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Zhang YD, Wang LN. Research progress in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome through interventions targeting the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1373748. [PMID: 38660512 PMCID: PMC11039924 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1373748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes great harm to individuals and society. Elucidating the pathogenesis of CFS and developing safe and effective treatments are urgently needed. This paper reviews the functional changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with CFS and the associated neuroendocrine mechanisms. Despite some controversy, the current mainstream research evidence indicates that CFS patients have mild hypocortisolism, weakened daily variation in cortisol, a weakened response to the HPA axis, and an increase in negative feedback of the HPA axis. The relationship between dysfunction of the HPA axis and the typical symptoms of CFS are discussed, and the current treatment methods are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Dan Zhang
- College of Basic Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Na Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
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2
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García-González D, Romero-Elías M, Álvarez-Bustos A, Rosado-García S, Sánchez-López AJ, Cantos B, Maximiano C, Méndez M, Méndez-Otero M, Cebolla H, García-Foncillas J, Ruiz-Casado A. Cancer-Related Fatigue and Circulating Biomarkers in Breast Cancer Survivors. Biol Res Nurs 2024; 26:270-278. [PMID: 37947791 DOI: 10.1177/10998004231215777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common and disruptive symptom experienced by cancer survivors and because of its frequency and severity is especially worrisome in breast cancer survivors (BCS). Despite a great deal of research, the mechanisms underlying CRF have not been determined. The present study aims to describe associations between CRF in BCS and different blood biomarkers. METHODS A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. A set of biomarkers assessing inflammation were measured in BCS: C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF); HPA axis dysfunction (cortisol), autonomic dysfunction (noradrenaline); oxidative stress (8-OH deoxyguanosine); insulin resistance markers (insulin, IGF-I, IGFBP3) and sexual hormones (estrogens, progesterone, testosterone). RESULTS NLR (p = .00) and cortisol (p = .02) were positive and negatively associated with CRF, respectively. The rest of the blood markers were not associated with CRF. CONCLUSION Our results increase the evidence on pathophysiological mechanisms driving CRF in BCS. However, longitudinal studies are needed to explore the role of these factors as potential causal mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María Romero-Elías
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Álvarez-Bustos
- Biomedical Research Center Network for Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Rosado-García
- Biobank, Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Blanca Cantos
- Department of Medical Oncology, IDIPHISA, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Constanza Maximiano
- Department of Medical Oncology, IDIPHISA, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miriam Méndez
- Department of Medical Oncology, IDIPHISA, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Méndez-Otero
- Department of Medical Oncology, IDIPHISA, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jesús García-Foncillas
- School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Translational Oncology Division, Oncohealth Institute, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology, UAM, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Ruiz-Casado
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology, IDIPHISA, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
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Yamaguchi S, Fujita T, Kato S, Yoshimitsu Y, Ito YM, Yano R. Utility of salivary cortisol profile as a predictive biomarker in nurses' turnover risk: a preliminary study. J Physiol Anthropol 2024; 43:1. [PMID: 38167248 PMCID: PMC10759393 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-023-00349-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: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predicting nurse turnover risk is crucial due to the global nursing shortage; however, existing predictors, such as fatigue and burnout, lack objectivity. Salivary cortisol is a non-invasive marker of stress and fatigue, but its utility in predicting nurse turnover risk is unknown. We examined whether salivary cortisol profiles across three different day shifts in a month are predictors of the extent of nurses' reluctance to stay in their current jobs. METHODS This preliminary longitudinal study followed forty female nurses who engaged in shift work at a university hospital for 3 months. Data at enrollment were collected including demographics, working conditions, chronic fatigue (the Japanese version of the Occupational Fatigue/Exhaustion Recovery Scale), and burnout (Japanese Burnout scale). Salivary cortisol was measured before the three different day shifts (after awakening) during the first month, and the means of these measurements were used as the cortisol profile. The extent of reluctance to stay was assessed using the numerical rating scale at 3 months. RESULTS Among the forty female nurses (mean [SD] age, 28.3 [5.1]), all completed follow-up and were included in the analysis. The cortisol profile was associated with the extent of reluctance to stay (P = 0.017), and this association was significant despite adjustments for chronic fatigue and burnout (P = 0.005). A multiple regression model with chronic fatigue, burnout, and job tenure explained 41.5% of the variation in reluctance to stay. When the cortisol profile was added to this model, the association of the cortisol profile was significant (P = 0.006) with an R2 of 0.529 (ΔR2 = 0.114). CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study conducted in an actual clinical setting indicated the potential of the salivary cortisol profile across three different day shifts in a month to predict nurses' reluctance to stay in their current jobs. The combination of subjective indicators and the cortisol profile would be useful in predicting nurses' turnover risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Yamaguchi
- Department of Nursing, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Yoichi M Ito
- Data Science Center, Promotion Unit, Institute of Health Science Innovation for Medical Care, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rika Yano
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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Ruiz-Pablos M, Paiva B, Zabaleta A. Epstein-Barr virus-acquired immunodeficiency in myalgic encephalomyelitis-Is it present in long COVID? J Transl Med 2023; 21:633. [PMID: 37718435 PMCID: PMC10506247 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04515-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Both myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID (LC) are characterized by similar immunological alterations, persistence of chronic viral infection, autoimmunity, chronic inflammatory state, viral reactivation, hypocortisolism, and microclot formation. They also present with similar symptoms such as asthenia, exercise intolerance, sleep disorders, cognitive dysfunction, and neurological and gastrointestinal complaints. In addition, both pathologies present Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation, indicating the possibility of this virus being the link between both pathologies. Therefore, we propose that latency and recurrent EBV reactivation could generate an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in three steps: first, an acquired EBV immunodeficiency develops in individuals with "weak" EBV HLA-II haplotypes, which prevents the control of latency I cells. Second, ectopic lymphoid structures with EBV latency form in different tissues (including the CNS), promoting inflammatory responses and further impairment of cell-mediated immunity. Finally, immune exhaustion occurs due to chronic exposure to viral antigens, with consolidation of the disease. In the case of LC, prior to the first step, there is the possibility of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with "weak" HLA-II haplotypes against this virus and/or EBV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bruno Paiva
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Av. Pío XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Aintzane Zabaleta
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Av. Pío XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
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The effect of acute exercise on the cortisol awakening response. Eur J Appl Physiol 2023; 123:1027-1039. [PMID: 36629945 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-023-05132-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The effects of acute exercise on the cortisol awakening response (CAR), characterized by the rapid increase in cortisol concentrations within the 30-45 min following sleep offset has yet to be fully elucidated. Thus, our study investigated the effects of late-evening acute exercise on the CAR the following morning. We hypothesized that exercise would have a significant effect on the CAR the following morning. Twelve participants (mean (SD): age = 23 (4) years; mass = 76.8 (8.7) kg; height = 175.6 (5.0) cm; [Formula: see text]O2max = 48.9 (7.5) ml.kg-1.min-1) reported to the laboratory in the evening (1800 h) on two occasions and were randomly assigned to either exercise for one hour (70-75% of maximal power output) or rest condition. Blood and saliva samples were assayed for cortisol. Mixed-effects models determined the effect of exercise on the cortisol response post-waking in both blood and saliva. Participants demonstrated an average exercise-induced increase in circulating cortisol of 477.3%, with actual mean (SD) heart rate relative to maximum of 87.04% (6.14%). Model results demonstrated a negative effect for exercise condition when modeling the serum and salivary cortisol responses to awakening via a quadratic growth model (serum, βCondition = - 42.26 [95% CI - 64.52 to - 20.01], p < 0.001; saliva, βCondition = - 11.55 [95% CI - 15.52 to - 7.57], p < 0.001). These results suggest that cortisol concentrations in saliva and blood are significantly lower the morning following a prior evening exercise session. Therefore, the CAR may serve as a useful biomarker to monitor responses to exercise training, although the underlying mechanism for these decreases in the CAR should be investigated further.
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Salivary Biomarker Profiles and Chronic Fatigue among Nurses Working Rotation Shifts: An Exploratory Pilot Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10081416. [PMID: 36011073 PMCID: PMC9407778 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10081416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although nurses’ fatigue affects their well-being and patient safety, no effective objective measurements exist. We explored the profiles of salivary biomarkers associated with nurses’ chronic fatigue across several shifts. This longitudinal study involved 45 shiftwork nurses and collected their saliva samples before two night and two day shifts for a month. Chronic fatigue was measured using the Cumulative Fatigue Symptom Index before the first night shift. Biomarker profiles were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis, and chronic fatigue levels were compared between the profiles. Cortisol profiles were classified into high- and low-level groups across two day shifts; the low-level group presented significantly higher irritability and unwillingness to work. Secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) profiles across the four shifts were classified into high- and low-level groups; the high-level group had significantly higher depressive feelings, decreased vitality, irritability, and unwillingness to work. Cortisol (two day shifts) and s-IgA (four shifts) profiles were combined, and (i) cortisol low-level and s-IgA high-level and (ii) cortisol high-level and s-IgA low-level groups were identified. The former group had significantly higher chronic fatigue sign and irritability than the latter group. The profiles of salivary cortisol and s-IgA across several shifts were associated with nurses’ chronic fatigue.
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7
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Carbajal-López EB, Juárez-García DM, Espinoza-Velazco A, Calderillo-Ruiz G. Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Psychoeducation Program for Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER EDUCATION 2022; 37:668-674. [PMID: 32894418 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-020-01866-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) account for 0.2-3% of all cancer diagnoses and are thus considered a rare type of cancer. Severe levels of fatigue occur in 33% of patients on imatinib, but besides treatment, fatigue is also associated with psychological distress. As far as we know, only one previous study has reported on the design of a psychoeducational intervention for caregivers and patients with GIST. The current study was conducted to compare the preliminary effectiveness of an Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral stress management intervention and psychoeducation program for anxiety, depression, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). This study had an experimental pre-test post-test design with a control group. Ninety-nine patients were randomly allocated to an Internet-delivered cognitive program (n = 50) or psychoeducation control group (n = 49). Participants completed the questionnaires at three time points (pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up). Twenty-seven participants completed the intervention. A significant interaction effect between groups and time was found for general fatigue [F(2, 28) = 8.2, p < 0.001, ƞ2p = 0.25], reduced motivation [F(2, 28) = 3.5, p < 0.05, ƞ2p = 0.12], distress [F(2, 28) = 3.4, p < 0.05, ƞ2p = 0.12], and global health status [F(2, 28) = 3.8, p < 0.05, ƞ2p = 0.13]. Both intervention programs showed reductions in the dimensions of fatigue and improvements in distress and dimensions of quality of life. Additional research on a larger sample size is needed to confirm the effects obtained in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dehisy Marisol Juárez-García
- Psychology School, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico.
- Health Psychology Unit, Center for Research and Development in Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Dr. Carlos Canseco s/n, Mitras Centro, 64460, Monterrey, NL, Mexico.
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8
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Doerr JM, Nater UM, Feneberg AC, Mewes R. Differential associations between fatigue and psychobiological stress measures in women with depression and women with somatic symptom disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105343. [PMID: 34214864 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Medically unexplained fatigue is a burdensome, widespread symptom, and a frequent complaint in depressive disorders (DDs) as well as somatic symptom disorder (SSD). Heightened stress levels are a likely cause of fatigue, although the temporal associations, as well as the role of the stress-reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are not yet completely understood. We were interested in the differences between DD and SSD regarding general, mental, and physical fatigue, as well as associations between psychobiological stress measures (representing different time frames) and fatigue in these groups. METHODS Fifty-eight women (29 with DD, 29 with SSD) reported subjective recent fatigue and chronic stress levels, as well as levels of depression and somatic complaints using baseline questionnaires. Furthermore, they completed an ambulatory assessment period comprising measurements of fatigue, subjective stress, and salivary cortisol five times a day for 14 consecutive days. Salivary cortisol was obtained as a measure of within-day HPA axis activity, and hair cortisol concentration was obtained as a measure of accumulated HPA axis activity of the preceding three months. RESULTS Women with DD reported higher levels of general and mental fatigue than did women with SSD, which was explained by their higher level of depression. Physical fatigue levels did not differ between groups. In both groups, momentary general, mental, and physical fatigue levels were associated with momentary subjective stress but not with chronic stress. Momentary salivary cortisol levels were positively associated with mental fatigue, while hair cortisol concentration was not. CONCLUSIONS There are differences in fatigue profiles between DD and SSD, which should be accounted for in future research and practice (e.g., individualized treatment strategies focusing on mental or physical fatigue, depending on which fatigue dimension is prominent).
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna M Doerr
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Gießen, Germany.
| | - Urs M Nater
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anja C Feneberg
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ricarda Mewes
- Outpatient Unit for Research, Teaching and Practice, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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9
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A Comprehensive Examination of Severely Ill ME/CFS Patients. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9101290. [PMID: 34682970 PMCID: PMC8535418 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9101290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One in four myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients are estimated to be severely affected by the disease, and these house-bound or bedbound patients are currently understudied. Here, we report a comprehensive examination of the symptoms and clinical laboratory tests of a cohort of severely ill patients and healthy controls. The greatly reduced quality of life of the patients was negatively correlated with clinical depression. The most troublesome symptoms included fatigue (85%), pain (65%), cognitive impairment (50%), orthostatic intolerance (45%), sleep disturbance (35%), post-exertional malaise (30%), and neurosensory disturbance (30%). Sleep profiles and cognitive tests revealed distinctive impairments. Lower morning cortisol level and alterations in its diurnal rhythm were observed in the patients, and antibody and antigen measurements showed no evidence for acute infections by common viral or bacterial pathogens. These results highlight the urgent need of developing molecular diagnostic tests for ME/CFS. In addition, there was a striking similarity in symptoms between long COVID and ME/CFS, suggesting that studies on the mechanism and treatment of ME/CFS may help prevent and treat long COVID and vice versa.
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10
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Objective and Measurable Biomarkers in Chronic Subjective Tinnitus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126619. [PMID: 34205595 PMCID: PMC8235100 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tinnitus is associated with increased social costs and reduced quality of life through sleep disorders or psychological distress. The pathophysiology of chronic subjective tinnitus, which accounts for most tinnitus, has not been clearly elucidated. This is because chronic subjective tinnitus is difficult to evaluate objectively, and there are no objective markers that represent the diagnosis or therapeutic effect of tinnitus. Based on the results of studies on patients with chronic subjective tinnitus, objective and measurable biomarkers that help to identify the pathophysiology of tinnitus have been summarized. A total of 271 studies in PubMed, 303 in EMBASE, and 45 in Cochrane Library were found on biomarkers related to chronic subjective tinnitus published until April 2021. Duplicate articles, articles not written in English, review articles, case reports, and articles that did not match our topic were excluded. A total of 49 studies were included. Three specimens, including blood, saliva, and urine, and a total of 58 biomarkers were used as indicators for diagnosis, evaluation, prognosis, and therapeutic effectiveness of tinnitus. Biomarkers were classified into eight categories comprising metabolic, hemostatic, inflammatory, endocrine, immunological, neurologic, and oxidative parameters. Biomarkers can help in the diagnosis, measure the severity, predict prognosis, and treatment outcome of tinnitus.
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A Complementary Intervention to Promote Wellbeing and Stress Management for Early Career Teachers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18126320. [PMID: 34207970 PMCID: PMC8296157 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The educational climate and culture in our schools present a variety of environmental (contextual) factors that influence teacher wellbeing, job satisfaction, and work-related stress. The magnitude of contextual factors cannot be ignored, and directing attention towards the environment teachers face daily is essential. Primary (organisational)-level interventions are documented in organisational health and wellbeing literature; however, to provide teachers with stress management strategies for promoting wellbeing, attention must also be directed towards secondary (individual)-level interventions. The present study addressed the issue of stress management techniques for early career teachers (n = 24) and aimed to contribute to the research surrounding complementary interventions (CIs) for educators. The intervention was designed to include strategies that operated through cognitive and physiological mechanisms that regulated the stress response and increased awareness of behaviours, emotions, and reactivity. The self-report measures included perceived stress, attention awareness, subjective wellbeing, burnout, and job-related affective wellbeing. The results indicated a statistically significant decrease in perceived stress and increases in attention awareness and subjective wellbeing. The salivary cortisol levels (waking and resting) decreased from baseline to week 6, and the pre- and post-session salivary cortisol levels indicated an immediate decrease in cortisol for weeks 4 to 6.
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12
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Kongtip P, Nankongnab N, Kallayanatham N, Pengpumkiat S, Gore R, Pundee R, Konthonbut P, Woskie SR. Disruption of the Diurnal Cortisol Hormone Pattern by Pesticide Use in a Longitudinal Study of Farmers in Thailand. Ann Work Expo Health 2021; 65:406-417. [PMID: 33604604 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxaa124] [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: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones has been associated with a range of chronic metabolic and cardiovascular health conditions. This study evaluated whether type of farming (organic versus conventional) or the number of self-reported days of spraying pesticides in the past 8 months was associated with diurnal cortisol levels. Salivary cortisol levels were measured four times a day (waking, 30 min after waking, 6 h after waking and bedtime) longitudinally, 8 months apart during three rounds of data collection. Pesticide using (conventional) and organic farmers were recruited to participate. Pesticide use in the previous 8 months was determined as the number of spray days for each type of pesticide used (herbicide, insecticide, fungicide) from self-reported questionnaires. Estimates of cortisol levels at four time points, the cortisol awakening response (CAR), and the diurnal cortisol slope (DCS) were estimated with a longitudinal mixed model that accounted for the non-linearity of cortisol levels across the day. Conventional farmers had significantly lower cortisol levels at waking than organic farmers (3.39 versus 3.86 ng ml-1), 30 min after waking (5.87 versus 6.96 ng ml-1), 6 h after waking (1.62 versus 1.88 ng ml-1), and lower diurnal cortisol slope (-2.26 versus -2.51 ng ml-1). Farmers who frequently applied herbicides (90th percentile of the number of spray days in the past 8 months) had significantly lower waking, 30 min after waking, 6 h after waking, bedtime and diurnal cortisol slopes compared with those with no spray days of herbicide in the past 8 months (organic and some of the conventional farmers). Those who frequently applied insecticides in the past 8 months had significantly lower bedtime levels and diurnal cortisol slopes, compared with those with no spray days of insecticide in the past 8 months. There were no significant differences in cortisol hormones between those who frequently applied fungicides and those who did not spray fungicides. Repeated pesticide use appears to be disrupting the HPA axis and depressing the normal diurnal cortisol rhythm among conventional Thai farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pornpimol Kongtip
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Noppanun Nankongnab
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nichcha Kallayanatham
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sumate Pengpumkiat
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rebecca Gore
- Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854-2867, USA
| | | | - Pajaree Konthonbut
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Susan R Woskie
- Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854-2867, USA
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Bortolotto I, de Brum APS, Guecheva TN, de Souza LM, de Paula-Ramos ALL, Trindade C, Consiglio AR. DNA damage, salivary cortisol levels, and cognitive parameters in a nursing team. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2021; 861-862:503300. [PMID: 33551101 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2020.503300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In a cross-sectional study of women in a nursing team at a university hospital in southern Brazil, we studied DNA damage, salivary cortisol levels, and cognition. DNA damage was measured in blood leukocytes with the comet assay and the micronucleus test. Salivary cortisol levels were determined upon waking, 30 min later, and at bedtime. Cognition was evaluated according to the Stroop, Digit span and Word span tests. Cortisol levels on waking up were associated negatively with the number of years the employee worked at the institution and positively with the DNA damage in comet assay. Cognitive scores were lower when the cortisol levels were low at awakening and high at bedtime; and were associated positively with educational level. Cortisol status may influence overall health as well as essential work skills, such as attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iranez Bortolotto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Scherer de Brum
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina (UNOESC), SC, Brazil
| | - Temenouga Nikolova Guecheva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Larissa Milano de Souza
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Ligia Lia de Paula-Ramos
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Trindade
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil; Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Biomédicas, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia.
| | - Angelica Rosat Consiglio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil.
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14
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Scarinci F, Patacchioli FR, Ghiciuc CM, Pasquali V, Bercea RM, Cozma S, Parravano M. Psychological Profile and Distinct Salivary Cortisol Awake Response (CAR) in Two Different Study Populations with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC). J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9082490. [PMID: 32756367 PMCID: PMC7464438 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) are in terms of nosography different pathologies, however they share a stress-related physio-pathogenetic component, not yet explored in depth. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to ascertain whether OSA and CSC share a common profile, specifically in cortisol production focusing on the cortisol awake response (CAR), the area under curve (AUCCAR) and the SLOPECAR compared with healthy matched controls. Furthermore, standardized self-administered questionnaires were used to identify mental health status related to depression, anxiety and subjective stress perception levels in the study populations. The results showed hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity anomalies, represented by a flattening CAR in the OSA group and a statistically significant increase in cortisol production in CSC patients at awakening. This disarrangement of the HPA axis activity associated with elevated distress and mental health scores, and its presence in both patients with OSA and patients with CSC, might represent the shared path explaining the stress-related component in these diseases. Further research is needed to investigate the psycho-neuro-endocrinological aspects of OSA and CSC to determine whether psychoeducation on effective stress coping strategies might be of value in improving the quality of life of OSA and CSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Scarinci
- IRCCS—Fondazione Bietti, 00100 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (M.P.)
| | | | - Cristina Mihaela Ghiciuc
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Vittorio Pasquali
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00100 Rome, Italy;
| | - Raluca Mihaela Bercea
- Department of Pneumology, County Emergency Hospital of Ploieşti, 100248 Ploieşti, Romania;
| | - Sebastian Cozma
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, 700115 Iasi, Romania;
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15
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Markert C, Gomm C, Ehlert U, Gaab J, Nater UM. Effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management training in individuals with functional somatic symptoms - an exploratory randomized controlled trial. Stress 2019; 22:696-706. [PMID: 31198076 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1625329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is discussed as a risk factor in the manifestation and maintenance of functional somatic (FS) symptoms. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management training (CBSM) on FS symptoms and the (potentially mediating) role of the neuroendocrine system. This study aims to examine stress-related psychological and neuroendocrine changes after receiving a brief CBSM in individuals with FS symptoms. Forty-three participants of both sexes, who reported at least one current FS symptom, were analyzed (treatment group (TG) n = 21, waitlist control group (WCG) n = 22) using mixed models. Number of symptoms, psychological stress, and salivary cortisol levels were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6 months later. Mixed model analyses did not reveal significant differences between the TG and the WCG regarding number of FS symptoms (p > 0.05), psychological stress measures (p > 0.05) or the cortisol awakening response (CAR) (p > 0.05). The TG presented lower diurnal cortisol levels at pretreatment, posttreatment and 6 months later (p < 0.05). We did not find significant beneficial effects that were specific to CBSM. Further research should be undertaken to investigate the effects of CBSM on real life stress or laboratory stressors in subjects with FS symptoms. Moreover, learning cognitive restructuring and establishing new coping strategies into everyday life might require more time. This study is a first step in filling the gap in understanding the influences of CBSM as a brief intervention on psychological and biological aspects of stress in participants with FS symptoms and will hopefully inform larger trials of CBSM for FS symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Gomm
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Jens Gaab
- Department of Psychology, University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland
| | - Urs M Nater
- Department of Psychology, University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
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16
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Jackson JG. The Cortisol Awakening Response: A Feasibility Study Investigating the Use of the Area Under the Curve With Respect to Increase as an Effective Objective Measure of Tinnitus Distress. Am J Audiol 2019; 28:583-596. [PMID: 31318575 DOI: 10.1044/2019_aja-18-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Tinnitus is a chronic medical condition that can result in distress, concentration difficulties, and clinical depression. An effective, objective measure of tinnitus distress does not currently exist. Endocrinal studies into the condition have been few, with those investigating the cortisol awakening response limited in scope. It was hypothesized that distressed individuals with tinnitus would awaken and be unable to effectively prepare for the day ahead due to a blunted cortisol response. Method Twenty individuals with varying tinnitus distress were compared with a control group (n = 10) in a pilot study, which measured salivary cortisol concentrations on awakening. Multiple exclusion variables were applied. Results In line with previous studies, total cortisol volume (as measured by area under the curve) was not found to be significantly different in the most distressed individuals with tinnitus, F(2, 26) = 0.254, p = .777ns. However, a separate measure of changing cortisol levels-the area under the curve with respect to increase (or AUCi)-was found to be significantly less robust in those individuals reporting the most severe tinnitus distress, F(2, 26) = 7.671, p = .002. This indicates that fewer resources would be available to cope with the demands of the day ahead. Additionally, the AUCi correlated negatively with tinnitus distress later the same day. Conclusions Relationships between proposed objective and self-reported components of self-reported tinnitus distress are considered, with some aspects of tinnitus distress more closely related to physiological mechanisms than others. It is suggested that, with further research, the cortisol awakening response (AUCi) may be put forward as a credible objective biomarker of tinnitus distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- James George Jackson
- Psychology, Sociology and Criminology Group, School of Social and Health Sciences, Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth, United Kingdom
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17
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Schlotz W. Investigating associations between momentary stress and cortisol in daily life: What have we learned so far? Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 105:105-116. [PMID: 30503527 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Since cortisol measurement in saliva has been established, it has been used as an indicator of stress-related hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis activity. Concurrent development of methodological frameworks such as ambulatory assessment, ecological momentary assessment, and experience sampling have provided opportunities to combine both approaches in daily life research. The current review provides a summary of basic methodological principles and recommendations, as well as abstracts of findings of studies investigating momentary associations between stress and cortisol in daily life with an emphasis on within-subject associations (i.e. average covariance in repeated momentary assessments of stress and cortisol, and individual-specific deviations from the average covariance). Methodological challenges related to stress measurement, sampling principles, and appropriate statistical modeling are discussed, followed by a description of the historical development of studies on within-subject associations between momentary daily life stress and cortisol. The review concludes with a discussion of controversial methodological characteristics of these studies regarding operationalizations of stress, compliance, timing and frequency of stress and cortisol sampling, and reporting of effect sizes. Future research in this area would benefit from automated cortisol assessment, broadening of the scope of stress response measures, use of advanced statistical models that better account for dynamics in the stress process in daily life, and attempts to replicate findings. While previous studies of momentary stress and concurrent cortisol assessments have reliably confirmed some fundamental predictions from stress theory in daily life, future studies should aim at providing progress by testing innovative research questions and utilizing new technological developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolff Schlotz
- Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute of Psychology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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18
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Golub Y, Kuitunen-Paul S, Panaseth K, Stonawski V, Frey S, Steigleder R, Grimm J, Goecke TW, Fasching PA, Beckmann MW, Kornhuber J, Kratz O, Heinrich H, Moll GH, Eichler A. Salivary and hair cortisol as biomarkers of emotional and behavioral symptoms in 6-9 year old children. Physiol Behav 2019; 209:112584. [PMID: 31228497 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present work is to investigate the association of salivary and cumulative cortisol levels with emotional and behavioral symptoms in a Franconian Cognition and Emotion Studies (FRANCES) general population cohort of 158 6- to 9 year old children. Salivary cortisol values were measured by one-day diurnal cortisol profile, whereas cumulative cortisol was estimated via one-month hair cortisol concentrations (rHCC). Nearly all significant associations of clinical symptoms with child cortisol indices were age dependent: We report emotional symptoms being associated with lower rHCC in younger children (6.06-7.54 years). In older children (7.55-9.41 years) behavioral problems were further associated with higher rHCC and lower salivary cortisol awakening responses. In summary, child clinical symptoms were stronger associated with markers of hair cortisol compared to salivary cortisol. To picture developmental mechanisms, we suggest longitudinal designs for cortisol measures of stress systems in children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Golub
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; University Hospital Dresden, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Sören Kuitunen-Paul
- University Hospital Dresden, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Panaseth
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Valeska Stonawski
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Stefan Frey
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Ruth Steigleder
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Jennifer Grimm
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Tamme W Goecke
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Department of Perinatal Medicine and Obstetrics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Peter A Fasching
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Matthias W Beckmann
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Oliver Kratz
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Hartmut Heinrich
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; kbo-Heckscher-Klinikum, Deisenhofener Str. 28, 81539 München, Germany.
| | - Gunter H Moll
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Anna Eichler
- University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Schwabachanlage 6 & 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Duan H, Fang H, Zhang Y, Shi X, Zhang L. Associations between cortisol awakening response and resting electroencephalograph asymmetry. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7059. [PMID: 31198648 PMCID: PMC6553442 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortisol awakening response (CAR), a rapid cortisol rise in the morning after awakening, has been proposed to provide energy to cope with daily demands and suggested to be associated with brain functions. Electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry studies have implicated asymmetric cortical activation, especially in frontal cortex, in approach-withdrawal motivation. In this study, we examined the relationship between the CAR and lateralized cortical activity under rest in 55 university male students. Saliva samples were collected at 0, 15, 30 and 60 min after awakening on the two consecutive workdays. The lateralized cortical activity at frontocentral sites was examined by alpha asymmetry score. The results showed that a higher CAR was positively associated with alpha asymmetry score, which indicated that the higher CAR is linked with more left-sided cortical activity at frontocentral sites under resting state. This association still existed even after controlling psychological and sleep quality variables. These results suggested that appropriately mobilizing energy resource storage after awakening revealed as CAR might be associated with goal-directed approach tendencies before any eventual stressful situation, characteristic of more left than right resting-state frontocentral cortical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Duan
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Huihua Fang
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuling Zhang
- Zaoyang First People’s Hospital, Zaoyang, Hubei, China
| | - Xia Shi
- Department of Psychology, Tianjin University of Technology and Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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20
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Boneva RS, Lin JMS, Wieser F, Nater UM, Ditzen B, Taylor RN, Unger ER. Endometriosis as a Comorbid Condition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): Secondary Analysis of Data From a CFS Case-Control Study. Front Pediatr 2019; 7:195. [PMID: 31179251 PMCID: PMC6537603 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2019.00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Endometriosis (EM) is a recognized co-morbid condition in women with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This analysis evaluates the impact of EM on the health of women with CFS by comparing selected health characteristics and laboratory parameters in women with CFS with and without EM (CFS+EM and CFS-only). Methods: This secondary analysis included all 36 women with CFS from a cross-sectional study of CFS in Wichita, KS, conducted between 2002 and 2003. The health characteristics and laboratory parameters of interest included functioning, fatigue, CFS-related symptoms, gynecologic history, routine laboratory parameters, inflammatory markers, cortisol levels, allostatic load, and sleep parameters (overnight polysomnography). We used parametric or non-parametric tests to compare group differences in the selected health characteristics and laboratory parameters. For examining the association between EM and variables of interest, logistic regression models were performed and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported for the magnitude of associations. Statistical significance was set at 0.05 (two-sided). Results: The mean age of this study sample was 50.9 years. Of women with CFS, 36.1% reported having EM. Age and body mass index (BMI) did not differ between CFS+EM and CFS-only groups. When examining the impact of EM, compared to women with CFS-only, women with both CFS and EM were more likely to report chronic pelvic pain [OR = 9.00 (95% CI, 1.47-55.25)] and hysterectomy [OR = 10.3 (1.82-58.39)], had more CFS symptoms (6.8 ± 0.3 vs. 5.5 ± 0.3, p = 0.02), younger mean age at menopause onset (36.4 ± 3.0 vs. 47.0 ± 2.7 years, p = 0.03), higher mean number of obstructive apnea episodes per hour (20.3 vs. 4.4, p = 0.05) and reported more negative life events (15.8 vs. 4.4, p = 0.05). Other parameters did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: We found more than a third of women with CFS reported endometriosis as a comorbid condition. The endometriosis comorbidity was associated with chronic pelvic pain, earlier menopause, hysterectomy, and more CFS-related symptoms. However, endometriosis in women with CFS did not appear to further impact functioning, fatigue, inflammatory markers, or other laboratory parameters. Further investigations including younger women are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roumiana S. Boneva
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jin-Mann S. Lin
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Friedrich Wieser
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Urs M. Nater
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Robert N. Taylor
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Elizabeth R. Unger
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Cadegiani FA, Kater CE. Inter-correlations Among Clinical, Metabolic, and Biochemical Parameters and Their Predictive Value in Healthy and Overtrained Male Athletes: The EROS-CORRELATIONS Study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:858. [PMID: 31920971 PMCID: PMC6914842 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: The Endocrine and Metabolic Responses on Overtraining Syndrome (EROS) study identified multiple hormonal and metabolic conditioning processes in athletes, and underlying mechanisms and biomarkers of overtraining syndrome (OTS). The present study's objective was to reveal independent predictors and linear correlations among the parameters evaluated in the EROS study to predict clinical, metabolic, and biochemical behaviors in healthy and OTS-affected male athletes. Methods: We used multivariate linear regression and linear correlation to analyze possible combinations of the 38 parameters evaluated in the EROS study that revealed significant differences between healthy and OTS-affected athletes. Results: The testosterone-to-estradiol (T:E) ratio predicted the measured-to-predicted basal metabolic rate (BMR) ratio; the T:E ratio and total testosterone level were inversely predicted by fat mass and estradiol was not predicted by any of the non-modifiable parameters. Early and late growth hormone, cortisol, and prolactin responses to an insulin tolerance test (ITT) were strongly correlated. Hormonal responses to the ITT were positively correlated with fat oxidation, predicted-to-measured BMR ratio, muscle mass, and vigor, and inversely correlated with fat mass and fatigue. Salivary cortisol 30 min after awakening and the T:E ratio were inversely correlated with fatigue. Tension was inversely correlated with libido and directly correlated with body fat. The predicted-to-measured BMR ratio was correlated with muscle mass and body water, while fat oxidation was directly correlated with muscle mass and inversely correlated with fat mass. Muscle mass was directly correlated with body water, and extracellular water was directly correlated with body fat and inversely correlated with body water and muscle mass. Conclusions: Hypothalamic-pituitary responses to stimulation were diffuse and indistinguishable between the different axes. A late hormonal response to stimulation, increased cortisol after awakening, and the T:E ratio were correlated with vigor and fatigue. The T:E ratio was also correlated with body metabolism and composition, testosterone was predicted by fat mass, and estradiol predicted anger. Hydration status was inversely correlated with edema, and inter-correlations were found among fat oxidation, hydration, and body fat.
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22
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Reduction of Glucocorticoid Receptor Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Mediators Inflamm 2018; 2018:3972104. [PMID: 29983634 PMCID: PMC6015684 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3972104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function may have aetiopathogenic significance in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), via its essential role in mediating inflammatory responses as well as in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation. GR function can be estimated ex vivo by measuring dexamethasone (dex) modulation of cytokine response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and in vivo using the impact of dex on cortisol levels. This study aimed to compare the GR function between CFS (n = 48), primary Sjögren's syndrome (a disease group control) (n = 27), and sedentary healthy controls (HCs) (n = 20), and to investigate its relationship with clinical measures. In the GR ex vivo response assay, whole blood was diluted and incubated with LPS (to stimulate cytokine production), with or without 10 or 100 nanomolar concentrations of dex. Cytometric bead array (CBA) and flow cytometry enabled quantification of cytokine levels (TNFα, interleukin- (IL-) 6, and IL-10) in the supernatants. In the in vivo response assay, five plasma samples were taken for determination of total cortisol concentration using ELISA at half-hourly intervals on two consecutive mornings separated by ingestion of 0.5 mg of dex at 11 pm. The association of the data from the in vivo and ex vivo analyses with reported childhood adversity was also examined. CFS patients had reduced LPS-induced IL-6 and TNFα production compared to both control groups and reduced suppression of TNFα by the higher dose of dex compared to HCs. Cortisol levels, before or after dex, did not differ between CFS and HCs. Cortisol levels were more variable in CFS than HCs. In the combined group (CFS plus HC), cortisol concentrations positively and ex vivo GR function (determined by dex-mediated suppression of IL-10) negatively correlated with childhood adversity score. The results do not support the hypothesis that GR dysregulation is aetiopathogenic in CFS and suggest that current and future endocrine cross-sectional studies in CFS may be vulnerable to the confounding influence of childhood trauma which is likely increased by comorbid depression.
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23
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Depression, evening salivary cortisol and inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome: A psychoneuroendocrinological structural regression model. Int J Psychophysiol 2017; 131:124-130. [PMID: 28918107 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a poorly understood illness that is characterized by diverse somatic symptoms, hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction and heightened inflammatory indicators. These symptoms are often exacerbated and accompanied by psychological distress states and depression. Since depression is known to be associated with HPA axis dysfunction and greater inflammation, a psychoneuroendocrinological (PNE) model of inflammation was examined in persons diagnosed with CFS in order to uncover underlying biopsychosocial mechanisms in this poorly understood chronic illness. METHODS Baseline data were drawn from two randomized controlled trials testing the efficacy of different forms of psychosocial intervention, and included psychological questionnaires, di-urnal salivary cortisol, and blood samples. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS The sample (N=265) was mostly middle-aged (Mage=49.36±10.9, range=20-73years), Caucasian (67.7%), female (81.7%), highly educated (85.5% completed some college, college, or graduate program), and depressed (CES-D M=23.87±12.02, range 2-57). The SEM supporting a psychoneuroendocrinological model of immune dysregulation in CFS fit the data χ2 (12)=17.725, p=0.1243, RMSEA=0.043, CFI=0.935, SRMR=0.036. Depression was directly related to evening salivary cortisol and inflammation, such that higher evening cortisol predicted greater depressive symptoms (β=0.215, p<0.01) and higher pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] levels (β=0.185, p<0.05), when controlling for covariates. DISCUSSION Results highlight the role of depression, cortisol and inflammation in possible biological mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of CFS. Time-lagged, longitudinal analyses are needed to fully explore these relationships.
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Ferrero K, Silver M, Cocchetto A, Masliah E, Langford D. CNS findings in chronic fatigue syndrome and a neuropathological case report. J Investig Med 2017; 65:974-983. [PMID: 28386034 DOI: 10.1136/jim-2016-000390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized as a persistent, debilitating complex disorder of unknown etiology, whereby patients suffer from extreme fatigue, which often presents with symptoms that include chronic pain, depression, weakness, mood disturbances, and neuropsychological impairment. In this mini review and case report, we address central nervous system (CNS) involvement of CFS and present neuropathological autopsy findings from a patient who died with a prior diagnosis of CFS. Among the most remarkable pathological features of the case are focal areas of white matter loss, neurite beading, and neuritic pathology of axons in the white matter with axonal spheroids. Atypical neurons displaying aberrant sprouting processes in response to injury are observed throughout cortical gray and white matter. Abundant amyloid deposits identical to AD plaques with accompanying intracellular granular structures are observed as well. Neurofibrillary tangles are also present in the white matter of the frontal cortex, thalamus and basal ganglia. Taken together, these neuropathological findings warrant further studies into CNS disease associated with CFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Ferrero
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mitchell Silver
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alan Cocchetto
- State University of New York at Alfred, Engineering Technologies, Alfred, New York, USA
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Dianne Langford
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Milrad SF, Hall DL, Jutagir DR, Lattie EG, Ironson GH, Wohlgemuth W, Nunez MV, Garcia L, Czaja SJ, Perdomo DM, Fletcher MA, Klimas N, Antoni MH. Poor sleep quality is associated with greater circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and severity and frequency of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) symptoms in women. J Neuroimmunol 2016; 303:43-50. [PMID: 28038892 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Poor sleep quality has been linked to inflammatory processes and worse disease outcomes in the context of many chronic illnesses, but less is known in conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). This study examines the relationships between sleep quality, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and CFS/ME symptoms. METHODS Sixty women diagnosed with CFS/ME were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fatigue Symptom Inventory (FSI) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-based CFS/ME symptom questionnaires. Circulating plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. Multiple regression analyses examined associations between sleep, cytokines and symptoms, controlling for age, education, and body mass index. RESULTS Poor sleep quality (PSQI global score) was associated with greater pro-inflammatory cytokine levels: interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (β=0.258, p=0.043), IL-6 (β=0.281, p=0.033), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (β=0.263, p=0.044). Worse sleep quality related to greater fatigue severity (β=0.395, p=0.003) and fatigue-related interference with daily activities (β=0.464, p<0.001), and more severe and frequent CDC-defined core CFS/ME symptoms (β=0.499, p<0.001, and β=0.556, p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Results underscore the importance of managing sleep-related difficulties in this patient population. Further research is needed to identify the etiology of sleep disruptions in CFS/ME and mechanistic factors linking sleep quality to symptom severity and inflammatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara F Milrad
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Miami, FL 33133, USA
| | - Daniel L Hall
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Devika R Jutagir
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Miami, FL 33133, USA
| | - Emily G Lattie
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N Lake Shore Dr. Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Gail H Ironson
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Miami, FL 33133, USA
| | - William Wohlgemuth
- Department of Sleep Medicine, Miami Veteran Affairs Hospital, 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL 33125, USA
| | - Maria Vera Nunez
- Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 8501 SW 124th Ave #111, Miami, FL 33183, USA
| | - Lina Garcia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sara J Czaja
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Dolores M Perdomo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Mary Ann Fletcher
- Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 8501 SW 124th Ave #111, Miami, FL 33183, USA
| | - Nancy Klimas
- Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 8501 SW 124th Ave #111, Miami, FL 33183, USA
| | - Michael H Antoni
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Miami, FL 33133, USA.
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Ghiciuc CM, Dima-Cozma LC, Bercea RM, Lupusoru CE, Mihaescu T, Cozma S, Patacchioli FR. Imbalance in the diurnal salivary testosterone/cortisol ratio in men with severe obstructive sleep apnea: an observational study. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2016; 82:529-35. [PMID: 26749455 PMCID: PMC9444622 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2015.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Revised: 08/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The complex relationship between sleep disorders and hormones could lead to alterations in the production of cortisol and testosterone in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the diurnal trajectories of salivary free-testosterone, free-cortisol and their ratio (T/C). METHODS Ten subjects newly diagnosed with OSA, based on nocturnal polysomnography evaluation and excessive daytime sleepiness, and seven matched controls were consecutively recruited. Cortisol and testosterone were measured in salivary samples collected upon awakening, at noon and in the evening. The psychometric evaluation of anxiety/depression and referred sexual function disturbances was performed to evaluate the presence of neuropsychological comorbidities. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The main finding was that OSA subjects displayed hypocortisolism upon awakening and a significant reduction in testosterone concentration in the evening in comparison with the control group, which has maintained the physiological testosterone and cortisol diurnal fluctuation, with higher hormone concentrations in the morning and lower concentrations in the evening. The use of data from multiple diurnal measurements rather than a single point allowed the detection of T/C ratio changes of opposite signs at the beginning and end of the day: the OSA subjects had a higher T/C ratio than the controls in the morning, while their T/C ratio was significantly lower than that of the controls in the evening. The imbalances in the anabolic-catabolic diurnal equilibrium suggest that OSA is associated with a dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes, potentially an underlying cause of some of the neuropsychological comorbidities observed in OSA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucia Corina Dima-Cozma
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Iasi, Romania
| | - Raluca Mihaela Bercea
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases, Iasi, Romania
| | - Catalina Elena Lupusoru
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Department of Pharmacology, Iasi, Romania
| | - Traian Mihaescu
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases, Iasi, Romania
| | - Sebastian Cozma
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iasi, Romania
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Strahler J, Skoluda N, Rohleder N, Nater UM. Dysregulated stress signal sensitivity and inflammatory disinhibition as a pathophysiological mechanism of stress-related chronic fatigue. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:298-318. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The term "adrenal fatigue" ("AF") has been used by some doctors, healthcare providers, and the general media to describe an alleged condition caused by chronic exposure to stressful situations. Despite this, "AF" has not been recognized by any Endocrinology society, who claim there is no hard evidence for the existence. The aim of this systematic review is to verify whether there is substantiation for "AF". METHODS A systematic search was performed at PUBMED, MEDLINE (Ebsco) and Cochrane databases, from the beginning of the data until April 22nd, 2016. Searched key words were: "adrenal" + "fatigue", "adrenal" + "burnout", "adrenal" + "exhaustion", "hypoadrenia", "burnout" + "cortisol", "fatigue" + "cortisol", "clinical" + "burnout", "cortisol" + "vitalility", "adrenal" + "vitality", and "cortisol" + "exhaustion". Eligibility criteria were: (1) articles written in English, (2) cortisol profile and fatigue or energy status as the primary outcome, (3) performed tests for evaluating the adrenal axis, (4) absence of influence of corticosteroid therapy, and (5) absence of confounding diseases. Type of questionnaire to distinct fatigued subjects, population studied, tests performed of selected studies were analyzed. RESULTS From 3,470 articles found, 58 studies fulfilled the criteria: 33 were carried in healthy individuals, and 25 in symptomatic patients. The most assessed exams were "Direct Awakening Cortisol" (n = 29), "Cortisol Awakening Response" (n = 27) and "Salivary Cortisol Rhythm" (n = 26). DISCUSSION We found an almost systematic finding of conflicting results derived from most of the studies methods utilized, regardless of the validation and the quality of performed tests. Some limitations of the review include: (1) heterogeneity of the study design; (2) the descriptive nature of most studies; (3) the poor quality assessment of fatigue; (4) the use of an unsubstantiated methodology in terms of cortisol assessment (not endorsed by endocrinologists); (5) false premises leading to an incorrect sequence of research direction; and, (6) inappropriate/invalid conclusions regarding causality and association between different information. CONCLUSION This systematic review proves that there is no substantiation that "adrenal fatigue" is an actual medical condition. Therefore, adrenal fatigue is still a myth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio A. Cadegiani
- From the Adrenal and Hypertension Unit, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), R. Pedro de Toledo 781–13th floor, 04039-032 São Paulo, SP Brazil
| | - Claudio E. Kater
- From the Adrenal and Hypertension Unit, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), R. Pedro de Toledo 781–13th floor, 04039-032 São Paulo, SP Brazil
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Abstract
Great advances have been made in our understanding of Takotsubo syndrome in the past decade, but the aetiology of the condition remains incompletely understood. The most established theory, that catecholamine-mediated myocardial stunning is provoked by emotional or physiological stress, is supported by the presence of supraphysiological levels of plasma catecholamines in patients with Takotsubo syndrome. For this reason, the hyperexcitability of the autonomic nervous system under conditions of physical and emotional stress is often assessed in these patients. Observational studies have indicated that a predisposing influence of chronic or traumatic stress, anxiodepressive disorders, and maladaptive personality traits are linked to the pathogenesis of Takotsubo syndrome. Chronic stress can influence autonomic function through dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and contribute to the development of cardiovascular disorders. In this Perspectives article, we discuss the current knowledge of the psychoneuroendocrinological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of Takotsubo syndrome.
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Elder GJ, Ellis JG, Barclay NL, Wetherell MA. Assessing the daily stability of the cortisol awakening response in a controlled environment. BMC Psychol 2016; 4:3. [PMID: 26818772 PMCID: PMC4730747 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-016-0107-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Levels of cortisol, the end product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, display a sharp increase immediately upon awakening, known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR). The daily stability of the CAR is potentially influenced by a range of methodological factors, including light exposure, participant adherence, sleep duration and nocturnal awakenings, making inferences about variations in the CAR difficult. The aim of the present study was to determine the daily stability of multiple measurement indices of the CAR in a highly-controlled sleep laboratory environment. A secondary aim was to examine the association between objective sleep continuity and sleep architecture, and the CAR. Methods The CAR was assessed in 15 healthy normal sleepers (seven male, eight female, Mage = 23.67 ± 3.49 years) on three consecutive weekday mornings. Sleep was measured objectively using polysomnography. Saliva samples were obtained at awakening, +15, +30, +45 and +60 min, from which multiple CAR measurement indices were derived: cortisol levels at each time point, awakening cortisol levels, the mean increase in cortisol levels (MnInc) and total cortisol secretion during the measurement period. Morning 2 and Morning 3 awakening cortisol levels, MnInc and total cortisol secretion were compared and the relationship between Night 1 and Night 2 objective measures of sleep continuity and architecture, and the subsequent CAR, was also assessed. Results There were no differences in cortisol levels at each time point, or total cortisol secretion during the CAR period, between Morning 2 and Morning 3. Awakening cortisol levels were lower, and the MnInc was higher, on Morning 3. Morning 2 and Morning 3 awakening levels (r = 0.77) and total cortisol secretion (r = 0.82), but not the magnitude of increase, were positively associated. Conclusions The stability of the CAR profile and total cortisol secretion, but not awakening cortisol levels or the magnitude of increase, was demonstrated across two consecutive mornings of measurement in a highly-controlled environment. Awakening cortisol levels, and the magnitude of increase, may be sensitive to differences in daily activities. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40359-016-0107-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg J Elder
- Biomedical Research Building, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.
| | - Jason G Ellis
- Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Nicola L Barclay
- Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Mark A Wetherell
- Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
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Doerr JM, Ditzen B, Strahler J, Linnemann A, Ziemek J, Skoluda N, Hoppmann CA, Nater UM. Reciprocal relationship between acute stress and acute fatigue in everyday life in a sample of university students. Biol Psychol 2015; 110:42-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Abstract
Afferent neural signals are continuously transmitted from visceral organs to the brain. Interoception refers to the processing of visceral-afferent neural signals by the central nervous system, which can finally result in the conscious perception of bodily processes. Interoception can, therefore, be described as a prominent example of information processing on the ascending branch of the brain–body axis. Stress responses involve a complex neuro-behavioral cascade, which is elicited when the organism is confronted with a potentially harmful stimulus. As this stress cascade comprises a range of neural and endocrine pathways, stress can be conceptualized as a communication process on the descending branch of the brain–body axis. Interoception and stress are, therefore, associated via the bi-directional transmission of information on the brain–body axis. It could be argued that excessive and/or enduring activation (e.g., by acute or chronic stress) of neural circuits, which are responsible for successful communication on the brain–body axis, induces malfunction and dysregulation of these information processes. As a consequence, interoceptive signal processing may be altered, resulting in physical symptoms contributing to the development and/or maintenance of body-related mental disorders, which are associated with stress. In the current paper, we summarize findings on psychobiological processes underlying acute and chronic stress and their interaction with interoception. While focusing on the role of the physiological stress axes (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and autonomic nervous system), psychological factors in acute and chronic stress are also discussed. We propose a positive feedback model involving stress (in particular early life or chronic stress, as well as major adverse events), the dysregulation of physiological stress axes, altered perception of bodily sensations, and the generation of physical symptoms, which may in turn facilitate stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Schulz
- Institute for Health and Behaviour, Integrative Research Unit on Social and Individual Development, University of Luxembourg Walferdange, Luxembourg
| | - Claus Vögele
- Institute for Health and Behaviour, Integrative Research Unit on Social and Individual Development, University of Luxembourg Walferdange, Luxembourg
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Snodgrass K, Harvey A, Scheinberg A, Knight S. Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Review of Current Research. J Clin Sleep Med 2015; 11:757-64. [PMID: 25766714 PMCID: PMC4481060 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.4854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) frequently report sleep disturbances. However, little is known about the nature and severity of sleep disturbance and factors associated with sleep problems in pediatric CFS. The purpose of this review was to synthesize and critically appraise existing literature relating to sleep disturbances in pediatric CFS. METHODS Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PubMed. and Medline databases were searched to retrieve all studies that included an assessment of sleep in pediatric CFS. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and systematically assessed reporting quality. RESULTS Six studies were included and these were mostly case-controlled designs. Findings varied across studies; however, most studies found that children and adolescents with CFS had significantly more sleep disturbances when compared to healthy controls. Significant methodological variations and limitations were apparent. CONCLUSIONS This review suggests that children and adolescents with CFS experience sleep disturbances. However, results need to be interpreted cautiously given the limited evidence available and its overall low quality. More research is required to elucidate the nature and extent of sleep disturbance in pediatric CFS and should focus on (1) identifying the specific types, causes, and severity of sleep disturbances; (2) the specific consequences of sleep disturbances; and (3) the most effective interventions for sleep problems in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli Snodgrass
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne
| | - Adrienne Harvey
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne
- Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, The Royal Children's Hospital
| | - Adam Scheinberg
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
- Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, The Royal Children's Hospital
- Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah Knight
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne
- Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Monash Children's, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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van Der Schaaf ME, Schmits IC, Roerink M, Geurts DEM, Toni I, Roelofs K, De Lange FP, Nater UM, van der Meer JWM, Knoop H. Investigating neural mechanisms of change of cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry 2015; 15:144. [PMID: 26138726 PMCID: PMC4489043 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-015-0515-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by profound and disabling fatigue with no known somatic explanation. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven to be a successful intervention leading to a reduction in fatigue and disability. Based on previous neuroimaging findings, it has been suggested that central neural mechanisms may underlie CFS symptoms and play a role in the change brought on by CBT. In this randomized controlled trial we aim to further investigate the neural mechanisms that underlie fatigue in CFS and their change by CBT. METHODS/DESIGN We will conduct a randomized controlled trial in which we collect anatomical and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures from female CFS patients before and after CBT (N = 60) or waiting list (N = 30) and compare these with measures from age and education matched healthy controls (N = 30). By including a large treatment group we will also be able to compare patients that benefit from CBT with those that do not. In addition, to further investigate the role of endocrine and immune biomarkers in CFS, we will determine cortisol and cytokine concentrations in blood, hair and/or saliva. DISCUSSION This project creates an unique opportunity to enhance our understanding of CFS symptoms and its change by CBT in terms of neuroanatomical, neurofunctional, endocrinological and immunological mechanisms and can help to further improve future treatments strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION Dutch Trial Register #15852. Registered 9 December 2013 ( http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4311 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke E van Der Schaaf
- Radboud University Medical Center, Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Donders Institute, Centre for neuroimaging, Kapittelweg 29, P.O. Box 9101, NL-6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Iris C Schmits
- Radboud University Medical Center, Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Megan Roerink
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Dirk EM Geurts
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ivan Toni
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Behavioral Science Institute (BSI), Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Floris P De Lange
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Urs M Nater
- Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Jos WM van der Meer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Knoop
- Radboud University Medical Center, Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Stress management skills, cortisol awakening response, and post-exertional malaise in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 49:26-31. [PMID: 25049069 PMCID: PMC4165790 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Revised: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is characterized in part by debilitating fatigue typically exacerbated by cognitive and/or physical exertion, referred to as post-exertional malaise (PEM). In a variety of populations, the cortisol awakening response (CAR) has stood out as a marker of endocrine dysregulation relevant to the experience of fatigue, and may therefore be particularly relevant in CFS. This is the first study to examine PEM and the CAR in a sample of individuals with CFS. The CAR has also been established as a stress-sensitive measure of HPA axis functioning. It follows that better management of stress could modulate the CAR, and in turn PEM. In this cross-sectional study, we hypothesized that greater Perceived Stress Management Skills (PSMS) would relate to lower reports of PEM, via the impact of PSMS on the CAR. A total of 117 adults (72% female) with a CFS diagnosis completed self-report measures of PSMS and PEM symptomatology and a two-day protocol of saliva collection. Cortisol values from awakening and 30 min post-awakening were used to compute the CAR. Regression analyses revealed that greater PSMS related to greater CAR and greater CAR related to less PEM severity. Bootstrapped analyses revealed an indirect effect of PSMS on PEM via the CAR, such that greater PSMS related to less PEM, via a greater CAR. Future research should examine these trends longitudinally and whether interventions directed at improving stress management skills are accompanied by improved cortisol regulation and less PEM in individuals with CFS.
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Gaab J. Go West or Rest! Die Behandlung chronischer Erschöpfungssyndrome im Wandel der Zeiten. VERHALTENSTHERAPIE 2014. [DOI: 10.1159/000362914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Fischer DB, William AH, Strauss AC, Unger ER, Jason L, Marshall GD, Dimitrakoff JD. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Current Status and Future Potentials of Emerging Biomarkers. FATIGUE-BIOMEDICINE HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR 2014; 2:93-109. [PMID: 24932428 DOI: 10.1080/21641846.2014.906066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remains an incompletely characterized illness, in part due to controversy regarding its definition, biological basis and diagnosis. Biomarkers are objective measures that may lead to improvements in our understanding of CFS by providing a more coherent and consistent approach to study, diagnosis and treatment of the illness. Such metrics may allow us to distinguish between CFS subtypes - each defined by characteristic biomarkers - currently conflated under the single, heterogeneous condition of CFS. These delineations, in turn, may guide more granular, focused, and targeted treatment strategies based on more precise characterizations of the illness. Here, we review potential CFS biomarkers related to neurological and immunological components of the illness, and discuss how these biomarkers may be used to move the field of CFS forward, emphasizing clinical utility and potential routes of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam Campbell Strauss
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, USA 02115 ; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03766
| | | | | | | | - Jordan D Dimitrakoff
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, USA 02115 ; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114 ; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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Buechel HM, Popovic J, Staggs K, Anderson KL, Thibault O, Blalock EM. Aged rats are hypo-responsive to acute restraint: implications for psychosocial stress in aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2014; 6:13. [PMID: 24575039 PMCID: PMC3921565 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive processes associated with prefrontal cortex and hippocampus decline with age and are vulnerable to disruption by stress. The stress/stress hormone/allostatic load hypotheses of brain aging posit that brain aging, at least in part, is the manifestation of life-long stress exposure. In addition, as humans age, there is a profound increase in the incidence of new onset stressors, many of which are psychosocial (e.g., loss of job, death of spouse, social isolation), and aged humans are well-understood to be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of such new-onset chronic psychosocial stress events. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this age-related shift in chronic psychosocial stress response, or the initial acute phase of that chronic response, have been less well-studied. Here, we separated young (3 month) and aged (21 month) male F344 rats into control and acute restraint (an animal model of psychosocial stress) groups (n = 9–12/group). We then assessed hippocampus-associated behavioral, electrophysiological, and transcriptional outcomes, as well as blood glucocorticoid and sleep architecture changes. Aged rats showed characteristic water maze, deep sleep, transcriptome, and synaptic sensitivity changes compared to young. Young and aged rats showed similar levels of distress during the 3 h restraint, as well as highly significant increases in blood glucocorticoid levels 21 h after restraint. However, young, but not aged, animals responded to stress exposure with water maze deficits, loss of deep sleep and hyperthermia. These results demonstrate that aged subjects are hypo-responsive to new-onset acute psychosocial stress, which may have negative consequences for long-term stress adaptation and suggest that age itself may act as a stressor occluding the influence of new onset stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Buechel
- Blalock Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Jelena Popovic
- Blalock Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kendra Staggs
- Blalock Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Katie L Anderson
- Thibault Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Olivier Thibault
- Thibault Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Eric M Blalock
- Blalock Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
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Michael DJ, Valle B, Cox J, Kalns JE, Fogt DL. Salivary biomarkers of physical fatigue as markers of sleep deprivation. J Clin Sleep Med 2013; 9:1325-31. [PMID: 24340295 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.3280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE Determine whether a salivary biomarker of physical fatigue, referred to as the fatigue biomarker index (FBI), can discriminate a control group from a sleep deprived group when saliva is collected under controlled conditions. The study expands on previous work examining changes in the composition of saliva during periods of prolonged exercise. METHODS Thirty (30) young adults (14 Control [CON]; 16 Sleep Deprived [SDEP]) were monitored for mood state (Profile of Mood States [POMS]), cognitive performance (Stroop Color-Conflict Tests), and salivary biomarkers of physical fatigue over a 48-h period with sampling at 3-h intervals. Trials lasted from 06:00 on day 1 (time = -3 h) to 09:00 on day 3 (time = 48 h). Levels of salivary biomarkers were calculated from liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data. Statistical comparisons were made using Wilcoxon rank sum tests with a Bonferroni correction to limit type 1 error. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the ability of the various parameters to distinguish the SDEP population from the CON population. RESULTS Longitudinal analysis demonstrated significant between-group differences in all three parameters. ROC analysis demonstrated that cognitive performance tests and salivary biomarkers of physical fatigue distinguish the SDEP population from the CON population. CONCLUSIONS A previously identified salivary biomarker of physical fatigue may provide an alternative method for discriminating sleep deprived from rested individuals. The salivary biomarker of physical fatigue holds promise as an objective measure of sleep deprivation, perhaps eventually removing the reliance on self-reported sleep diaries and/or repeated polysomnographs for longitudinal tracking of sleep quality and/or diagnosis of sleep disorders.
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Powell DJH, Liossi C, Moss-Morris R, Schlotz W. Unstimulated cortisol secretory activity in everyday life and its relationship with fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and subset meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:2405-22. [PMID: 23916911 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a psychoneuroendocrine regulator of the stress response and immune system, and dysfunctions have been associated with outcomes in several physical health conditions. Its end product, cortisol, is relevant to fatigue due to its role in energy metabolism. The systematic review examined the relationship between different markers of unstimulated salivary cortisol activity in everyday life in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fatigue assessed in other clinical and general populations. Search terms for the review related to salivary cortisol assessments, everyday life contexts, and fatigue. All eligible studies (n=19) were reviewed narratively in terms of associations between fatigue and assessed cortisol markers, including the cortisol awakening response (CAR), circadian profile (CP) output, and diurnal cortisol slope (DCS). Subset meta-analyses were conducted of case-control CFS studies examining group differences in three cortisol outcomes: CAR output; CAR increase; and CP output. Meta-analyses revealed an attenuation of the CAR increase within CFS compared to controls (d=-.34) but no statistically significant differences between groups for other markers. In the narrative review, total cortisol output (CAR or CP) was rarely associated with fatigue in any population; CAR increase and DCS were most relevant. Outcomes reflecting within-day change in cortisol levels (CAR increase; DCS) may be the most relevant to fatigue experience, and future research in this area should report at least one such marker. Results should be considered with caution due to heterogeneity in one meta-analysis and the small number of studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J H Powell
- Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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Duan H, Yuan Y, Zhang L, Qin S, Zhang K, Buchanan TW, Wu J. Chronic stress exposure decreases the cortisol awakening response in healthy young men. Stress 2013; 16:630-7. [PMID: 23992539 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2013.840579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Academic examination is a major stressor for students in China. Investigation of stress-sensitive endocrine responses to major examination stress serves as a good model of naturalistic chronic psychological stress in an otherwise healthy population. The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is an endocrine marker of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in response to stress. However, it remains unknown how chronic examination stress impacts the CAR in a young healthy population To exclude the influence of sex effects on hormone level, the CAR and psychological stress responses were assessed on two consecutive workdays in 42 male participants during their preparations for the Chinese National Postgraduate Entrance Exam (NPEE) and 21 non-exam, age-matched male comparisons. On each day, four saliva samples were collected immediately after awakening, 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 60 minutes after awakening. The waking level (S1), the increase within 30 minutes after awakening (R30), the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg), and the area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCi) were used to quantify the CAR. Psychological stress and anxiety were assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. Male participants in the exam group had greater perceived stress and anxiety scores relatibe to the non-exam group. Both R30 and AUCi in the exam group were significantly lower than the comparison group and this effect was most pronounced for participants with high levels of perceived stress in the exam group. Perceived stress and anxiety levels were negatively correlated with both R30 and AUCi. Chronic examination stress can lead to the decrease of CAR in healthy young men, possibly due to reduced HPA axis activity under long-term sustained stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Duan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , China
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Normal Salivary Cortisol and NK Cell Function in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Following Infectious Mononucleosis. ARCHIVES OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2013. [DOI: 10.5812/pedinfect.13107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Ghiciuc CM, Dima Cozma LC, Bercea RM, Lupusoru CE, Mihaescu T, Szalontay A, Gianfreda A, Patacchioli FR. Restoring the salivary cortisol awakening response through nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy in obstructive sleep apnea. Chronobiol Int 2013; 30:1024-31. [PMID: 23859257 DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2013.795155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Partial and largely conflicting data are currently available on the interplay between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activity in adult obese men. This study was performed to evaluate the daily trajectories of salivary cortisol, specifically with respect to the salivary cortisol awakening response (CAR), a common method used to assess HPA axis activity. The main findings of this study were that adult male obese subjects who were newly diagnosed with severe OSA showed the following: (1) a flattening of the CAR; (2) levels of cortisol at awakening that were lower than those of the controls; and (3) maintenance of the physiological circadian activity of the HPA axis, with the highest hormone concentrations produced in the morning and the lowest in the evening. This study was also designed to investigate the effects of 3 and 6 mos of treatment with continuous airways positive pressure (CPAP). CPAP use resulted in a significant recovery of the sleep patterns disrupted by OSA; moreover, mild neuropsychological signs of depression and anxiety in severe OSA patients were concomitantly progressively improved by CPAP treatment. Furthermore, this study reports that 3 and 6 mos of CPAP therapy restored the presence of CAR and was able to significantly reduce the difference in the morning cortisol levels between the OSA and control groups. In conclusion, we report here that compared with obese nonapneic matched controls, OSA patients present a dysregulation of HPA axis activity, as shown by the flattening of the diurnal pattern of cortisol production in response to repeated challenge due to hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. This dysregulation was especially detectable in the first hour after awakening and restored after 3 and 6 mos of treatment with CPAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Mihaela Ghiciuc
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iasi, Romania
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Braam AWE, de Haan SN, Vorselaars ADM, Rijkers GT, Grutters JC, van den Elshout FJJ, Korenromp IHE. Influence of repeated maximal exercise testing on biomarkers and fatigue in sarcoidosis. Brain Behav Immun 2013; 33:57-64. [PMID: 23727274 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2013.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatigue in the immune mediated inflammatory disease sarcoidosis is thought to be associated with impaired exercise tolerance. This prospective study assessed fatigue and recuperative capacity after repeated exercise, and examined whether changing concentrations in biomarkers upon exercise are associated with fatigue. Twenty sarcoidosis patients and 10 healthy volunteers performed maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests on two successive days. Concentrations of cytokines, stress hormones, ACE and CK were assessed before and after the two exercise tests, and 3 days thereafter. All participants completed a sleep diary. Severely fatigued patients showed significant lower VO2 max (p=0.038, p=0.022) and maximal workload (p=0.034, p=0.028) on both exercise tests compared to healthy controls. No impairment of maximal exercise testing was demonstrated during the second cycling test in any group. Fatigue was not correlated with changes in concentrations of biomarkers upon exercise. Severely fatigued patients rated both tests as significantly more fatiguing, and reported significant lower mean subjective night sleeping time during the testing period. Fatigue in sarcoidosis patients cannot be objectified by reduction of exercise capacity after repeated maximal exercise testing, and is not correlated with significant changes in biomarkers. Severe fatigue is only and consistently featured by patient reported outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A W E Braam
- Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands; Beatrix Hospital, Gorinchem, The Netherlands
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A review of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in chronic fatigue syndrome. ISRN NEUROSCIENCE 2013; 2013:784520. [PMID: 24959566 PMCID: PMC4045534 DOI: 10.1155/2013/784520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction has been found in a high proportion of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients and includes enhanced corticosteroid-induced negative feedback, basal hypocortisolism, attenuated diurnal variation, and a reduced responsivity to challenge. A putative causal role for genetic profile, childhood trauma, and oxidative stress has been considered. In addition, the impact of gender is demonstrated by the increased frequency of HPA axis dysregulation in females. Despite the temporal relationship, it is not yet established whether the endocrine dysregulation is causal, consequent, or an epiphenomenon of the disorder. Nonetheless, given the interindividual variation in the effectiveness of existing biological and psychological treatments, the need for novel treatment strategies such as those which target the HPA axis is clear.
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Díaz MM, Bocanegra OL, Teixeira RR, Tavares M, Soares SS, Espindola FS. The Relationship Between the Cortisol Awakening Response, Mood States, and Performance. J Strength Cond Res 2013; 27:1340-8. [DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e318267a612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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The neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological features of chronic fatigue syndrome: revisiting the enigma. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2013; 15:353. [PMID: 23440559 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-013-0353-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive and updated review of the key neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological complaints associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological difficulties are common in CFS and are linked primarily to disorders of mood, affect and behaviour. The neuropsychiatric complaint most frequently encountered amongst CFS patients is depression and in particular major depressive disorder (MDD). Despite decades of research, the precise aetiological relationship between CFS and MDD remains poorly understood. This has resulted in the development of a number of interesting and polarised hypotheses regarding the aetiological nature of CFS. Recent scientific advances have however begun to unravel a number of interesting inflammatory and immunological explanations that suggest CFS and MDD are distinct yet interrelated conditions. The possibility that the overlap between CFS and MDD might be explained in terms of shared oxidative and nitrosative (IO&NS) pathways is an area of intense research interest and is reviewed in detail in this article. The overlap between CFS and MDD is further differentiated by variations in HPA axis activity between the two disorders. Important immunological differences between MDD and CFS are also reviewed with particular emphasis on antiviral RNase L pathways in CFS. In addition to the presence of neuropsychiatric complaints, CFS is also associated with neuropsychological symptoms such as impaired attention, memory and reaction time. The key neuropsychological problems reported by CFS patients are also included in the review in an effort to understand the significance of cognitive impairment in CFS.
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Nakagawa S, Sugiura M, Akitsuki Y, Hosseini SMH, Kotozaki Y, Miyauchi CM, Yomogida Y, Yokoyama R, Takeuchi H, Kawashima R. Compensatory effort parallels midbrain deactivation during mental fatigue: an fMRI study. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56606. [PMID: 23457592 PMCID: PMC3573002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatigue reflects the functioning of our physiological negative feedback system, which prevents us from overworking. When fatigued, however, we often try to suppress this system in an effort to compensate for the resulting deterioration in performance. Previous studies have suggested that the effect of fatigue on neurovascular demand may be influenced by this compensatory effort. The primary goal of the present study was to isolate the effect of compensatory effort on neurovascular demand. Healthy male volunteers participated in a series of visual and auditory divided attention tasks that steadily increased fatigue levels for 2 hours. Functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed during the first and last quarter of the study (Pre and Post sessions, respectively). Tasks with low and high attentional load (Low and High conditions, respectively) were administrated in alternating blocks. We assumed that compensatory effort would be greater under the High-attentional-load condition compared with the Low-load condition. The difference was assessed during the two sessions. The effect of compensatory effort on neurovascular demand was evaluated by examining the interaction between load (High vs. Low) and time (Pre vs. Post). Significant fatigue-induced deactivation (i.e., Pre>Post) was observed in the frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal cortices, in the cerebellum, and in the midbrain in both the High and Low conditions. The interaction was significantly greater in the High than in the Low condition in the midbrain. Neither significant fatigue-induced activation (i.e., Pre<Post), nor its interaction with factor Load, was identified. The observed midbrain deactivation ([PreH - PostH]>[PreE- PostE]) may reflect suppression of the negative feedback system that normally triggers recuperative rest to maintain homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seishu Nakagawa
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review the recent epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of postinfectious chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in adolescents. RECENT FINDINGS Thirteen percent of adolescents (mainly women) met the criteria for CFS 6 months following infectious mononucleosis; the figure was 7% at 12 months and 4% at 24 months. Peak work capacity, activity level, orthostatic intolerance, salivary cortisol, and natural killer cell number and function were similar between adolescents with CFS following infectious mononucleosis and recovered controls. Autonomic system, oxygen consumption, peak oxygen pulse, psychological and cytokine network differences were documented between those who recovered and those who did not. SUMMARY The prognosis of CFS is better in adolescents than in adults. Activity level, exercise tolerance, and orthostatic testing could not distinguish patients with CFS from adolescents who have recovered from infectious mononucleosis (controls), while certain cytokine network analyses, life stress factors, and autonomic symptoms could.
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Falkenberg VR, Whistler T, Murray JR, Unger ER, Rajeevan MS. Acute psychosocial stress-mediated changes in the expression and methylation of perforin in chronic fatigue syndrome. GENETICS & EPIGENETICS 2013; 5:1-9. [PMID: 25512702 PMCID: PMC4222335 DOI: 10.4137/geg.s10944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Perforin (PRF1) is essential for immune surveillance and studies report decreased perforin in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), an illness potentially associated with stress and/or infection. We hypothesize that stress can influence regulation of PRF1 expression, and that this regulation will differ between CFS and non-fatigued (NF) controls. We used the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) as a standardized acute psychosocial stress, and evaluated its effect on PRF1 expression and methylation in CFS (n = 34) compared with NF (n = 47) participants. During the TSST, natural killer (NK) cells increased significantly in both CFS (P = <0.0001) and NF subjects (P = <0.0001). Unlike previous reports, there was no significant difference in PRF1 expression at baseline or during TSST between CFS and NF. However, whole blood PRF1 expression increased 1.6 fold during the TSST in both CFS (P = 0.0003) and NF (P = <0.0001). Further, the peak response immediately following the TSST was lower in CFS compared with NF (P = 0.04). In addition, at 1.5 hours post TSST, PRF1 expression was elevated in CFS compared with NF (whole blood, P = 0.06; PBMC, P = 0.02). Methylation of seven CpG sites in the methylation sensitive region of the PRF1 promoter ranged from 38%–79% with no significant differences between CFS and NF. Although, the average baseline methylation of all seven CpG sites did not differ between CFS and NF groups, it showed a significant negative correlation with PRF1 expression at all TSST time points in both CFS (r = −0.56, P = <0.0001) and NF (r = −0.38, P = <0.0001). Among participants with high average methylation (≥65%), PRF1 expression was significantly lower in CFS than NF subjects immediately following TSST. These findings suggest methylation could be an important epigenetic determinant of inter-individual differences in PRF1 expression and that the differences in PRF1 expression and methylation between CFS and NF in the acute stress response require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia R Falkenberg
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Toni Whistler
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Janna R Murray
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Unger
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mangalathu S Rajeevan
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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