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Bilodeau-Houle A, Raymond C, Marin MF. It's all in the hair: Association between changes in hair cortisol concentrations in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children over time. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 164:107019. [PMID: 38518705 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107019] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
After exposure to a stressful/traumatic event, some individuals will develop post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). In adults, low cortisol levels appear to be a risk factor for the development of PTSS. Indeed, both lower pre-trauma cortisol levels and low cortisol levels in the aftermath of a traumatic event have been associated with greater PTSS. In contrast, studies conducted in children showed that elevated cortisol levels shortly after trauma exposure are associated with more severe post-traumatic stress symptomatology. The few studies that have examined how pre-trauma cortisol levels predict PTSS in children have found no effect. Given that a pandemic can induce PTSS in certain individuals, we investigated whether cortisol secretion prior to and in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec (Canada) predicted PTSS in children. In June 2020, we collected a hair sample from 71 children (8-15 y/o, M = 11.65; 54.93% girls) without a history of psychopathology or exposure to previous traumatic events. Hair samples allowed us to derive cumulative measures of cortisol levels for the months prior to (from mid-December 2019 to mid-March 2020) and at the beginning of the pandemic (from mid-March 2020 to mid-June 2020). PTSS were assessed every 3 months between June 2020 (T1) and March 2021 (T4). The results showed that a greater increase in hair cortisol at the beginning of the pandemic predicted less PTSS at T1, with an increase in these symptoms over time. This study highlights the utility of using hair cortisol during future chronic stressful events to better understand its association with the evolution of distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexe Bilodeau-Houle
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2X 3P2, Canada; Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H1N 3V2, Canada
| | - Catherine Raymond
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2X 3P2, Canada; Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H1N 3V2, Canada
| | - Marie-France Marin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2X 3P2, Canada; Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H1N 3V2, Canada.
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2
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Quagliato LA, Nardi AE. The interplay between sexual abuse and inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage in drug-naïve panic disorder patients. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:2995-3001. [PMID: 37131075 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02086-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Although accumulating evidence suggests an interplay between child abuse and inflammatory processes and the pathophysiology of mental disorders, few studies have investigated the cellular mechanisms related to this matter. Furthermore, no studies to date have evaluated cytokine, oxidative stress, and DNA damage levels in drug-naïve panic disorder (PD) patients and their possible association with childhood trauma. The aim of the present study was to determine the levels of the proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1B, the oxidative stress marker TBARS, and 8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG; representing DNA damage) in drug-naïve PD patients compared to controls. Furthermore, this investigation aimed to determine whether early-life trauma could predict peripheral levels of the previously mentioned markers in unmedicated PD patients. This work showed that drug-naïve PD patients presented elevated levels of TBARS and IL-1B but not 8-OHdG compared to healthy controls. In addition, sexual abuse during childhood was associated with increased levels of IL-1B in PD patients. Our findings suggest that the microglial NLRP3 inflammasome complex might be activated in drug-naïve PD patients. This study is the first to associated sexual abuse with increased levels of IL-1B in drug-naïve PD patients and to demonstrate that this population presents high concentrations of oxidative stress and inflammation markers but not DNA damage markers when compared to healthy controls. Independent replication of these findings would support further clinical trials of inflammasome inhibitory drugs in PD patients, which could lead to effective novel treatments for people with PD and contribute to elucidating pathophysiological differences depending on trauma exposure in the immune disturbances accompanying PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laiana A Quagliato
- Laboratory of Panic & Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Venceslau Bras 71, zip code: 22270-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Antonio E Nardi
- Laboratory of Panic & Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Venceslau Bras 71, zip code: 22270-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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3
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On making (and turning adaptive to) maladaptive aversive memories in laboratory rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105101. [PMID: 36804263 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Fear conditioning and avoidance tasks usually elicit adaptive aversive memories. Traumatic memories are more intense, generalized, inflexible, and resistant to attenuation via extinction- and reconsolidation-based strategies. Inducing and assessing these dysfunctional, maladaptive features in the laboratory are crucial to interrogating posttraumatic stress disorder's neurobiology and exploring innovative treatments. Here we analyze over 350 studies addressing this question in adult rats and mice. There is a growing interest in modeling several qualitative and quantitative memory changes by exposing already stressed animals to freezing- and avoidance-related tests or using a relatively high aversive training magnitude. Other options combine aversive/fearful tasks with post-acquisition or post-retrieval administration of one or more drugs provoking neurochemical or epigenetic alterations reported in the trauma aftermath. It is potentially instructive to integrate these procedures and incorporate the measurement of autonomic and endocrine parameters. Factors to consider when defining the organismic and procedural variables, partially neglected aspects (sex-dependent differences and recent vs. remote data comparison) and suggestions for future research (identifying reliable individual risk and treatment-response predictors) are discussed.
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Smeeth D, McEwen FS, Popham CM, Karam EG, Fayyad J, Saab D, Rieder MJ, Elzagallaai AA, van Uum S, Pluess M. War exposure, post-traumatic stress symptoms and hair cortisol concentrations in Syrian refugee children. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:647-656. [PMID: 36385169 PMCID: PMC9908541 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01859-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Altered secretion of cortisol, the primary effector of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, has been proposed as a means by which traumatic experiences compromise later mental health. However, despite the popularity of cortisol as a potential biomarker for stress and adversity, findings are inconsistent, and little is known about the impact of war-related trauma on stress physiology of children and adolescents. Here we aimed to evaluate the relationships between war exposure, current living conditions, hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a large cohort of Syrian refugee children and adolescents (6-18 years) and their caregiver. This longitudinal observational study assessed Syrian refugee children and adolescents in two waves, 1 year apart, within informal tented settlements in Lebanon. The relationships between war exposure, time since leaving Syria, PTSD symptoms and HCC were investigated using linear mixed-model regression utilising both waves of data collected (Y1: N = 1574, Y2: N = 923). Hair cortisol concentration was positively, but weakly associated with the number of war-related events experienced. This was limited to those who were at least 12 years old at the time of war exposure. Conversely, HCC decreased with time since leaving Syria. HCC was also associated with PTSD symptoms but not with the quality of their current living conditions. This study revealed that changes to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity may accompany both earlier war exposure and current PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents. Additionally, early adolescence may be a particularly sensitive time in terms of trauma-related changes to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demelza Smeeth
- grid.4868.20000 0001 2171 1133Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Fiona S. McEwen
- grid.4868.20000 0001 2171 1133Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Cassandra M. Popham
- grid.4868.20000 0001 2171 1133Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Elie G. Karam
- grid.429040.bDepartment of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Balamand University, St George Hospital University Medical Center, Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC), Beirut, Lebanon
| | - John Fayyad
- grid.429040.bDepartment of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Balamand University, St George Hospital University Medical Center, Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC), Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dahlia Saab
- grid.429040.bDepartment of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Balamand University, St George Hospital University Medical Center, Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC), Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Michael J. Rieder
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada
| | - Abdelbaset A. Elzagallaai
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada
| | - Stan van Uum
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada
| | - Michael Pluess
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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Ahrens KF, Neumann RJ, von Werthern NM, Kranz TM, Kollmann B, Mattes B, Puhlmann LMC, Weichert D, Lutz B, Basten U, Fiebach CJ, Wessa M, Kalisch R, Lieb K, Chiocchetti AG, Tüscher O, Reif A, Plichta MM. Association of polygenic risk scores and hair cortisol with mental health trajectories during COVID lockdown. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:396. [PMID: 36130942 PMCID: PMC9490720 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02165-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global stressor with inter-individually differing influences on mental health trajectories. Polygenic Risk Scores (PRSs) for psychiatric phenotypes are associated with individual mental health predispositions. Elevated hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and high PRSs are related to negative mental health outcomes. We analyzed whether PRSs and HCC are related to different mental health trajectories during the first COVID lockdown in Germany. Among 523 participants selected from the longitudinal resilience assessment study (LORA), we previously reported three subgroups (acute dysfunction, delayed dysfunction, resilient) based on weekly mental health (GHQ-28) assessment during COVID lockdown. DNA from blood was collected at the baseline of the original LORA study (n = 364) and used to calculate the PRSs of 12 different psychopathological phenotypes. An explorative bifactor model with Schmid-Leiman transformation was calculated to extract a general genetic factor for psychiatric disorders. Hair samples were collected quarterly prior to the pandemic for determining HCC (n = 192). Bivariate logistic regressions were performed to test the associations of HCC and the PRS factors with the reported trajectories. The bifactor model revealed 1 general factor and 4 sub-factors. Results indicate a significant association between increased values on the general risk factor and the allocation to the acute dysfunction class. The same was found for elevated HCC and the exploratorily tested sub-factor "childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders". Genetic risk and long-term cortisol secretion as a potential indicator of stress, indicated by PRSs and HCC, respectively, predicted different mental health trajectories. Results indicate a potential for future studies on risk prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira F. Ahrens
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rebecca J. Neumann
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nina M. von Werthern
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thorsten M. Kranz
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Bianca Kollmann
- grid.410607.4Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Björn Mattes
- grid.6546.10000 0001 0940 1669Institute of Psychology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lara M. C. Puhlmann
- grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Danuta Weichert
- grid.410607.4Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany ,grid.410607.4Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ulrike Basten
- grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany ,grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christian J. Fiebach
- grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany ,grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michèle Wessa
- grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany ,grid.5802.f0000 0001 1941 7111Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Raffael Kalisch
- grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany ,grid.410607.4Neuroimaging Center (NIC), Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Klaus Lieb
- grid.410607.4Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas G. Chiocchetti
- grid.7839.50000 0004 1936 9721Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- grid.410607.4Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany ,grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michael M. Plichta
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
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Hair cortisol-a stress marker in children and adolescents with chronic tic disorders? A large European cross-sectional study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:771-779. [PMID: 33459885 PMCID: PMC9142457 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01714-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is clear evidence that tic disorders (TDs) are associated with psychosocial stress as well as emotional and behavioral problems. Studies have shown that individuals with TDs have higher acute physiological stress responses to external, single stressors (as reflected by saliva cortisol). The aim of the present study was to examine a physiological marker of longer-term stress (as reflected by hair cortisol concentration) in children and adolescents with TDs and unaffected siblings of individuals with TDs. METHODS Two samples of a European cohort were included in this study. In the COURSE sample, 412 children and adolescents aged 3-16 years with a chronic TD including Tourette syndrome according to DSM IV-TR criteria were included. The ONSET sample included 131 3-10 years old siblings of individuals with TDs, who themselves had no tics. Differences in hair cortisol concentration (HCC) between the two samples were examined. Within the COURSE sample, relations of HCC with tic severity and perceived psychosocial stress as well as potential effects and interaction effects of comorbid emotional and behavioral problems and psychotropic medication on HCC were investigated. RESULTS There were no differences in HCC between the two samples. In participants with TDs, there were no associations between HCC and tic severity or perceived psychosocial stress. No main effects of sex, psychotropic medication status and comorbid emotional and behavioral problems on HCC were found in participants with TDs. CONCLUSION A link between HCC and TDs is not supported by the present results.
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Schuurmans AAT, Nijhof KS, Cima M, Scholte R, Popma A, Otten R. Alterations of autonomic nervous system and HPA axis basal activity and reactivity to acute stress: a comparison of traumatized adolescents and healthy controls. Stress 2021; 24:876-887. [PMID: 33860734 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1900108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in neurobiological stress systems such as the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological and behavioral problems after traumatic experiences. Investigating neurobiological parameters and how these relate to each other may provide insight into the complex mechanisms at play. Whereas the preponderance of studies focuses on either the ANS or the HPA axis separately, the current study is the first to evaluate relations between posttraumatic stress and both basal activity during rest and stress reactivity of the ANS as well as the HPA axis in a sample of traumatized adolescents and healthy controls. The traumatized sample (n = 77), based on clinical levels of posttraumatic stress, was a convenience sample that was recruited within residential institutions, was compared to a healthy control sample (n = 48) recruited within the general community. For the ANS, we expected increased SNS and decreased PNS activity during rest and increased SNS and decreased PNS reactivity to social stress among traumatized adolescents compared to healthy controls. Regarding the HPA axis, we expected increased basal cortisol levels and decreased cortisol reactivity to stress in the traumatized sample. Compared to healthy controls, traumatized adolescents exhibited significantly higher sympathetic and lower parasympathetic activation during rest and increased sympathetic reactivity to acute stress (ANS parameters). Outcomes on the HPA axis (i.e. cortisol) indicated that traumatized adolescents showed increased cortisol levels during rest and blunted cortisol reactivity to acute stress. Implications for clinical relevance and trauma-focused treatment purposes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela A T Schuurmans
- Department of Research and Development, Pluryn, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Karin S Nijhof
- Department of Research and Development, Pluryn, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Cima
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ron Scholte
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Praktikon, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Tranzo, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health - Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roy Otten
- Department of Research and Development, Pluryn, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- ASU REACH Institute, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Sopp MR, Michael T, Lass-Hennemann J, Haim-Nachum S, Lommen MJJ. Longitudinal associations between hair cortisol, PTSD symptoms, and sleep disturbances in a sample of firefighters with duty-related trauma exposure. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 134:105449. [PMID: 34687966 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have found evidence of altered cortisol levels in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on these findings, it is assumed that these patients may show signs of cortisol dysregulation after trauma. Posttrauma cortisol levels are thus considered a potential biomarker of PTSD. However, longitudinal studies using indicators of long-term cortisol secretion such as hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) are scarce. The current study investigated prospective associations between HCC and PTSD symptoms in a sample of Dutch firefighters taking into account varying levels of work-related trauma severity. In addition, we assessed posttraumatic sleep disturbances as a secondary outcome measure to investigate whether effects generalize to this frequent comorbidity of PTSD. Three hundred seventy-one Dutch firefighters with a mean of 14.01 years of work experience were included in the analyses. Baseline assessment included the collection of hair samples and the measurement of work-related trauma severity, PTSD symptoms, and sleep disturbances. PTSD symptoms and sleep disturbance were re-assessed after six and twelve months. Multilevel analyses indicate a significant positive correlation between HCC and baseline PTSD symptoms in those with average or above-average work-related trauma severity. A similar pattern was evident for posttraumatic sleep disturbances at baseline. Moreover, higher HCC predicted more posttraumatic sleep disturbances after 6 months in participants with above-average work-related trauma severity. No other associations emerged for PTSD symptoms or posttraumatic sleep disturbances at six or twelve months. As such, our study supports the existence of a cross-sectional association between HCC and trauma symptoms, which may vary for different levels of subjective trauma severity. The longitudinal stability of this association should be reinvestigated by future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Sopp
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Campus A1 3, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - T Michael
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Campus A1 3, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
| | - J Lass-Hennemann
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Campus A1 3, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - S Haim-Nachum
- School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - M J J Lommen
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands
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Hayes B, Brent J, Zhong Y, Bazmi S, Porta G, Bovbjerg DH, Tarhini A, Kirkwood JM, Brent DA, Marsland A, Melhem NM. Early Cortisol and Inflammatory Responses to Parental Cancer and Their Impact on Functional Impairment in Youth. J Clin Med 2021; 10:576. [PMID: 33557083 PMCID: PMC7913784 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10040576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Chronic stress is associated with increased risk for maladaptive psychological responses during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. Adults exposed to chronic stress during childhood exhibit dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and inflammation. There are no studies examining the impact of stress on biological stress responses and functional impairment in adolescents and young adults early after the onset of a stressor. METHODS The sample consisted of 59 offspring, aged 11-25 years, 33 of parents diagnosed with cancer and 26 controls from families with no cancer or severe chronic illness in parents or siblings. Cancer patients and their families were recruited within an average of 62 days (SD = 35.9) and followed at 6 and 9 months later. Functional impairment was assessed and hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), salivary cortisol, and inflammatory markers were measured. Mixed regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS The stress group showed higher functional impairment (β = -5.5, 95% CI (-10.4, -0.06), p = 0.03, d= -0.40) and HCC (β = 10.5, 95% CI (-5.5, -0.50), p < 0.001, d = 1.43). However, HCC were reduced over time in the stress group (β= -0.3, 95% CI (-0.04, -0.01), p < 0.001, d = -1.08). Higher total cortisol output was associated with increased functional impairment over time (β = -3.0, 95% CI (-5.5, -0.5), p = 0.02, d = -0.60). CONCLUSIONS Parental cancer is associated with early increase in cortisol, which was associated with increased functional impairment in offspring. Clinicians need to assess and monitor psychiatric symptoms and functioning in these offspring early on following parental cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Hayes
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3550 Terrace St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
| | - Jacob Brent
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3550 Terrace St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (J.B.); (D.A.B.)
| | - Yongqi Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, 130 De Soto St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
| | - Shervin Bazmi
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; (S.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Giovanna Porta
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), 100 N Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
| | - Dana H. Bovbjerg
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, 5150 Centre Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; (D.H.B.); (A.T.); (J.M.K.)
| | - Ahmad Tarhini
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, 5150 Centre Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; (D.H.B.); (A.T.); (J.M.K.)
| | - John M. Kirkwood
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, 5150 Centre Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; (D.H.B.); (A.T.); (J.M.K.)
| | - David A. Brent
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3550 Terrace St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (J.B.); (D.A.B.)
| | - Anna Marsland
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; (S.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Nadine M. Melhem
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3550 Terrace St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (J.B.); (D.A.B.)
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van den Heuvel LL, Stalder T, du Plessis S, Suliman S, Kirschbaum C, Seedat S. Hair cortisol levels in posttraumatic stress disorder and metabolic syndrome. Stress 2020; 23:577-589. [PMID: 32008379 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1724949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) evidence increased rates of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and both PTSD and MetS are associated with alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Few investigations have examined the possible role of HPA-axis dysfunction in the co-occurrence of PTSD and MetS. In a case-control study, we aimed to determine whether hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were associated with (i) PTSD caseness and severity and (ii) PTSD and MetS co-occurrence. We used the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) to determine PTSD diagnoses and severity scores in 216 females of mixed ancestry aged between 20 and 79 years (M = 43.8, SD =13.3). Hair samples, representing a three-month retrospective window of cortisol levels, were obtained and analyzed utilizing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We constructed multivariate linear regression models to evaluate whether PTSD diagnosis, PTSD severity, and MetS comorbidity were associated with HCC, controlling for potential confounders. HCC were significantly higher (adj β = 0.154, p = .033; Cohen's d = 0.44) in PTSD patients (n = 110) than trauma-exposed controls (n = 106) and CAPS severity scores (adj β = 0.207, p = .005) were significantly associated with HCC. MetS was not associated with HCC and there were no significant interactions between PTSD and MetS on HCC. This study provides evidence of a chronically dysregulated neuroendocrine mediated stress response in PTSD, with a clear dose-response relationship. HCC do not, however, appear to have specificity for the comorbidity of PTSD and MetS in this sample.LAY SUMMARYWe found that levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, measured in hair samples were significantly higher in South African women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than in women who had also experienced trauma but did not have PTSD. Hair cortisol levels were, however, not associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for heart disease, in the women studied. We thus show that South African women with PTSD have elevated long-term stress hormone levels and that this effect is related to PTSD and not solely due to trauma exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh Luella van den Heuvel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tobias Stalder
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Stéfan du Plessis
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sharain Suliman
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Kornelsen E, Buchan MC, Gonzalez A, Ferro MA. Hair Cortisol Concentration and Mental Disorder in Children With Chronic Physical Illness. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 3:2470547019875116. [PMID: 32440601 PMCID: PMC7219865 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019875116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background To examine changes in hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in children with
chronic physical illness and identify patterns of association between HCC
and mental comorbidity. Methods A sample of 50 children aged 6 to 16 years were recruited within six months
of being diagnosed with a chronic physical illness. Data were collected via
hair samples, structured interviews, and behavioral checklists. Results There was no change in HCC over six months. Baseline HCC was associated with
internalizing—odds ratio (OR) = 1.29 (90% confidence interval (CI):
1.01–1.66)—and externalizing disorders—OR = 1.32 (90% CI: 1.07–1.64).
Externalizing disorder at six months was associated with elevated
baseline—OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02–1.53)—and six-month HCC—OR = 1.25 (90% CI:
1.02–1.54). Associations between HCC and mental disorder weakened over time,
and for internalizing disorders, changed direction (i.e., inverse
association), albeit not significantly. Conclusion Results provide preliminary evidence that physiological stress, measured
using HCC, may be implicated in the relationship between physical and mental
illness, and these associations align with attenuated stress responses over
time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Kornelsen
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - M Claire Buchan
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Mark A Ferro
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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