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Juster RP, Almeida D, Cardoso C, Raymond C, Johnson PJ, Pfaus JG, Mendrek A, Duchesne A, Pruessner JC, Lupien SJ. Gonads and strife: Sex hormones vary according to sexual orientation for women and stress indices for both sexes. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 72:119-30. [PMID: 27398882 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed sexual orientation and psychobiological stress indices in relation to salivary sex hormones as part of a well-validated laboratory-based stress paradigm. Participants included 87 healthy adults that were on average 25 years old who self-identified as lesbian/bisexual women (n=20), heterosexual women (n=21), gay/bisexual men (n=26), and heterosexual men (n=20). Two saliva samples were collected fifteen minutes before and fifteen minutes after exposure to a modified Trier Social Stress Test to determine testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone concentrations via enzyme-immune assaying. Mean sex hormones were further tested in association to stress indices related to cortisol systemic output (area under the curve with respect to ground) based on ten measures throughout the two-hour visit, allostatic load indexed using 21 biomarkers, and perceived stress assessed using a well-validated questionnaire. Results revealed that lesbian/bisexual women had higher overall testosterone and progesterone concentrations than heterosexual women, while no differences were found among gay/bisexual men in comparison to heterosexual men. Lesbian/bisexual women and heterosexual men showed positive associations between mean estradiol concentrations and allostatic load, while gay/bisexual men and heterosexual women showed positive associations between mean testosterone and cortisol systemic output. In summary, sex hormone variations appear to vary according to sexual orientation among women, but also as a function of cortisol systemic output, allostatic load, and perceived stress for both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert-Paul Juster
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Daniel Almeida
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Catherine Raymond
- Départment de Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Philip Jai Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - James G Pfaus
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adrianna Mendrek
- Départment de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Annie Duchesne
- Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jens C Pruessner
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sonia J Lupien
- Départment de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Abstract
Serum total androgens were estimated by radioimmunoassay on blood samples of treatment-seeking homosexuals and heterosexual controls. There was no significant difference in androgen levels between the homosexual and control group, nor was there any relationship between androgen levels and response to treatment. These results suggest that androgen levels have no aetiological significance in treatment-seeking homosexuals and have no relevance as indicators of treatment outcome.
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