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Garces-Arilla S, Mendez-Lopez M, Fidalgo C, Salvador A, Hidalgo V. Examination-related anticipatory levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol predict positive affect, examination marks and support-seeking in college students. Stress 2024; 27:2330009. [PMID: 38952223 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2330009] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol release appear to have contrasting effects on stress perception during stressful tasks. This study aimed to investigate anticipatory examination stress in college students by considering DHEA, cortisol, psycho-emotional aspects and examination performance. Seventy-six students (66 females, 10 males; age range 18-25 years) provided saliva samples and completed questionnaires in two sessions 48 hours apart. During the second session, the students performed the examination. The questionnaires used were the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, and the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. DHEA, cortisol, anxiety and negative affect showed an anticipatory rise before the examination (all ps < 0.001). This rise of DHEA and cortisol was associated with lower positive affect (p = 0.001 and p = 0.043, respectively). However, only the DHEA anticipatory levels were linked to poorer examination marks (p = 0.020). Higher levels of the DHEA/cortisol ratio in anticipation of the examination were related to lower scores on the support-seeking strategy (p = 0.022). There was no association between DHEA and cortisol levels and anxiety, negative affect, active and avoidant coping strategies, or academic record. These results suggest that how DHEA and cortisol respond in anticipation of examination stress significantly impacts students' emotional well-being during examination periods and how they cope with stress. They also suggest that levels of DHEA in anticipation of an academic stressor have detrimental effects on stress management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Garces-Arilla
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Zaragoza, IIS Aragón, Teruel, Spain
| | - Magdalena Mendez-Lopez
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Zaragoza, IIS Aragón, Teruel, Spain
| | - Camino Fidalgo
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Zaragoza, IIS Aragón, Teruel, Spain
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Zaragoza, IIS Aragón, Teruel, Spain
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Heimovics S, Rubin N, Ford M. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) increases undirected singing behavior and alters dopaminergic regulation of undirected song in non-breeding male European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris). Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1153085. [PMID: 37234810 PMCID: PMC10206333 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1153085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction It has been proposed that in species that defend territories across multiple life history stages, brain metabolism of adrenal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) regulates aggressive behavior at times when gonadal androgen synthesis is low (i.e. the non-breeding season). To date, a role for DHEA in the regulation of other forms of social behavior that are expressed outside of the context of breeding remains unknown. Methods In this experiment, we used the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) model system to investigate a role for DHEA in the neuroendocrine regulation of singing behavior by males in non-breeding condition. Starling song in a non-breeding context is spontaneous, not directed towards conspecifics, and functions to maintain cohesion of overwintering flocks. Results Using within-subjects design, we found that DHEA implants significantly increase undirected singing behavior by non-breeding condition male starlings. Given that DHEA is known to modulate multiple neurotransmitter systems including dopamine (DA) and DA regulates undirected song, we subsequently used immunohistochemistry for phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase (pTH, the active form of the rate-limiting enzyme in DA synthesis) to investigate the effect of DHEA on dopaminergic regulation of singing behavior in a non-breeding context. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive linear association between undirected singing behavior and pTH immunoreactivity in the ventral tegmental area and midbrain central gray of DHEA-implanted, but not control-implanted, males. Discussion Taken together, these data suggest that undirected singing behavior by non-breeding starlings is modulated by effects of DHEA on dopaminergic neurotransmission. More broadly, these data expand the social behavior functions of DHEA beyond territorial aggression to include undirected, affiliative social communication.
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Vallejo L, Zapater-Fajarí M, Montoliu T, Puig-Perez S, Nacher J, Hidalgo V, Salvador A. No Effects of Acute Psychosocial Stress on Working Memory in Older People With Type 2 Diabetes. Front Psychol 2021; 11:596584. [PMID: 33584433 PMCID: PMC7874042 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.596584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been considered a public health threat due to its growing prevalence, particularly in the older population. It is important to know the effects of psychosocial stress and its potential consequences for some basic cognitive processes that are important in daily life. Currently, there is very little information about how people with T2D face acute psychosocial stressors, and even less about how their response affects working memory (WM), which is essential for their functionality and independence. Our aim was to characterize the response to an acute laboratory psychosocial stressor and its effects on WM in older people with T2D. Fifty participants with T2D from 52 to 77 years old were randomly assigned to a stress (12 men and 12 women) or control (12 men and 14 women) condition. Mood and physiological (cortisol, C, and salivary alpha-amylase, sAA) responses to tasks were measured. In addition, participants completed a WM test before and after the stress or control task. Our results showed that the TSST elicited higher negative affect and greater C and sAA responses than the control task. No significant differences in WM were observed depending on the exposure to stress or the control task. Finally, participants who showed higher C and sAA responses to the stressor had lower WM performance. Our results indicate that medically treated older adults with T2D show clear, typical mood and physiological responses to an acute psychosocial stressor. Finally, the lack of acute psychosocial stress effects on WM suggests that it could be related to aging and not to this disease, at least when T2D is adequately treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Vallejo
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and University Institute for Research in Psychology of Human Resources, Organizational Development and Quality of Work Life (IDOCAL), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariola Zapater-Fajarí
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and University Institute for Research in Psychology of Human Resources, Organizational Development and Quality of Work Life (IDOCAL), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Teresa Montoliu
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and University Institute for Research in Psychology of Human Resources, Organizational Development and Quality of Work Life (IDOCAL), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Puig-Perez
- Department of Health Sciences, Valencian International University, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Valencian (VLC) Campus Research Microcluster "Technologies of Information and Control Applied to the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Diabetes," University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental: Spanish National Network of Research in Mental Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and University Institute for Research in Psychology of Human Resources, Organizational Development and Quality of Work Life (IDOCAL), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,II Aragón, Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and University Institute for Research in Psychology of Human Resources, Organizational Development and Quality of Work Life (IDOCAL), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Valencian (VLC) Campus Research Microcluster "Technologies of Information and Control Applied to the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Diabetes," University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Dutheil F, de Saint Vincent S, Pereira B, Schmidt J, Moustafa F, Charkhabi M, Bouillon-Minois JB, Clinchamps M. DHEA as a Biomarker of Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:688367. [PMID: 34295276 PMCID: PMC8290065 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.688367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Psychosocial stress is a significant public health problem inducing consequences for quality of life. Results about the use of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as a biomarker of acute stress are conflicting. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate that DHEA levels could be a biomarker of stress. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched on March 19, 2021 using the keywords "acute stress" AND "DHEA" OR "Dehydroepiandrosterone." Articles needed to describe our primary outcome, i.e., induction of acute stress and at least two measures of DHEA. Results: We included 14 studies, with a total of 631 participants, in our meta-analysis. The DHEA levels increased overtime after acute stress [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.56, 95%CI = 1.13-1.99]. Stratification by time showed a main peak at the end of stress (SMD = 2.43, 95%CI = 1.59-3.27), followed by a progressive decrease (coefficient = -0.11, 95%CI = -0.19 to -0.17, p = 0.020). There was no significant change 1 h after the end of acute stress. Metaregressions showed an impact of mental stress (SMD = 2.04, 95%CI = 1.43-2.65), sex (SMD = 0.02, 95%CI = 0.00-0.04), age (SMD = -0.12, 95%CI = -0.2 to -0.05), and obesity (SMD = 0.31, 95%CI = -0.00 to 0.63). There was no difference whatever the type of fluid (blood or saliva) and the measurement technique used. Conclusions: DHEA is a biomarker of acute stress, with a short-term increase (1 h). DHEA increases following acute mental stress, whatever the type and duration of mental stress. Women, young people, and obese individuals had a higher response. Blood and saliva measures were comparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Dutheil
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Wittyfit, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sarah de Saint Vincent
- Université Clermont Auvergne, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Bruno Pereira
- CHU Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clinical Research and Innovation Direction, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jeannot Schmidt
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Emergency Department, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Farès Moustafa
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Emergency Department, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Morteza Charkhabi
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Bouillon-Minois
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Emergency Department, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Maëlys Clinchamps
- CHU Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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