, Wu K. Intersectional stigma and the non-communicable disease syndemic in the context of HIV: protocol for a multisite, observational study in the USA. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e075368. [PMID: 38670612 PMCID: PMC11057270 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia, presents key challenges to achieving optimal HIV care outcomes among ageing people living with HIV. These diseases are often comorbid and are exacerbated by psychosocial and structural inequities. This interaction among multiple health conditions and social factors is referred to as a syndemic. In the USA, there are substantial disparities by social position (ie, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic status) in the prevalence and/or control of non-communicable diseases and HIV. Intersecting stigmas, such as racism, classism and homophobia, may drive these health disparities by contributing to healthcare avoidance and by contributing to a psychosocial syndemic (stress, depression, violence victimisation and substance use), reducing success along the HIV and non-communicable disease continua of care. Our hypothesis is that marginalised populations experience disparities in non-communicable disease incidence, prevalence and control, mediated by intersectional stigma and the psychosocial syndemic. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Collecting data over a 4 year period, we will recruit sexual minority men (planned n=1800) enrolled in the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study, a long-standing mixed-serostatus observational cohort in the USA, to investigate the following specific aims: (1) assess relationships between social position, intersectional stigma and the psychosocial syndemic among middle-aged and ageing sexual minority men, (2) assess relationships between social position and non-communicable disease incidence and prevalence and (3) assess relationships between social position and HIV and non-communicable disease continua of care outcomes, mediated by intersectional stigma and the psychosocial syndemic. Analyses will be conducted using generalised structural equation models using a cross-lagged panel model design. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This protocol is approved as a single-IRB study (Advarra Institutional Review Board: Protocol 00068335). We will disseminate results via peer-reviewed academic journals, scientific conferences, a dedicated website, site community advisory boards and forums hosted at participating sites.
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Grants
- U01 HL146245 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146208 NHLBI NIH HHS
- UL1 TR001409 NCATS NIH HHS
- KL2 TR001432 NCATS NIH HHS
- U01 HL146192 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146242 NHLBI NIH HHS
- TL1 TR001431 NCATS NIH HHS
- U01 HL146193 NHLBI NIH HHS
- R01 HL160326 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146194 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146241 NHLBI NIH HHS
- P30 AI027767 NIAID NIH HHS
- P30 AI050409 NIAID NIH HHS
- U01 HL146333 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146205 NHLBI NIH HHS
- P30 MH116867 NIMH NIH HHS
- P30 AI073961 NIAID NIH HHS
- U01 HL146201 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146204 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146202 NHLBI NIH HHS
- UL1 TR001881 NCATS NIH HHS
- UL1 TR000004 NCATS NIH HHS
- U01 HL146240 NHLBI NIH HHS
- U01 HL146203 NHLBI NIH HHS
- UL1 TR003098 NCATS NIH HHS
- P30 AI050410 NIAID NIH HHS
- Data Analysis and Coordination Center
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- UCLA
- CTSA
- ICTR
- National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
- UCSF
- the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD), National Institute On Aging (NIA), National Institute Of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke (NINDS), National Institute Of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute Of Nursing Research (NINR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
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Affiliation(s)
- M Reuel Friedman
- Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sheila Badri
- Hektoen Institute of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lisa Bowleg
- Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sabina A Haberlen
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Deborah L Jones
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Mirjam-Colette Kempf
- Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and Medicine, University of Albama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Deborah Konkle-Parker
- Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Jenn Kwait
- Whitman-Walker Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Jeremy Martinson
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew J Mimiaga
- Center for LGBTQ+ Advocacy, Research & Health and Department of Epidemiology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michael W Plankey
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Valentina Stosor
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Center for Global Health and Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Janet M Turan
- Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and Medicine, University of Albama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Deanna Ware
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Katherine Wu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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23
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Chen Y, Künzel RG, Sanchez SE, Rondon MB, Pinto NI, Sanchez E, Kirschbaum C, Valeri L, Koenen KC, Gelaye B. The Association Between Pre-Pregnancy and First-Trimester Hair Cortisol and Preterm Birth: A Causal Inference Model. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4095921. [PMID: 38746291 PMCID: PMC11092793 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4095921/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Adverse life events and chronic psychological distress before and during pregnancy have frequently been associated with preterm birth (PTB) but the biological underpinnings remain unclear. We investigated the association between corticosteroid levels in pre-pregnancy and first-trimester hair and the risk of PTB. Methods We followed 1,808 pregnant women from a prospective pre-birth cohort study in Lima, Perú. Hair samples were taken at the end of the first pregnancy trimester. The two most proximal 3cm segments to the scalp (representing pre-pregnancy and first-trimester) were analyzed to obtain hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations (HCC and HCNC). PTB was defined as birth < 37 completed gestational weeks. We constructed four generalized propensity scores for pre-pregnancy and first-trimester HCC and HCNC to create corresponding inverse probability weights before fitting marginal structural models for estimating the effect of HCC and HCNC on PTB risk. Results Pre-pregnancy Log HCC was not independently associated with PTB risk (RR = 0.97; 95%CI: 0.79, 1.19). In contrast, one SD increase from the mean first-trimester Log HCC was independently associated with a 37% (95%CI: 1.11, 1.69) increased risk of PTB. Although imprecise, pre-pregnancy Log HCNC was negatively associated with PTB risk (RR = 0.84; 95%CI: 0.58, 1.20), whereas the association between first-trimester Log HCNC and PTB risk was positive (RR = 1.20; 95%CI: 0.87, 1.65). Conclusions Our findings show that chronic corticosteroid levels in early pregnancy are causally linked to PTB risk in pregnant Peruvian women. This finding contributes to understanding the biological underpinnings of PTB better to enhance PTB prevention.
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24
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Abouseta N, Gomaa N, Tassi A, Elzagallaai AA, Rieder MJ, Dixon SJ, Pani SC. Relationships among Cortisol, Perceived Stress, and Dental Caries Experience in Adolescents and Young Adults. Caries Res 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38657570 DOI: 10.1159/000539041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stress can impact mental and physical health, especially during adolescence and young adulthood, but the extent of its contribution to dental caries is poorly understood. The present study assessed the association between perceived stress, cortisol levels (in hair and saliva), and overall caries experience of adolescents and young adults aged 15-25 years. METHODS Hair and saliva samples were obtained from 93 participants free of periodontal disease. Cortisol in hair and saliva was determined using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Participants completed a perceived stress questionnaire and underwent full-mouth oral examination by a calibrated examiner. Dental caries experience was based on the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. Sociodemographic variables were also recorded. RESULTS There were significantly higher hair cortisol levels and perceived stress scale (PSS) scores in individuals with dental caries experience (DMFT≥1) than in those without (DMFT = 0). However, there was no significant difference in salivary cortisol concentration. A binary logistic regression revealed that higher hair cortisol levels and greater scores on the perceived stress scale were associated with increased odds of having experienced dental caries. In contrast, no significant association was found between salivary cortisol concentration and dental caries. Using multivariable regression models, caries experience was found to be significantly associated with both hair cortisol levels and PSS scores. These associations remained statistically significant even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. CONCLUSION Hair cortisol levels and perceived stress have a significant association with dental caries experience, whereas salivary cortisol concentrations do not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naima Abouseta
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noha Gomaa
- Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ali Tassi
- Graduate Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Abdelbaset A Elzagallaai
- Drug Safety Lab, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael J Rieder
- Departments of Paediatrics, Physiology and Pharmacology, and Medicine, Schulich Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - S Jeffrey Dixon
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharat Chandra Pani
- Schulich Dentistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Pediatric Dentistry, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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25
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Bergunde L, Steudte-Schmiedgen S, Karl M, Jaramillo I, Gao W, von Soest T, Garthus-Niegel S. Stability and inter-family associations of hair endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamines across the perinatal period in mothers, fathers, and children. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9459. [PMID: 38658668 PMCID: PMC11043453 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59818-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Analysis of endocannabinoids (ECs) and N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) in hair is assumed to retrospectively assess long-term EC/NAE concentrations. To inform their use, this study investigated stability of EC/NAE hair concentrations in mothers, fathers, and their children across the perinatal period as well as associations between family members. In a prospective cohort study, EC (AEA, 1-AG/2-AG) and NAE (SEA, PEA, OEA) levels were quantified in hair samples taken four times in mothers (n = 336) and their partners (n = 225) from pregnancy to two years postpartum and in offspring (n = 319) from shortly after birth to two years postpartum. Across the perinatal period, maternal and paternal hair ECs/NAEs showed poor multiple-test consistency (16-36%) and variable relative stability, as well as inconsistent absolute stability for mothers. Regarding children, hair ECs/NAEs evidenced poor multiple-test consistency (4-19%), no absolute stability, and either no or variable relative stability. Hair ECs/NAEs showed small to medium significant associations across the perinatal period within couples and parent-child dyads. Findings suggest hair ECs/NAEs during the perinatal period possess variable stability in adults, albeit more stability in fathers than mothers in this time. This highlights the need to further investigate factors associated with changes in hair ECs/NAEs across time. The first two years of life may be a dynamic phase for the endocannabinoid system in children, potentially characterized by complex within-family correspondence that requires further systematic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bergunde
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - S Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - M Karl
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - I Jaramillo
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - W Gao
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - T von Soest
- Department of Psychology, PROMENTA Research Center, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - S Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM), Faculty of Medicine, Medical School Hamburg MSH, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Childhood and Families, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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26
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Binder F, Koenig J, Resch F, Kaess M. Indicated Stress Prevention Addressing Adolescents with High Stress Levels Based on Principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS 2024; 93:191-202. [PMID: 38588654 DOI: 10.1159/000537934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stress affects many adolescents and is associated with physical and mental health symptoms that can have a negative impact on normative development. However, there are very few evidence-based, specific treatment approaches. The aim of the study was to investigate an eight-session group intervention using components of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) enriched with elements of CBT (psychoeducation, problem solving) and art therapy, compared to a waitlist control (WLC) group, regarding its efficacy in reducing stress and associated symptoms. METHODS We conducted a randomized controlled trial in eight cohorts. Eligible participants were 13-18 years old with elevated stress levels. Via block-randomization (n = 70), participants were allocated to receive ACT (n = 38) or WLC (n = 32) and subsequent ACT. We used a multimodal assessment (self-reports, interviews, ecological momentary assessment, physiological markers) before treatment (T1), after the training of the ACT group (T2) and after subsequent training in the WLC group (T3). Primary outcome was perceived stress at T2 assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale. The trial was preregistered at the German Clinical Trials Register (ID: DRKS00012778). RESULTS Results showed significantly lower levels of perceived stress in the ACT group at T2, illustrating superiority of ACT compared to WLC with a medium to large effect size (d = 0.77). Furthermore, the training was effective in the reduction of symptoms of school burnout and physical symptoms associated with stress. CONCLUSION Indicated prevention, especially when based on the principles of ACT and CBT, seems efficient in significantly decreasing stress in adolescents with increased stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Binder
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julian Koenig
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Franz Resch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Kassis W, Aksoy D, Favre CA, Arnold J, Gaugler S, Grafinger KE, Artz S, Magnuson D. On the complex relationship between resilience and hair cortisol levels in adolescence despite parental physical abuse: a fourth wave of resilience research. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1345844. [PMID: 38628259 PMCID: PMC11019004 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1345844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction To understand the family's role in adolescents' mental health development and the connection to neurodevelopmental disorders related to experienced parental physical abuse, we first explored resilience pathways longitudinally and secondly, connected the identified patterns to adolescents' hair cortisol levels that are rooted in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as the main stress response system and connected brain structure alterations. Methods We analyzed longitudinal online questionnaire data for three consecutive high school years (from seventh to ninth grade) and four survey waves from a representative sample of n = 1609 high school students in Switzerland on violence-resilience pathways. Furthermore, we collected students' hair samples from a subsample of n = 229 at survey wave 4. About 30% of the participating adolescents had been physically abused by their parents. Out of the overall sample, we drew a subsample of adolescents with parental abuse experiences (survey wave 1 n = 509; survey wave 2 n = 506; survey wave 3 n = 561; survey wave 4 n = 560). Results Despite the odds, about 20-30% of adolescents who have experienced parental physical abuse escaped the family violence cycle and can be called resilient. By applying a person-oriented analytical approach via latent class and transition analysis, we longitudinally identified and compared four distinct violence-resilience patterns. We identified violence resilience as a multidimensional latent construct, which includes hedonic and eudaimonic protective and risk indicators. Because resilience should not solely be operationalized based on the lack of psychopathology, our latent construct included both feeling good (hedonic indicators such as high levels of self-esteem and low levels of depression/anxiety and dissociation) and doing well (eudaimonic indicators such as high levels of self-determination and self-efficacy as well as low levels of aggression toward peers). Discussion The present study confirmed that higher cortisol levels significantly relate to the comorbid pattern (internalizing and externalizing symptoms), and further confirmed the presence of lasting alterations in brain structures. In this way, we corroborated the insight that when studying the resilience pathways and trajectories of abused adolescents, biological markers such as hair cortisol significantly enhance and deepen the understanding of the longitudinal mechanisms of psychological markers (e.g., self-determination, self-esteem, self-efficacy) that are commonly applied in questionnaires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wassilis Kassis
- School of Education, University of Applied Sciences, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Dilan Aksoy
- School of Education, University of Applied Sciences, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Céline Anne Favre
- School of Education, University of Applied Sciences, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Julia Arnold
- School of Education, University of Applied Sciences, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Gaugler
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | | | - Sibylle Artz
- School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Doug Magnuson
- Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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Grafinger KE, Kassis W, Favre CA, Aksoy D, Gaugler S. Analysing and quantifying chronic stress-associated endogenous steroids in hair samples. Drug Test Anal 2024. [PMID: 38477213 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
In previous studies, various steroids have been associated with stress and have therefore been quantified to investigate stress-related questions. Since the main stress-related steroid cortisol follows a circadian rhythm, often hair is analysed to quantify this steroid. Further, hair analysis gives the unique possibility of long-time monitoring by analysing a certain segment of hair, since hair grows on average 1 cm per month. Hair is a difficult matrix due to the complex sample preparation with many steps including washing and grinding, followed by various extraction steps. Additionally, steroids are endogenous and are therefore present in the hair matrix. Hence, no analyte free matrix is available, which is needed for the quantification via external calibrators. To overcome this problem, the so-called surrogate methods can be used, for which a 13 C3 labelled or deuterated reference compound of the steroid of interest is used for quantification. In the present study, a surrogate method was developed and fully validated for the quantitative analysis of seven steroids in human hair. Validation experiments showed that the method is further suitable for semi-quantitative analysis of estradiol. However, it is not suitable for the analysis of androsterone and DHEAS. The method was successfully used to analyse steroids in a comprehensive study of 360 adolescent hair samples, enabling research into stress markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Elisabeth Grafinger
- Institute of Chemistry and Bioanalytics, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Wassilis Kassis
- Institute of Research and Development, School of Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Céline A Favre
- Institute of Research and Development, School of Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Dilan Aksoy
- Institute of Research and Development, School of Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Gaugler
- Institute of Chemistry and Bioanalytics, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
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Montero-López E, Peralta-Ramírez MI, Ortego-Centeno N, Sabio JM, Callejas-Rubio JL, Navarrete-Navarrete N, García-Ríos MC, Santos-Ruiz A. Does stress response axis activation differ between patients with autoimmune disease and healthy people? Stress Health 2024:e3392. [PMID: 38454759 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that patients with autoimmune disease present a hypoactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, but the results are controversial. Our objective was to study differences in stress response axis activity between patients with autoimmune disease and healthy people. The study sample consisted of 97 women divided into four groups: 37 healthy women (HW), 21 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 21 with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and 18 with systemic sclerosis (SSc). After being exposed to a stress task, participants' skin conductance and salivary cortisol levels were measured in order to assess their response to psychological stress. Diurnal cortisol concentrations were assessed by measuring salivary cortisol in samples collected five times over one day. In addition, self-administered questionnaires were used to assess psychological variables. A time × group interaction effect was found (p = 0.003) in salivary cortisol secretion in response to stressful challenge. The healthy group presented normal activation, the SS and SLE groups showed no activation, and the SSc group presented a similar activation pattern to the HW group, except at the time of recovery. Total cortisol production (AUCg) was higher in the SSc group than in the HW group (p = 0.001). Differences were also observed in the cortisol AUCg collected over one day between healthy women and patients with SLE (p = 0.004) as well as with SSc (p = 0.001): women with SLE and SSc presented higher total hormone production than healthy women. Patients with autoimmune disease present a different HPA axis response, which may contribute to the harmful effects of stress in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Montero-López
- Department of Evolutionary Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - María Isabel Peralta-Ramírez
- Department of Personality, Evaluation, and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain
| | - Norberto Ortego-Centeno
- Department of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Unit, San Cecilio Clinical Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Biohealth Research Institute (IBS), Granada, Spain
| | - José Mario Sabio
- Systemic Autoimmune Disease Unit, Internal Medicine Service, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
| | - José Luis Callejas-Rubio
- Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Unit, San Cecilio Clinical Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Biohealth Research Institute (IBS), Granada, Spain
| | - Nuria Navarrete-Navarrete
- Systemic Autoimmune Disease Unit, Internal Medicine Service, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
| | - M Carmen García-Ríos
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Santos-Ruiz
- Department of Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
- Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
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Zapater-Fajarí M, Crespo-Sanmiguel I, Montoliu T, Hidalgo V, Salvador A. Hair cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone and their associations with optimism and pessimism in older people. Horm Behav 2024; 159:105474. [PMID: 38194858 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105474] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
The cumulative negative effects of prolonged Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis) activation are associated with several age-related diseases. Some psychological traits such as optimism and pessimism have been shown to be related to both health and the stress response, although their relationship with the HPA axis is inconclusive. More stable HPA axis biomarkers, such as hair samples of cortisol (HC) and dehydroepiandrosterone (HDHEA), would help to clarify the association between these psychological traits and HPA axis functioning. The main aim of this study was to test the relationships between optimism and pessimism and chronic stress biomarkers measured in hair (HC and HDHEA). Additionally, a secondary objective was to explore sex differences in HC and HDHEA levels and their relationship with these psychological traits. We measured optimism, pessimism, and their combination (dispositional optimism) using the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) and chronic stress biomarkers (HC and HDHEA) in 119 healthy participants (46 men and 73 women) between 56 and 81 years old who belonged to a university program. Regression analyses controlling for perceived stress and BMI indicated that higher dispositional optimism was related to lower HC and HC:HDHEAratio (β = -0.256, p = .008 and β = -0.300, p = .002, respectively). More specifically, higher pessimism was related to higher HC (β = 0.235; p = .012) and HC:HDHEAratio (β = 0.240; p = .011), whereas higher optimism was associated with a lower HC:HDHEAratio(β = -0.205; p = .031). Moderation analyses showed no sex differences. To date, this is the first study to investigate the link between these traits and HC and HDHEA in older people. Our results confirm that positive and negative expectations about the future (i.e. optimism and pessimism) may play an important role in health due to their relationship with the HPA axis. They also strengthen the idea that the negative effects of pessimism have a greater weight than the protective effects of optimism in their relationship with HPA axis regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariola Zapater-Fajarí
- Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isabel Crespo-Sanmiguel
- Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Teresa Montoliu
- Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain.
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Cognitive Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain
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Xiang L, Zeng X, Luo Y, Tan S, Wang F, Mao X. The association between psychological resilience and hair cortisol concentration in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Psychiatry Med 2024; 59:182-198. [PMID: 37222570 DOI: 10.1177/00912174231178108] [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] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resilience measures are typically based on subjective self-assessment, which is prone to bias. Objective biological/physiological measures of resilience are therefore needed. Hair cortisol concentration is a particularly promising candidate as a biomarker for resilience. METHODS We conducted a meta-analytic review from inception to April 2023 in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Psych Info databases. All data were analyzed using a random-effects model. RESULTS Eight studies were identified that included a total of 1,064 adults. The random effects model demonstrated that resilience and hair cortisol concentration were inversely correlated (r = -0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.27 to -0.09) with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 54.2%, p = 0.03). The inverse association was stronger in those who were age 40 years or younger compared to those who were over 40 years. The correlation coefficients between psychological resilience and hair cortisol concentration among adults assessed by different resilience measures were r = -0.29 (95% CI = -0.49 to -0.08) for the CD-RISC-10; r = -0.21 (95% CI = -0.31 to -0.11) for the CDRISC- 25, and r = -0.08 (95% CI = -0.22 to 0.06) for the BRS. Six of eight studies examined the connection between resilience and perceived stress, where the weighted mean correlation coefficient was r = -0.45 (95% CI = -0.56 to -0.33), with considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 76.2%, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS There is a negative association between psychological resilience and hair cortisol concentration based on these eight studies. Additional research, particularly prospective studies, is needed to determine whether hair cortisol concentration can be used as a biomarker for psychological resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- LiWen Xiang
- School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xia Zeng
- Emergence Intensive Care Unit, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - YinXia Luo
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- School of Medicine, Guang'an Vocational and Technical College
| | - SuFang Tan
- School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Emergence Intensive Care Unit, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - XiaoRong Mao
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- General Surgery Area, Department of Nursing, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
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Batallas D, Rodriguez-Hernandez V, Hidalgo V, Salvador A. Loneliness during the post-confinement period: The significance of social living conditions for stress biomarkers and memory. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114771. [PMID: 38000531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown, concerns about the impact of loneliness and reduced social interactions on mental health have arisen. This study explored the repercussions of post-lockdown social restrictions across psychological (loneliness, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms), biological (hair cortisol and cardiovascular activity), and cognitive dimensions (subjective memory complaints and working, declarative, and prospective memory), with a specific emphasis on perceived loneliness and the living situation. The study included 45 students: 23 (mean age = 25.69 years) in the Alone Group (AG), who experienced significant family changes and international relocation, and 22 (mean age = 25.50 years) in the Not Alone Group (NAG), who maintained their nuclear family and did not move from their home country. We assessed heart rate variability (HRV) before, during, and after immediate memory evaluations using time-domain (the square root of the mean, RMSSD) measures. The analysis revealed no significant group differences in telematic contact with family and friends, perceived stress, or depression. However, the AG participants reported fewer face-to-face interactions and greater perceived loneliness compared to the NAG. Additionally, the AG group exhibited slightly higher hair cortisol levels and worse working memory (WM) and prospective memory (PM) performance. Importantly, no significant associations were observed between memory outcomes and stress biomarkers. However, a significant interaction effect of loneliness in the relationship between hair cortisol levels and PM was found. That is, hair cortisol concentrations were negatively related to PM when participants perceived high and moderate loneliness. This interaction was absent in the working and declarative memory domains. In summary, these findings underscore the intricate interplay between loneliness, cortisol, and memory, emphasizing the need for comprehensive research on the complex mechanisms governing these multifaceted relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Batallas
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Valerie Rodriguez-Hernandez
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain
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Beaumont E, Brodeur J, Thomas F, Dujon AM, Lupien SJ. Toxoplasma gondii infection in people with schizophrenia is related to higher hair glucocorticoid levels. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1286135. [PMID: 38435971 PMCID: PMC10904596 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1286135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Toxoplasma gondii (TG) is a common protozoan parasite infecting approximately one third of the human population. Animal studies have shown that this parasite can manipulate its host behavior. Based on this, human studies have assessed if TG can be involved in mental health disorders associated with important behavioral modifications such as schizophrenia. However, results have been discrepant. Given that TG has a strong impact on fear and risk-taking processes in animal studies and that fear and risk-taking behaviors are associated with the human stress response, we tested whether glucocorticoid biomarkers (salivary and hair) differ in people with schizophrenia and controls as a function of TG status. Methods We measured TG antibodies in blood samples, as well as salivary and hair glucocorticoid levels in 226 people with schizophrenia (19.9% women, mean age = 39 years old) and 129 healthy individuals (controls) (45.7% women, mean age = 41 years old). Results The results showed that people with schizophrenia infected with TG presented significantly higher hair glucocorticoid concentrations than non-infected people with schizophrenia. This effect was not found in control participants. No effect was observed for salivary glucocorticoid levels. Additionally, there were no associations between TG infection and positive psychotic symptoms nor impulsivity. Discussion These results show that people with schizophrenia present high levels of hair glucocorticoid levels only when they are infected with TG. Further studies performed in populations suffering from other mental health disorders are needed to determine if this effect is specific to schizophrenia, or whether it is generalized across mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emy Beaumont
- Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Center for Studies on Human Stress, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jacques Brodeur
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Frédéric Thomas
- Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Research on Cancer (CREEC), Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Antoine M. Dujon
- Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Research on Cancer (CREEC), Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Center for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Sonia J. Lupien
- Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Center for Studies on Human Stress, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Depatment of Psychiatry and Addiction, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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ten Barge JA, Baudat M, Meesters NJ, Kindt A, Joosten EA, Reiss IK, Simons SH, van den Bosch GE. Biomarkers for assessing pain and pain relief in the neonatal intensive care unit. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2024; 5:1343551. [PMID: 38426011 PMCID: PMC10902154 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1343551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) regularly undergo painful procedures and may face various painful conditions such as postoperative pain. Optimal management of pain in these vulnerable preterm and term born neonates is crucial to ensure their comfort and prevent negative consequences of neonatal pain. This entails accurate and timely identification of pain, non-pharmacological pain treatment and if needed administration of analgesic therapy, evaluation of treatment effectiveness, and monitoring of adverse effects. Despite the widely recognized importance of pain management, pain assessment in neonates has thus far proven to be a challenge. As self-report, the gold standard for pain assessment, is not possible in neonates, other methods are needed. Several observational pain scales have been developed, but these often rely on snapshot and largely subjective observations and may fail to capture pain in certain conditions. Incorporation of biomarkers alongside observational pain scores holds promise in enhancing pain assessment and, by extension, optimizing pain treatment and neonatal outcomes. This review explores the possibilities of integrating biomarkers in pain assessment in the NICU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith A. ten Barge
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC—Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mathilde Baudat
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Naomi J. Meesters
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC—Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alida Kindt
- Metabolomics and Analytics Center, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Elbert A. Joosten
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Irwin K.M. Reiss
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC—Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sinno H.P. Simons
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC—Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gerbrich E. van den Bosch
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC—Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Nyström-Hansen M, Andersen MS, Davidsen KA, Roehder K, Trier C, Nayberg E, Lyons-Ruth K, Harder S. Hair cortisol concentrations in pregnant women with bipolar, depressive, or schizophrenic spectrum disorders. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024:10.1007/s00737-024-01434-4. [PMID: 38308143 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01434-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Maternal cortisol levels in pregnancy may support the growth of or adversely affect fetal organs, including the brain. While moderate cortisol levels are essential for fetal development, excessive or prolonged elevations may have negative health consequences for both the mother and the offspring. Little is known about predictors of altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity during pregnancy. This study examined maternal hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy in relation to severe psychopathology. METHODS Hair samples were collected from 69 women, 32 with a lifetime diagnosis of severe mental disorders (bipolar I or II disorder, moderate or severe depressive disorder, schizophrenic spectrum disorder), and 37 non-clinical controls. Hair samples were collected during the 3rd trimester, and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used for cortisol assessment. Psychiatric diagnosis and current level of symptomatic functioning were assessed using the structured clinical interview from the DSM-5 and the global assessment of functioning scale. RESULTS Women with a lifetime diagnosis of severe mental illness had significantly elevated HCC compared to controls. Poorer current symptomatic functioning was also significantly associated with elevated HCC in pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS The implications of alterations in HCC on both maternal and infant health need further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Nyström-Hansen
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Kirstine Agnete Davidsen
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Research Unit, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Odense, Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Katrine Roehder
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christopher Trier
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emilie Nayberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karlen Lyons-Ruth
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, USA
| | - Susanne Harder
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Peric T, Veronesi MC, Prandi A, Fusi J, Faustini M, Probo M. Postpartum hair cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and their ratio in beef cows: Exploring association with parity and conception outcome. Theriogenology 2024; 214:352-359. [PMID: 37979326 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Hair steroid measurement has received increasing attention for monitoring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, as it offers the advantages of being noninvasive, fast, and able to indicate steroid concentrations over long periods. The objects of the study were to evaluate cortisol (C) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) hair concentrations and their ratio (C/DHEA-S) in beef cows from calving to 100 days (d) postpartum (pp) and to assess possible differences related to parity (primiparous vs multiparous) and conception outcome (pregnant vs not pregnant). Hair samples were collected from 6 primiparous and 5 multiparous pregnant beef cows by clipping the coat at calving (T0) and every 20 d for 5 times (T1-T5), collecting only the regrown hair. Starting from the 6th-week pp, cows were submitted to artificial insemination at spontaneous estrus; by 100 d pp, 7 cows were pregnant and 4 were not pregnant. Statistical analysis showed higher hair C concentrations in the 11 cows at calving (T0) compared to all the subsequent samplings except for T1, and higher C concentrations at T1 compared to T3, T4, and T5. These results indicate that hair C concentrations in beef cows are affected by sampling time, with a decrease from calving, as reported in other matrices. When exploring changes within parity groups, no differences were found in the multiparous among sampling times, while hair C concentrations at T0 and T1 tended to be higher than at T2 (0.01 ≤ p < 0.05) and were higher (p < 0.01) than in all the subsequent samplings (T3, T4 and T5) within the primiparous group. Higher hair C concentrations were found at T0 and T1 in the primiparous compared to multiparous (p < 0.01), suggesting that primiparous cows undergo a greater stress level before and around parturition compared to multiparous, probably due to the novelty of the calving experience. No differences were detected in C hair concentrations according to conception outcome (pregnant versus not pregnant) in each sampling time. Hair DHEA-S concentrations were neither affected by time nor by parity or conception outcome. Differences in the C/DHEA-S ratio were found at T1, with higher C/DHEA-S in the multiparous compared to primiparous cows (p < 0.001), and a tendency for higher ratio in the not pregnant compared to the pregnant (0.01 ≤ p < 0.05). These results support the choice of hair as a valuable biological matrix when investigating long-time periods such as postpartum in cows and suggest an enhanced immunoprotective effect of DHEA-S in the postpartum of primiparous cows, and in cows that get pregnant within 100 d postpartum.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Peric
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio, 2/a, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - M C Veronesi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - A Prandi
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio, 2/a, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - J Fusi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - M Faustini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - M Probo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
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Igboanugo S, O'Connor C, Zitoun OA, Ramezan R, Mielke JG. A systematic review of hair cortisol in healthy adults measured using immunoassays: Methodological considerations and proposed reference values for research. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14474. [PMID: 37950380 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has shown remarkable promise as a stable, non-invasive measure of systemic cortisol; however, despite methodological advances, the value that would typically be seen in healthy adults has not been established. Therefore, we sought to review the relevant literature to determine a reference value for HCC in healthy (i.e., non-clinical) adults. To this end, we conducted a systematic review of the PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL databases for studies that measured healthy adult HCC using immunoassay methods, given that these are the most widely accessible analytical tools. To be eligible, studies were required to have been published in English, to have provided relevant descriptive statistics (i.e., means and standard deviations), and to have used a healthy adult human sample. We found 17 studies that met our inclusion criteria; the reports involved 1348 participants with a mean age of about 38 years. Since we identified a large amount of between-study heterogeneity, we completed a random-effect meta-regression analysis and found that test kit vendor was the only significant variable of the model. As a result, when using methodologies from traditional finite mixture distributions to determine reference values for mean and elevated HCC in individual healthy adults, we calculated these estimates for each of the major test kit vendors. Future work will need to determine whether our estimated reference values need to be modified, and these efforts will be greatly assisted by studies that account for potential moderating factors, such as age, sex, and ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somkene Igboanugo
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claire O'Connor
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Osama A Zitoun
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Reza Ramezan
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - John G Mielke
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Kuckuck S, Lengton R, Boon MR, Boersma E, Penninx BWJH, Kavousi M, van Rossum EFC. Long-term glucocorticoids in relation to the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Intern Med 2024; 295:2-19. [PMID: 37926862 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The striking link of Cushing's syndrome with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggests that long-term exposure to extremely high cortisol levels catalyzes cardiometabolic deterioration. However, it remained unclear whether the findings from the extreme glucocorticoid overabundance observed in Cushing's syndrome could be translated into more subtle variations in long-term glucocorticoid levels among the general population, for example, due to chronic stress. Here, we performed a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42023425541) of evidence regarding the role of subtle variations in long-term biological stress, measured as levels of scalp hair cortisol (HairF) and cortisone (HairE), in the context of MetS and CVD in adults. We also performed a meta-analysis on the cross-sectional difference in HairF levels between individuals with versus without CVD. Seven studies were included regarding MetS, sixteen regarding CVD, and one regarding both. Most articles indicated a strong, consistent cross-sectional association of higher HairF and HairE levels with CVD, which was confirmed by our meta-analysis for HairF (eight studies, SMD = 0.48, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 0.16-0.79, p = 0.0095). Moreover, these relationships appear largely independent of standard risk factors. Age seems relevant as the effect seems stronger in younger individuals. Results regarding the associations of HairF and HairE with MetS were inconsistent. Altogether, long-term biological stress, measured as HairF and HairE, is associated with the presence of CVD, and less consistently with MetS. Prospective studies need to evaluate the directionality of this relationship and determine whether HairF and HairE can be used in addition to standard risk factors in predicting future cardiometabolic deterioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Kuckuck
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robin Lengton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mariëtte R Boon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Boersma
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry and Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Schindler-Gmelch L, Capito K, Steudte-Schmiedgen S, Kirschbaum C, Berking M. Hair Cortisol Research in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - 10 Years of Insights and Open Questions. A Systematic Review. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1697-1719. [PMID: 37550910 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230807112425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortisol is one of the most extensively studied biomarkers in the context of trauma/posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For more than a decade, hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) have been measured in this context, leading to a two-staged dysregulation model. Specifically, an elevated secretion during/immediately after trauma exposure eventually reverts to hyposecretion with increasing time since trauma exposure has been postulated. OBJECTIVE The aim of our systematic review was to re-evaluate the two-staged secretion model with regard to the accumulated diagnostic, prognostic, and intervention-related evidence of HCC in lifetime trauma exposure and PTSD. Further, we provide an overview of open questions, particularly with respect to reporting standards and quality criteria. METHOD A systematic literature search yielded 5,046 records, of which 31 studies were included. RESULTS For recent/ongoing (traumatic) stress, the predictions of cortisol hypersecretion could be largely confirmed. However, for the assumed hyposecretion temporally more distal to trauma exposure, the results are more ambiguous. As most studies did not report holistic overviews of trauma history and confounding influences, this may largely be attributable to methodological limitations. Data on the prognostic and intervention-related benefits of HCC remain sparse. CONCLUSION Over the last decade, important insights could be gained about long-term cortisol secretion patterns following lifetime trauma exposure and PTSD. This systematic review integrates these insights into an updated secretion model for trauma/PTSD. We conclude with recommendations for improving HCC research in the context of trauma/PTSD in order to answer the remaining open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Schindler-Gmelch
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Klara Capito
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Berking
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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Faresjö Å, LeTran A, Olsen OJ, Faresjö T, Theodorsson E, Jones M. Measuring cortisol concentration in hair month-by-month two years retrospectively. ALL LIFE 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/26895293.2023.2172461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Åshild Faresjö
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences; Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anh LeTran
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences; Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ole J. Olsen
- Department of Health and Care Sciences, University of Tromsö, Tromsö, Norway
| | - Tomas Faresjö
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences; General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Michael Jones
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Australia
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41
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Peng FJ, Palazzi P, Mezzache S, Adelin E, Bourokba N, Bastien P, Appenzeller BMR. Association between Environmental Exposure to Multiclass Organic Pollutants and Sex Steroid Hormone Levels in Women of Reproductive Age. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19383-19394. [PMID: 37934613 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Organic pollutant exposure may alter sex steroid hormone levels in both animals and humans, but studies on mixture effects have been lacking and mainly limited to persistent organic pollutants, with few hormones being investigated. Moreover, measurements from a single blood or urine sample may not be able to reflect long-term status. Using hair analysis, here, we evaluated the relationship between multiclass organic pollutants and sex steroid hormones in 196 healthy Chinese women aged 25-45 years. Associations with nine sex steroid hormones, including progesterone, androstenedione (AD), testosterone (T), estrone (E1), and 17β-estradiol (E2), and eight related hormone ratios were explored on 54 pollutants from polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), pesticide, and bisphenol families using stability-based Lasso regression analysis. Our results showed that each hormone was associated with a mixture of at least 10 examined pollutants. In particular, hair E2 concentration was associated with 19 pollutants, including γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, propoxur, permethrin, fipronil, mecoprop, prochloraz, and carbendazim. There were also associations between pollutants and hormone ratios, with pentachlorophenol, dimethylthiophosphate, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid, and flusilazole being related to both E1/AD and E2/T ratios. Our results suggest that exposure to background levels of pesticides PCB180 and bisphenol S may affect sex steroid hormone homeostasis among women of reproductive age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Jiao Peng
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445 Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Paul Palazzi
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445 Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Sakina Mezzache
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 1 avenue Eugène Schueller BP22, 93601 Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Emilie Adelin
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 1 avenue Eugène Schueller BP22, 93601 Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Nasrine Bourokba
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, Biopolis Drive, Synapse, Singapore 138623, Singapore
| | - Philippe Bastien
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 1 avenue Eugène Schueller BP22, 93601 Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Brice M R Appenzeller
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445 Strassen, Luxembourg
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42
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Mustieles V, Lascouts A, Pozo OJ, Haro N, Lyon-Caen S, Jedynak P, Bayat S, Thomsen C, Sakhi AK, Sabaredzovic A, Slama R, Ouellet-Morin I, Philippat C. Longitudinal Associations between Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Steroid Hormones in Maternal Hair Samples from the SEPAGES Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19202-19213. [PMID: 37931007 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
We assessed phthalate-hormone associations in 382 pregnant women of the new-generation SEPAGES cohort (2014-2017, France) using improved exposure and outcome assessments. Metabolites from seven phthalate compounds and the replacement di(isononyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) were measured in within-subject pools of repeated urine samples collected at the second and third pregnancy trimesters (≈21 samples/trimester). Metabolites from five steroid hormones were measured in maternal hair samples collected at delivery, reflecting cumulative levels over the previous weeks to months. Adjusted linear regression and Bayesian weighted quantile sum (BWQS) mixture models were performed. Each doubling in third-trimester urinary mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) concentrations was associated with an average increase of 13.3% (95% CI: 2.65, 24.9) for ∑cortisol, 10.0% (95% CI: 0.26, 20.7) for ∑cortisone, 17.3% (95% CI: 1.67, 35.4) for 11-dehydrocorticosterone, and 16.2% (95% CI: 2.20, 32.1) for testosterone, together with a suggestive 10.5% (95% CI: -1.57, 24.1) increase in progesterone levels. Each doubling in second-trimester urinary di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP) concentrations was inversely associated with testosterone levels (-11.6%; 95% CI: -21.6, -0.31). For most hormones, a nonsignificant trend toward a positive phthalate mixture effect was observed in the third but not in the second trimester. Our study showed that exposure to some phthalate metabolites, especially MBzP, may affect adrenal and reproductive hormone levels during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Mustieles
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Development and Respiratory Health (EDES), Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Aurélien Lascouts
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Development and Respiratory Health (EDES), Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Oscar J Pozo
- Applied Metabolomics Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noemí Haro
- Applied Metabolomics Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah Lyon-Caen
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Development and Respiratory Health (EDES), Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Paulina Jedynak
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Development and Respiratory Health (EDES), Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sam Bayat
- Department of Pulmonology and Physiology, CHU Grenoble Alpes, 38700 Grenoble, France
- Grenoble Alpes University - Inserm UA07, 38400 Grenoble, France
| | - Cathrine Thomsen
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Amrit K Sakhi
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Azemira Sabaredzovic
- Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Rémy Slama
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Development and Respiratory Health (EDES), Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, H1N 3M5 Québec, Canada; School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, H3C 3J7 Québec, Canada
| | - Claire Philippat
- University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Development and Respiratory Health (EDES), Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
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Kitani RA, Nicolaides NC, Mantzou A, Chatzidaki E, Michou M, Polychronaki N, Letsou K, Pervanidou P, Kanaka-Gantenbein C. Differences in segmental hair cortisol concentration analysis among children and adolescents with overweight and obesity, their parents, and normal weight peers. Hormones (Athens) 2023; 22:623-632. [PMID: 37688736 DOI: 10.1007/s42000-023-00482-2] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Dysregulation of the stress system via incidental long exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) can lead to weight gain. In addition, family and maternal stress can also have an impact on children's weight. Hair is used in several studies to evaluate cortisol (GC) levels in children and adolescents with excess weight as a retrospective stress biomarker, depending on the hair length the cortisol measurement depicting different time periods. We aimed to investigate whether there is a difference among segmental hair cortisol concentration (HCC) analysis between children and adolescents with overweight and obesity, their mothers, and normal weight peers. METHODS This study recruited 25 children aged 6-14 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 85th centile and their mothers, as well as 20 children of the same age with a BMI < 85th centile. Hair cortisol concentration was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS Segmental HCC analysis exhibited gradually decreasing values in all participants as segments of hair were more distantly located from the scalp. A positive correlation was found between BMI z-score and HCC of the first segment of hair in children and adolescents with elevated BMI (b = 1.84, p = 0.033), as well as with maternal HCC / of an only child (b = 15.77, p = 0.01). There were no associations between mother-child dyads and children and adolescents of different BMI groups, even though minors with excess weight exhibited higher HCC levels in all segments of hair in comparison to their normal weight counterparts. CONCLUSIONS Hair cortisol of all participants exhibited a gradually declining concentration. More studies with larger samples and more sensitive methods of analysis are warranted in order to draw firmer conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa-Anna Kitani
- Postgraduate Course on "The Science of Stress and Health Promotion", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon and Levadias str, 11527, Athens, Greece.
| | - Nicolas C Nicolaides
- Postgraduate Course on "The Science of Stress and Health Promotion", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon and Levadias str, 11527, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Aimilia Mantzou
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Evi Chatzidaki
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Michou
- Postgraduate Course on "The Science of Stress and Health Promotion", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon and Levadias str, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Economics and Sustainable Development, Harokopio University, 17671, Athens, Greece
| | - Nektaria Polychronaki
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Letsou
- Postgraduate Course on "The Science of Stress and Health Promotion", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon and Levadias str, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Postgraduate Course on "The Science of Stress and Health Promotion", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon and Levadias str, 11527, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
- Postgraduate Course on "The Science of Stress and Health Promotion", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon and Levadias str, 11527, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
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Aizpurua-Perez I, Arregi A, Labaka A, Martinez-Villar A, Perez-Tejada J. Psychological resilience and cortisol levels in adults: A systematic review. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23954. [PMID: 37395446 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilience or the capacity to "bend but not break" refers to the ability to maintain or regain psychobiological equilibrium during or after exposure to stressful life events. Specifically, resilience has been proposed as a potential resource for staving off pathological states that often emerge after exposure to repeated stress and that are related to alterations in circulating cortisol. The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to gather evidence related to the relationship between psychological resilience and cortisol levels in adult humans. An extensive systematic search was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method in the PubMed and Web of Science databases. In total, 1256 articles were identified and, of these, 35 peer-reviewed articles were included in the systematic review. We categorized findings according to (1) the short and long-term secretion period covered by the cortisol matrices selected by studies and also according to (2) the differentiated diurnal, phasic (acute), and tonic (basal) components of the HPA output to which they refer and their relationships with resilience. Reported relationships between psychological resilience and distinct cortisol output parameters varied widely across studies, finding positive, negative, and null associations between the two variables. Notably, several of the studies that found no relationship between resilience and cortisol used a single morning saliva or plasma sample as their assessment of HPA axis activity. Despite limitations such as the great variability of the instruments and methods used by the studies to measure both resilience and cortisol, together with their high heterogeneity and small sample sizes, the evidence found in this systematic review points to the potential of resilience as a modifiable key factor to modulate the physiological response to stress. Therefore, further exploration of the interaction between the two variables is necessary for the eventual development of future interventions aimed at promoting resilience as an essential component of health prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibane Aizpurua-Perez
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Amaia Arregi
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ainitze Labaka
- Department of Nursing II, University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain
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45
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Morelli V, Heizelman RJ. Monitoring Social Determinants of Health Assessing Patients and Communities. Prim Care 2023; 50:527-547. [PMID: 37866829 DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Because of the devastating health effects of social determinants of health (SDoH), it is important for the primary care provider to assess and monitor these types of stressors. This can be done via surveys, geomapping, or various biomarkers. To date, however, each of these methods is fraught with obstacles. There are currently are no validated "best" SDoH screening tools for use in clinical practice. Nor is geomapping, a perfect solution. Although mapping can collect location specific factors, it does not account for the fact that patients may live in one area, work in another and travel frequently to a third.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Morelli
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 3rd Floor, Old Hospital Building, 1005 Dr. D. B. Todd, Jr., Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37208-3599, USA.
| | - Robert Joseph Heizelman
- Department of Family Medicine, Medical Informatics, University of Michigan, 3rd Floor, Old Hospital Building, 1005 Dr. D. B. Todd, Jr., Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37208-3599, USA
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Smeeth D, May AK, Karam EG, Rieder MJ, Elzagallaai AA, van Uum S, Pluess M. Risk and resilience in Syrian refugee children: A multisystem analysis. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:2275-2287. [PMID: 37933522 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Refugee children are often exposed to substantial trauma, placing them at increased risk for mental illness. However, this risk can be mitigated by a capacity for resilience, conferred from multiple ecological systems (e.g., family, community), including at an individual biological level. We examined the ability of hair cortisol concentrations and polygenic scores for mental health to predict risk and resilience in a sample of Syrian refugee children (n = 1359). Children were categorized as either at-risk or resilient depending on clinical thresholds for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and externalizing behavior problems. Logistic regression was used to examine main and interacting effects while controlling for covariates. Elevated hair cortisol concentrations were significantly associated with reduced resilience (odds ratio (OR)=0.58, 95%CI [0.40, 0.83]) while controlling for levels of war exposure. Polygenic scores for depression, self-harm, and neuroticism were not found to have any significant main effects. However, a significant interaction emerged between hair cortisol and polygenic scores for depression (OR=0.04, 95%CI [0.003 0.47]), suggesting that children predisposed to depression were more at risk for mental health problems when hair cortisol concentrations were high. Our results suggest that biomarkers (separately and in combination) might support early identification of refugee children at risk for mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demelza Smeeth
- Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Andrew K May
- Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Elie G Karam
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, St Georges Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Michael J Rieder
- Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Abdelbaset A Elzagallaai
- Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Stan van Uum
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Pluess
- Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Department of Psychological Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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47
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Granat FA, Trumel C, Braun JPD, Bourgès-Abella NH. Quality of hematology and clinical chemistry results in laboratory and zoo nonhuman primates: Effects of the preanalytical phase. A review. J Med Primatol 2023; 52:414-427. [PMID: 37612808 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Most errors in clinical pathology originate in the preanalytical phase, which includes all steps from the preparation of animals and equipment to the collection of the specimen and its management until analyzed. Blood is the most common specimen collected in nonhuman primates. Other specimens collected include urine, saliva, feces, and hair. The primary concern is the variability of blood hematology and biochemistry results due to sampling conditions with the effects of capture, restraint, and/or anesthesia. Housing and diet have fewer effects, with the exception of food restriction to reduce obesity. There has been less investigation regarding the impact of sampling conditions of nonblood specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny A Granat
- Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, Inserm U1037, CNRS U5077, Toulouse, France
- Laboratoire central de biologie médicale, ENVT, Toulouse, France
| | - Catherine Trumel
- Laboratoire central de biologie médicale, ENVT, Toulouse, France
- CREFRE, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
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Mariño-Narvaez C, Puertas-Gonzalez JA, Romero-Gonzalez B, Gonzalez-Perez R, Peralta-Ramírez MI. How prenatal cortisol levels may differentially affect the neurodevelopment of boys and girls. Early Hum Dev 2023; 187:105874. [PMID: 37866289 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2023.105874] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal stress could have serious consequences on maternal and fetal health. In this sense, some studies have stated that maternal HCC during pregnancy could contribute to sex-specific effects on infant neurodevelopment, following the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis. AIM This study aimed to determine whether maternal hair cortisol concentration (HCC) during each trimester of pregnancy and postpartum could predict the neurodevelopmental outcomes of their 12-month-old offspring, with sex-specific differences considered. STUDY DESIGN longitudinal. SUBJECTS The study involved 93 pregnant women and their babies. OUTCOME MEASURE Hair samples collected during each trimester and postpartum and The Bayley Scales for Infant Development III was used to assess the infants' abilities. RESULTS The results showed that maternal HCC during the first and second trimesters could predict language and motor abilities. However, when discriminated by sex, only females' cognitive, expressive language, and fine and gross motor skills were predicted by cortisol, not males. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the idea that non-toxic levels of cortisol can positively influence infants' neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Borja Romero-Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Campus Duques de Soria, University of Valladolid, Soria, Spain.
| | - Raquel Gonzalez-Perez
- Pharmacology Departament, CIBERehd, Faculty of Pharmacy, University de Granada, Spain
| | - Maria Isabel Peralta-Ramírez
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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van Esch JJA, Bolte AC, Spaanderman MEA, Vandenbussche FPHA, de Weerth C, Beijers R. Maternal anxiety forecasts shorter prolongation of pregnancies complicated by early-onset preeclampsia. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023; 308:1703-1711. [PMID: 36434441 PMCID: PMC10579132 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06836-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In early-onset preeclampsia, each additional day of pregnancy prolongation reduces offspring infant mortality about 9%. We evaluated if maternal stress at admission to hospital for early-onset preeclampsia predicted admission-to-delivery intervals in days. METHODS This prospective, longitudinal cohort-study involved 15 singleton pregnancies with a diagnosis of preeclampsia before 34 weeks gestation with intended expectant management. Upon hospital admission, maternal psychological stress was assessed with questionnaires and physiological stress with hair cortisol. Hair samples were analyzed in three hair segments representing the preconception period, and the first and second trimester of pregnancy. RESULTS Mean pregnancy prolongation was 16.2 days. Higher maternal anxiety at hospital admission significantly correlated with shorter admission-to-delivery intervals (r = - 0.54, p = 0.04). Chronically increased hair cortisol concentrations (i.e. from preconception through the second trimester) of pregnancy tended to be related to shorter admission-to-delivery intervals (p <. 10). CONCLUSION Higher reported anxiety is, and chronically high hair cortisol tended to be, related with fewer days of prolongation from admission to delivery in women with early-onset preeclampsia. These findings suggest that maternal stress might be a potential determinant of disease progression. Future research into early innovative stress-reducing interventions for early-onset preeclampsia may shed more light on the etiology and treatment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris J. A. van Esch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, Post 623, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Antoinette C. Bolte
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, Post 623, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marc E. A. Spaanderman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, Post 623, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Frank P. H. A. Vandenbussche
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, Post 623, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Centre, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Centre, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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50
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Robertson KE, Ellington EH, Tonra CM, Gehrt SD. Stress in the city? Coyote hair cortisol varies with intrinsic and extrinsic factors within a heavily urbanized landscape. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:165965. [PMID: 37543341 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife living in proximity to people are exposed to both natural and anthropogenic factors that may influence cortisol production associated with stress response. While some species, including coyotes (Canis latrans), have become commonplace in developed areas throughout North America, urban individuals still must navigate ever-changing, novel environments and cope with frequent disturbance. Given that coyotes are relatively large predators compared to most other urban wildlife, they face unique pressures such as crossing roadways to use suitable habitat fragments and are at a greater risk of being detected and experiencing negative human interactions. To assess whether urbanization influences hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in free-ranging coyotes, we analyzed cortisol concentration in hair samples from 97 coyotes residing across the urbanization gradient within the Greater Chicago Metropolitan area. As the proportion of developed landcover within coyote home ranges increased, coyotes experienced more stress. Body condition and social status also had strong relationships with stress. Animals in poorer body condition experienced more stress and subordinate coyotes experienced less stress than alphas. We also found some evidence that stress varied seasonally and among different age classes. Understanding how intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence endocrine activity in urban carnivores is vital for predicting how hormone production and related behavioral patterns may change in future populations as more areas become developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie E Robertson
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America
| | - E Hance Ellington
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America; Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3401 Experiment Station Road, Ona, FL 33865, United States of America
| | - Christopher M Tonra
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America.
| | - Stanley D Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America.
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