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Faresjö Å, Theodorsson E, Stomby A, Quist H, Jones MP, Östgren CJ, Dahlqvist P, Faresjö T. Higher hair cortisol levels associated with previous cardiovascular events and cardiovascular risks in a large cross-sectional population study. BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2024; 24:536. [PMID: 39367323 PMCID: PMC11451248 DOI: 10.1186/s12872-024-04221-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is today a common feature of patients seeking medical care and a growing public health issue in society. A method has been developed to measure biological chronic stress by Hair Cortisol Concentrations (HCC). This biomarker, for chronic stress, captures information about cumulative cortisol levels over the course of several months. Long-term stress might be one of the factors contributing to the onset of cardiovascular conditions and also affecting different risk factors. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between Hair Cortisol Concentrations and previous cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS The method of measuring chronic stress by Hair Cortisol Concentration was applied in a large Swedish national observational cross-sectional study. A population-based random sample of N = 4,821 Swedish middle-aged men and women was analysed for hair cortisol levels in relation to diagnosed previous cardiovascular diseases and biologically measured cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS Long-term stress, measured by hair cortisol, was significantly associated with the classical cardiovascular risk factors hypertension and high cholesterol, but not smoking. Those with elevated HCC levels also had a significantly increased pre-history of myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation and by-pass surgery, but not regarding stroke, angina pectoris or sleep apnoea. Higher HCC was significantly associated (p < 0.001) with Body mass index and waist circumference, but only for females. HCC was also associated with the risk markers leukocytes, and high-sensitivity CRP, indicating a possible linkage between HCC and inflammation and hypothetically also the bodily immune defense. No association was found between perceived stress and HCC. CONCLUSIONS An overall conclusion of our results is that health care should put more emphasis on patients reporting that they have been exposed to long term stress. Altogether, these analyses of Hair cortisol levels in a large middle-aged population show that chronically elevated cortisol levels represent a relevant and significant factor associated with cardiovascular diseases and classical cardiovascular risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åshild Faresjö
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Social Medicine and Public Health, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Andreas Stomby
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, General Practice, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Helena Quist
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Social Medicine and Public Health, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Michael P Jones
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carl Johan Östgren
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, General Practice, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Centre of Medical Image Science and Visualization, CMIV, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Dahlqvist
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Tomas Faresjö
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, General Practice, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Chatzi G, Chandola T, Shlomo N, Cernat A, Hannemann T. Is social disadvantage a chronic stressor? Socioeconomic position and HPA axis activity among older adults living in England. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 168:107116. [PMID: 38981200 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Living in socioeconomic disadvantage has been conceptualised as a chronic stressor, although this contradicts evidence from studies using hair cortisol and cortisone as a measure of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)1 axis activity. These studies used complete case analyses, ignoring the impact of missing data for inference, despite the high proportion of missing biomarker data. The methodological limitations of studies investigating the association between socioeconomic position (SEP)2 defined as education, wealth, and social class and hair cortisol and cortisone are considered in this study by comparing three common methods to deal with missing data: (1) Complete Case Analysis (CCA),3 (2) Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW) 4and (3) weighted Multiple Imputation (MI).5 This study examines if socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with higher levels of HPA axis activity as measured by hair cortisol and cortisone among older adults using three approaches for compensating for missing data. METHOD Cortisol and cortisone levels in hair samples from 4573 participants in the 6th wave (2012-2013) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)6 were examined, in relation to education, wealth, and social class. We compared linear regression models with CCA, weighted and multiple imputed weighted linear regression models. RESULTS Social groups with certain characteristics (i.e., ethnic minorities, in routine and manual occupations, physically inactive, with poorer health, and smokers) were less likely to have hair cortisol and hair cortisone data compared to the most advantaged groups. We found a consistent pattern of higher levels of hair cortisol and cortisone among the most socioeconomically disadvantaged groups compared to the most advantaged groups. Complete case approaches to missing data underestimated the levels of hair cortisol in education and social class and the levels of hair cortisone in education, wealth, and social class in the most disadvantaged groups. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that social disadvantage as measured by disadvantaged SEP is associated with increased HPA axis activity. The conceptualisation of social disadvantage as a chronic stressor may be valid and previous studies reporting no associations between SEP and hair cortisol may be biased due to their lack of consideration of missing data cases which showed the underrepresentation of disadvantaged social groups in the analyses. Future analyses using biosocial data may need to consider and adjust for missing data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Chatzi
- Department of Social Statistics, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Tarani Chandola
- Department of Social Statistics, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Natalie Shlomo
- Department of Social Statistics, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Alexandru Cernat
- Department of Social Statistics, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Tina Hannemann
- Department of Social Statistics, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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Sobol M, Błachnio A, Plucińska E, Hryhorchuk I, Meisner M, Wdowiak A, Wdowiak N, Szczepaniak P, Jankowski KS. Associations of couples' balanced time perspective with maternal prenatal hair cortisol concentration and perceived stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 168:107115. [PMID: 39002452 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The stress experienced by a woman during pregnancy not only has a negative impact on her well-being and physical health but also adversely affects the fetus. Stress is strongly linked with time perspective, defined as the tendency to focus on the past, present, or future. The study aimed to investigate how couples' balanced time perspective was related to maternal prenatal hair cortisol concentration and perceived stress in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. METHOD The participants were pregnant women and their male partners (84 couples). Women completed online questionnaires: the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), the Dark Future Scale (DFS), and the Perceived Stress Scale, while men completed online versions of the ZTPI and the DFS. These questionnaire measurements were conducted in the first and third trimesters. Maternal cortisol levels were measured in hair samples taken during gynecological visits, in the first and third trimesters. RESULTS The study revealed that the more unbalanced the partner's time perspective, the more unbalanced the pregnant woman's time perspective and, consequently, the higher the stress perceived by the pregnant woman. This effect was present in both the first (B = 1.06, SE =.36, p <.001, 95 % CI [.398, 1.826]) and the third trimesters (B =.98, SE =.36, p <.001, 95 % CI [.327, 1.774]). Moreover, the more unbalanced the partner's time perspective, the more unbalanced the woman's time perspective and, consequently, the lower the hair cortisol concentration in the first trimester (B = -.08, SE =.04, p <.05, 95 % CI [-.171, -.010]). Partner's unbalanced time perspective in the first trimester was also a predictor of stress perceived by the woman in the third trimester (t = 2.38, p <.05). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest the significance of the partner's time perspective for the pregnant woman's mental health. The partner's unbalanced, negative time perspective in the first trimester may increase the pregnant woman's stress in the third trimester. This effect can be even stronger than that of the woman's time perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Sobol
- Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, Warsaw 00-183, Poland.
| | - Agata Błachnio
- John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, al. Raclawickie 14, Lublin 20-950, Poland
| | | | - Inna Hryhorchuk
- Żywiec Hospital, ul. Pola Lisickich 80, Żywiec 34-300, Poland
| | - Michał Meisner
- Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, Warsaw 00-183, Poland
| | - Artur Wdowiak
- Medical University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 1, Lublin 20-059, Poland
| | - Natalia Wdowiak
- Medical University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 1, Lublin 20-059, Poland
| | | | - Konrad S Jankowski
- Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, Warsaw 00-183, Poland
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Lee KM, Wang C, Du H, Hunger J, Tomiyama AJ. Weight stigma as a stressor: A preliminary multi-wave, longitudinal study testing the biobehavioral pathways of the cyclic obesity/weight-based stigma (COBWEBS) model. Appetite 2024; 201:107573. [PMID: 38908408 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Higher weight individuals often face significant weight stigma. According to the Cyclic Obesity/Weight-Based Stigma (COBWEBS) model, weight stigma operates as a stressor that increases the stress hormone cortisol and promotes comfort eating, thus resulting in weight gain. Such weight gain is harmful as it exposes individuals to further stigmatization. Thus far, no study has yet tested the mechanistic pathways of the COBWEBS model and prospective longitudinal studies are severely lacking. To fill this gap, the current study tested the biobehavioral pathways of the COBWEBS model using a 4-wave yearlong longitudinal study comprising 348 higher weight individuals. Using a structural equation modeling framework, we tested three cross lagged panel models for the putative mediator, comfort eating. The models examined either synchronous and/or lagged effects across weight stigma, perceived stress, comfort eating, weight, and future weight stigma. The best fitting model revealed significant associations between baseline weight stigma, perceived stress, and comfort eating within the same month. However, comfort eating did not significantly predict weight four months later. Weight status and baseline weight stigma both predicted future weight stigma as expected. Additionally, a separate path model with hair cortisol found that weight stigma predicted perceived stress four months later, but stress did not predict aggregate cortisol levels from months 10 and 11. Hair cortisol also did not predict later weight. This preliminary work lays the foundation for identifying modifiable targets of weight stigma, thereby offering potential avenues to reduce weight stigma's harm on higher weight individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Lee
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building, Los Angeles, CA, 900951563, USA.
| | - Christy Wang
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building, Los Angeles, CA, 900951563, USA
| | - Han Du
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building, Los Angeles, CA, 900951563, USA
| | - Jeffrey Hunger
- Miami University, 90 North Patterson Avenue, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - A Janet Tomiyama
- University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building, Los Angeles, CA, 900951563, USA
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Asencio CJ, Palme R, Ferrari HR, Lattanzi ML, Eguizábal GV, Busso JM. Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites and Hair Cortisone/Cortisol Measurements in Domestic Pigs Exposed to Road Transportation and Dexamethasone Treatment. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2700. [PMID: 39335289 PMCID: PMC11429306 DOI: 10.3390/ani14182700] [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: 08/14/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Pig homeostasis is challenged by stressful production practices, like road transportation. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are mediators of reactive homeostasis, and their concentrations are frequently used as a stress indicator. The adrenocortical activity of fattening female and castrated male pigs was monitored over a 5-day longitudinal study. A bi-factorial experimental design was applied on day 2; 18 pigs in pen 1 were transported for 3 h (T; 1.2 m2/pig), and 18 pigs were kept in pen 2 (NT). Ten pigs from each pen were treated with dexamethasone (T-D or NT-D), and eight with saline solution (T-SS or NT-SS). Adrenocortical activity was assessed by measuring the levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) and hair cortisol and cortisone. In T-SS pigs, the level of FGMs was higher after transportation than in NT-SS pigs. The level of FGMs of T-D pigs initially increased but then reached similar levels to those of NT-SS sooner than T-SS. In contrast, hair cortisol and cortisone did not respond to the treatments. Nevertheless, the hair cortisone/cortisol ratio increased due to transport and decreased after dexamethasone administration. Daily faecal sampling proved still more reliable than 60-day hair sampling for assessing adrenocortical activity. Transported pigs recovered their adrenocortical baseline levels within 24 h. Dexamethasone attenuated the response to transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila J. Asencio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina; (C.J.A.); (G.V.E.)
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, FCEFyN-UNC Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Héctor R. Ferrari
- Cátedra de Bienestar Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina;
| | - Mariano L. Lattanzi
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), EEA Marcos Juárez, Marcos Juárez X2580, Argentina;
| | - Gabina V. Eguizábal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina; (C.J.A.); (G.V.E.)
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, FCEFyN-UNC Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - Juan M. Busso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina; (C.J.A.); (G.V.E.)
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, FCEFyN-UNC Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
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van der Valk ES, Mohseni M, Iyer AM, van den Hurk MJB, Lengton R, Kuckuck S, Wester VL, Leenen PJM, Dik WA, Visser JA, Kavousi M, Mirzaian M, van den Berg SAA, van Rossum EFC. Long-Term Glucocorticoid Exposure and Incident Cardiovascular Diseases-The Lifelines Cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:2520-2529. [PMID: 38500477 PMCID: PMC11403319 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Long-term glucocorticoid levels in scalp hair (HairGCs), including cortisol and the inactive form cortisone, represent the cumulative systemic exposure to glucocorticoids over months. HairGCs have repeatedly shown associations with cardiometabolic and immune parameters, but longitudinal data are lacking. DESIGN We investigated 6341 hair samples of participants from the Lifelines cohort study for cortisol and cortisone levels and associated these to incident cardiovascular diseases (CVD) during 5 to 7 years of follow-up. We computed the odds ratio (OR) of HairGC levels for incident CVD via logistic regression, adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors, and performed a sensitivity analysis in subcohorts of participants < 60 years and ≥ 60 years of age. We also associated HairGC levels to immune parameters (total leukocytes and subtypes). RESULTS Hair cortisone levels (available in n = 4701) were independently associated with incident CVD (P < .001), particularly in younger individuals (multivariate-adjusted OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.91-9.07 per point increase in 10-log cortisone concentration [pg/mg], P < .001). All immune parameters except eosinophils were associated with hair cortisone (all multivariate-adjusted P < .05). CONCLUSION In this large, prospective cohort study, we found that long-term cortisone levels, measured in scalp hair, represent a relevant and significant predictor for future CVD in younger individuals. These results highlight glucocorticoid action as possible treatment target for CVD prevention, where hair glucocorticoid measurements could help identify individuals that may benefit from such treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline S van der Valk
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mostafa Mohseni
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anand M Iyer
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje J B van den Hurk
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robin Lengton
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Kuckuck
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent L Wester
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter J M Leenen
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem A Dik
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jenny A Visser
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mina Mirzaian
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd A A van den Berg
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Gallistl M, Linz R, Puhlmann LMC, Singer T, Engert V. Evidence for differential associations of distinct trait mindfulness facets with acute and chronic stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107051. [PMID: 38678734 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Stress and stress-associated disease are considered the health epidemic of the 21st century. Interestingly, despite experiencing similar amounts of stress than those falling ill, some individuals are protected against the "wear and tear of daily life". Based on the notion that mindfulness training strengthens stress resilience, we explored whether facets of trait mindfulness, prior to training intervention, are linked to acute psychosocial stress reactivity and chronic stress load. To assess different mindfulness facets, over 130 participants completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). For acute stress induction, a standardized psychosocial stress test was conducted. Subjective stress, sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, and levels of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis end hormone cortisol were assessed repeatedly. Additionally, levels of hair cortisol and cortisone as indices of the long-term physiological stress load were collected. We found differential associations of different facets of mindfulness with subjective stress, cortisol, and hair cortisone levels. Specifically, the trait mindfulness facets FMI "Acceptance" and the ability to put one's inner experience into words (FFMQ "Describing") were associated with lower acute subjective and cortisol stress reactivity. Contrarily, monitoring-related trait mindfulness facets (FFMQ "Acting with Awareness" and "Observing") were associated with higher acute cortisol and marginally higher long-term cortisone release. Our results suggest granularity of the mindfulness construct. In accordance with the "Monitor and Acceptance Theory", especially acceptance-related traits buffered against stress, while monitoring-related traits seemed to be maladaptive in the context of stress. The current results give valuable guidance for the conceptualization of mindfulness-based interventions geared towards stress reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Gallistl
- Independent Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Roman Linz
- Independent Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lara M C Puhlmann
- Independent Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Social Neuroscience Lab, Max Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Veronika Engert
- Independent Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Psychosocial Medicine, Psychotherapy and Psychooncology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Halle-Jena-Magdeburg
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8
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Mazgelytė E, Karčiauskaitė D. Cortisol in metabolic syndrome. Adv Clin Chem 2024; 123:129-156. [PMID: 39181620 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Cortisol, a stress hormone, plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic, hemodynamic, inflammatory, and behavioral processes. Its secretion is governed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, prolonged activation of this axis and increased cortisol bioavailability in tissues can result in detrimental metabolic effects. Chronic exposure to excessive cortisol is associated with insulin resistance and visceral obesity, both significant contributors to metabolic syndrome. This review delves into the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the molecular mechanisms underlying cortisol synthesis and its actions, as well as the key factors influencing cortisol bioavailability. Furthermore, it provides a summary of available clinical research data on the involvement of cortisol in metabolic syndrome, alongside a discussion on the various biomatrices used for cortisol measurement in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eglė Mazgelytė
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Dovilė Karčiauskaitė
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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9
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Chiu DT, Parker JE, Wiley CR, Epel ES, Laraia BA, Leung CW, Tomiyama AJ. Food insecurity, poor diet, and metabolic measures: The roles of stress and cortisol. Appetite 2024; 197:107294. [PMID: 38479471 PMCID: PMC11149909 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Food insecurity is highly prevalent and linked to poorer diet and worse metabolic outcomes. Food insecurity can be stressful, and could elicit chronic psychological and physiological stress. In this study, we tested whether stress could be used to identify those at highest risk for worse diet and metabolic measures from food insecurity. Specifically, we hypothesized that cortisol (a physiological marker of stress) and perceived psychological stress would amplify the link between food insecurity and hyperpalatable food intake as well as metabolic measures. In a sample of 624 Black and White women aged 36-43 who participated in the NHLBI Growth and Health Study's midlife assessment, we assessed associations between food insecurity with hyperpalatable food intake (high fat + high sodium foods; high fat + high sugar foods; and high carbohydrate + high sodium foods), and metabolic measures (fasting glucose, insulin resistance, and waist circumference). We found that food insecurity was associated with higher levels of perceived stress (R2 = 0.09), and greater intake of high fat + high sugar (hyperpalatable) foods (R2 = 0.03). In those with higher cumulative cortisol (as indexed by hair cortisol), food insecurity was associated with higher levels of fasting glucose. Neither cortisol nor perceived stress moderated any other relationships, and neither variable functioned as a mediator in sensitivity analyses. Given these largely null findings, further research is needed to understand the role stress plays in the chronic health burdens of food insecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy T Chiu
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California, San Francisco, 1545 Divisadero St 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA.
| | - Jordan E Parker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Cameron R Wiley
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4201 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, 675 18th Street, #5104, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
| | - Barbara A Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Room 5302, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Cindy W Leung
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Building 2, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - A Janet Tomiyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Psychology Building Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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Pham AT, van Dijk BAC, van der Valk ES, van der Vegt B, van Rossum EFC, de Bock GH. Chronic Stress Related to Cancer Incidence, including the Role of Metabolic Syndrome Components. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2044. [PMID: 38893162 PMCID: PMC11171137 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112044] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological results on the link between chronic stress and cancer initiation have been inconsistent. This study examined the relation between chronic biological stress, indicated as hair cortisol (HairF) and hair cortisone (HairE), and cancer incidence, adjusting for metabolic syndrome (MetS) components. We analyzed HairF and HairE samples from 6341 participants from the population-based cohort Lifelines in 2014. A linkage with the Dutch Nationwide Pathology Databank (Palga) provided the cancer incidence from 2015 to 2021. The association between dichotomized HairF and log-transformed HairE (LogHairE) and cancer incidence was estimated using Cox regression. MetS components were evaluated as confounders or moderators. Of the 2776 participants with known HairF levels and no cancer history, 238 developed cancer. The HairF level did not predict cancer incidence (HR: 0.993, 95%CI: 0.740-1.333). No confounders or moderators were identified. Among the 4699 participants with known HairE levels and no cancer history, 408 developed cancer. There was no association between LogHairE and cancer incidence (HR: 1.113, 95%CI: 0.738-1.678). When including age as a confounder and gender as a moderator, LogHairE was statistically significantly associated with cancer incidence (HR: 6.403, 95%CI: 1.110-36.92). In a population-based cohort, chronic biological stress, measured by HairE, was associated with cancer incidence, after controlling for age and gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Thanh Pham
- Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (B.A.C.v.D.); (G.H.d.B.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Boukje A. C. van Dijk
- Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (B.A.C.v.D.); (G.H.d.B.)
- Department of Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), 3511 CV Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eline S. van der Valk
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (E.S.v.d.V.); (E.F.C.v.R.)
| | - Bert van der Vegt
- Department of Pathology & Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (E.S.v.d.V.); (E.F.C.v.R.)
| | - Geertruida H. de Bock
- Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (B.A.C.v.D.); (G.H.d.B.)
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11
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Buckert M, Streibel C, Hartmann M, Monzer N, Kopf S, Szendrödi J, Wild B. Cross-sectional associations of self-perceived stress and hair cortisol with metabolic outcomes and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1289689. [PMID: 38813430 PMCID: PMC11133512 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1289689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Increasing evidence supports chronic psychological stress as a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. Much less is known, however, about the role of chronic stress in established diabetes. Methods The aim of the current study was to comprehensively assess chronic stress in a sample of 73 patients with type 2 diabetes and 48 non-diabetic control participants, and to investigate associations with indicators of glycemic control (HbA1c), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), β-cell functioning (C-peptide), illness duration, and the presence of microvascular complications. Chronic stress was measured using questionnaires [the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Screening Scale of the Trier Inventory of Chronic Stress (SSCS), the Perceived Health Questionnaire (PHQ) as well as the Questionnaire on Stress in Patients with Diabetes-Revised (QSD-R)]; hair cortisol was used as a biological indicator. Results We found that patients with type 2 diabetes had higher levels of hair cortisol in comparison to the control group (F(1,112) = 5.3; p = 0.023). Within the diabetic group, higher hair cortisol was associated with a longer duration of the illness (r = 0.25, p = 0.04). General perceived stress did not show significant associations with metabolic outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients. In contrast, higher diabetes-related distress, as measured with the QSD-R, was associated with lower glycemic control (r = 0.28, p = 0.02), higher insulin resistance (r = 0.26, p = 0.03) and a longer duration of the illness (r = 0.30, p = 0.01). Discussion Our results corroborate the importance of chronic psychological stress in type 2 diabetes. It appears, however, that once type 2 diabetes has developed, diabetes-specific distress gains in importance over general subjective stress. On a biological level, increased cortisol production could be linked to the course of the illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Buckert
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carmen Streibel
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mechthild Hartmann
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nelly Monzer
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kopf
- Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Szendrödi
- Department of Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Wild
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Boswell L, Vega-Beyhart A, Blasco M, Quintana LF, Rodríguez G, Díaz-Catalán D, Vilardell C, Claro M, Mora M, Amor AJ, Casals G, Hanzu FA. Hair cortisol and changes in cortisol dynamics in chronic kidney disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1282564. [PMID: 38638132 PMCID: PMC11024788 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1282564] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective We compared hair cortisol (HC) with classic tests of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and assessed its association with kidney and cardiometabolic status. Design and methods A cross-sectional study of 48 patients with CKD stages I-IV, matched by age, sex, and BMI with 24 healthy controls (CTR) was performed. Metabolic comorbidities, body composition, and HPA axis function were studied. Results A total of 72 subjects (age 52.9 ± 12.2 years, 50% women, BMI 26.2 ± 4.1 kg/m2) were included. Metabolic syndrome features (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, glucose, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, waist circumference) and 24-h urinary proteins increased progressively with worsening kidney function (p < 0.05 for all). Reduced cortisol suppression after 1-mg dexamethasone suppression (DST) (p < 0.001), a higher noon (12:00 h pm) salivary cortisol (p = 0.042), and salivary cortisol AUC (p = 0.008) were seen in CKD. 24-h urinary-free cortisol (24-h UFC) decreased in CKD stages III-IV compared with I-II (p < 0.001); higher midnight salivary cortisol (p = 0.015) and lower suppressibility after 1-mg DST were observed with declining kidney function (p < 0.001). Cortisol-after-DST cortisol was >2 mcg/dL in 23% of CKD patients (12.5% in stage III and 56.3% in stage IV); 45% of them had cortisol >2 mcg/dL after low-dose 2-day DST, all in stage IV (p < 0.001 for all). Cortisol-after-DST was lineally inversely correlated with eGFR (p < 0.001). Cortisol-after-DST (OR 14.9, 95% CI 1.7-103, p = 0.015) and glucose (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.5, p = 0.003) were independently associated with eGFR <30 mL/min/m2). HC was independently correlated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) (p = 0.016). Cortisol-after-DST (p = 0.032) and VAT (p < 0.001) were independently correlated with BMI. Conclusion Cortisol-after-DST and salivary cortisol rhythm present progressive alterations in CKD patients. Changes in cortisol excretion and HPA dynamics in CKD are not accompanied by significant changes in long-term exposure to cortisol evaluated by HC. The clinical significance and pathophysiological mechanisms explaining the associations between HPA parameters, body composition, and kidney damage warrant further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Boswell
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Group of Endocrine Disorders, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Althaia University Health Network, Manresa, Spain
| | - Arturo Vega-Beyhart
- Group of Endocrine Disorders, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Blasco
- Group of Nephrology and Transplantation, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Nephrology Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis F. Quintana
- Group of Nephrology and Transplantation, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Nephrology Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gabriela Rodríguez
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniela Díaz-Catalán
- Group of Endocrine Disorders, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Vilardell
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Althaia University Health Network, Manresa, Spain
| | - María Claro
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Mora
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Group of Endocrine Disorders, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabo´ licas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio J. Amor
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gregori Casals
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felicia A. Hanzu
- Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Group of Endocrine Disorders, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabo´ licas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Sears CG, Liu Y, Lanphear BP, Buckley JP, Meyer J, Xu Y, Chen A, Yolton K, Braun JM. Evaluating Mixtures of Urinary Phthalate Metabolites and Serum Per-/Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Adolescent Hair Cortisol: The HOME Study. Am J Epidemiol 2024; 193:454-468. [PMID: 37846096 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad198] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Results of toxicological studies indicate that phthalates and per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 2 classes of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, may alter the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. We evaluated the associations of urinary phthalate metabolites and serum PFAS during gestation and childhood with adolescent hair cortisol concentrations (pg/mg hair) at age 12 years, an integrative marker of HPA axis activity (n = 205 mother-child pairs; Cincinnati, Ohio; enrolled 2003-2006). We used quantile-based g-computation to estimate associations between mixtures of urinary phthalate metabolites or serum PFAS and hair cortisol. We also examined whether associations of individual phthalate metabolites or PFAS with cortisol varied by the timing of exposure. We found that a 1-quartile increase in all childhood phthalate metabolites was associated with 35% higher adolescent hair cortisol (phthalate mixture ψ = 0.13; 95% confidence interval: 0.03, 0.22); these associations were driven by monoethyl phthalate, monoisobutyl phthalate, and monobenzyl phthalate. We did not find evidence that phthalate metabolites during gestation or serum PFAS mixtures were related to adolescent hair cortisol concentrations. We found suggestive evidence that higher childhood concentrations of individual PFAS were related to higher and lower adolescent hair cortisol concentrations. Our results suggest that phthalate exposure during childhood may contribute to higher levels of chronic HPA axis activity.
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14
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Mirzaian M, van Zundert SKM, Schilleman WF, Mohseni M, Kuckuck S, van Rossum EFC, van Schaik RHN, van den Berg SAA. Determination of cortisone and cortisol in human scalp hair using an improved LC-MS/MS-based method. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:118-127. [PMID: 37485925 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Human scalp hair is an easily available but complex matrix for determination of cortisone and cortisol, and has been shown to reflect long-term glucocorticoid exposure. Hair glucocorticoid analysis has been used to detect hypo- and hypercortisolism. In this study, we describe the development and validation of a LC-MS/MS method for quantification of cortisone and cortisol in human scalp hair, and provide a novel approach for analysis and interpretation of the results. METHODS Improved sample preparation using pulverization and solid phase extraction allowed for low sample volumes (10 mg). Baseline chromatographic separation without matrix interference was achieved by reversed phase chromatography and MRM measurement in negative ion mode. Run-to-run time was 8 min. Mixed model analyses were performed to create individual patterns of cortisone and cortisol concentrations. RESULTS Matrix matched calibration curves showed excellent linearity up to 100 pg (analyte)/mg (hair) for both cortisone and cortisol (R2>0.995). LLOQ was 1.5 and 1.0 pg/mg for cortisone and cortisol, respectively. Matrix effect was negligible for hair color (recoveries 95-105 %). Cortisone and cortisol concentrations decreased from proximal to distal hair segments, following a predictable, but subject-specific pattern, with less individual variation for cortisone than for cortisol. CONCLUSIONS This improved LC-MS/MS method is able to accurately quantify cortisone and cortisol in human hair with minimum matrix interference. This new way of data analysis and interpretation including individual patterns of cortisone and cortisol will be of help with detection of pathological concentrations in both the high - and the low ranges of glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Mirzaian
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sofie K M van Zundert
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wim F Schilleman
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mostafa Mohseni
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Kuckuck
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ron H N van Schaik
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd A A van den Berg
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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15
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Kuckuck S, Lengton R, Boon MR, Boersma E, Penninx BWJH, Kavousi M, van Rossum EFC. Long-term glucocorticoids in relation to the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Intern Med 2024; 295:2-19. [PMID: 37926862 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The striking link of Cushing's syndrome with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggests that long-term exposure to extremely high cortisol levels catalyzes cardiometabolic deterioration. However, it remained unclear whether the findings from the extreme glucocorticoid overabundance observed in Cushing's syndrome could be translated into more subtle variations in long-term glucocorticoid levels among the general population, for example, due to chronic stress. Here, we performed a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42023425541) of evidence regarding the role of subtle variations in long-term biological stress, measured as levels of scalp hair cortisol (HairF) and cortisone (HairE), in the context of MetS and CVD in adults. We also performed a meta-analysis on the cross-sectional difference in HairF levels between individuals with versus without CVD. Seven studies were included regarding MetS, sixteen regarding CVD, and one regarding both. Most articles indicated a strong, consistent cross-sectional association of higher HairF and HairE levels with CVD, which was confirmed by our meta-analysis for HairF (eight studies, SMD = 0.48, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 0.16-0.79, p = 0.0095). Moreover, these relationships appear largely independent of standard risk factors. Age seems relevant as the effect seems stronger in younger individuals. Results regarding the associations of HairF and HairE with MetS were inconsistent. Altogether, long-term biological stress, measured as HairF and HairE, is associated with the presence of CVD, and less consistently with MetS. Prospective studies need to evaluate the directionality of this relationship and determine whether HairF and HairE can be used in addition to standard risk factors in predicting future cardiometabolic deterioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Kuckuck
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robin Lengton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mariëtte R Boon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Boersma
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry and Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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16
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Mohammedi K, Bertherat J, Raverot G, Drui D, Reznik Y, Castinetti F, Chanson P, Fafin M, Brossaud J, Tabarin A. Evidence of Persistent Mild Hypercortisolism in Patients Medically Treated for Cushing Disease: the Haircush Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023; 108:e963-e970. [PMID: 37144820 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Cortisol-lowering drugs may not restore a normal cortisol secretion in Cushing disease (CD). OBJECTIVE This work aimed to assess the long-term cortisol exposure in medically treated CD patients using hair-cortisol (HF) and hair-cortisone (HE) measurement. METHODS This multicenter prospective study included 3 groups of female patients: CushMed = 16 treated with a stable cortisol-lowering drug dosage and normal urinary free cortisol (UFC); CushSurg = 13 cured by pituitary surgery; CushBla = 15 receiving stable recommended doses of hydrocortisone following bilateral adrenalectomy. Patients were evaluated for 3 months with their usual treatments. Two late-night saliva and 24-hour urine samples were collected monthly in CushMed, and at study end in CushSurg and CushBla patients. A 3-cm hair sample was collected at study end from all patients. Main outcome measures included clinical score and centralized measurement of UFC, late-night salivary cortisol (LNSF), late-night salivary cortisone (LNSE), HE, HF. RESULTS Despite having almost all UFCs normalized, CushMed patients exhibited increased HE as compared to CushSurg controls (P = .003). CushMed patients also had increased clinical score (P = .001), UFC (P = .03), LNSF, LNSE (P = .0001), and variability in the latter parameters (P = .004). CushBla patients had increased HF and HE, contrasting with LNSEs similar to CushSurg patients. Six of 15 CushMed patients exhibited increased HE concentrations and had increased antihypertensive drug dosage compared to CushMed patients with normal HE (P = .05). CONCLUSION Despite normalized UFCs, a subset of medically treated CD patients displays an altered circadian rhythm of serum cortisol. A single HE measurement identifies chronic mild persistent hypercortisolism and could replace multiple saliva analyzes to monitor medical treatments in CD patients once UFC is normalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamel Mohammedi
- Department of Endocrinology, French Reference Center for Adrenal Cancer, EURACAN European Expert Center on Rare Neuroendocrine Tumors, Hôpital Haut-Lévèque, CHU and University of Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
| | - Jerome Bertherat
- Department of Endocrinology, French Reference Center for Rare Adrenal Disorders, Hôpital Cochin, Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, F-75014, Paris, France
| | - Gerald Raverot
- Department of Endocrinology, French Reference Center for Rare Pituitary Diseases HYPO, Hospices Civils de Lyon and Inserm U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, F-69001, Lyon, France
| | - Delphine Drui
- Department of Endocrinology and Institut du thorax, CHU de Nantes, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Yves Reznik
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, CHU Côte de Nacre, F-14033 Caen, France
| | - Frederic Castinetti
- Department of Endocrinology, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Marseille, French Reference Center for Rare Pituitary Diseases, EURACAN European Expert Center on Rare Pituitary Tumors, La Conception Hospital, Aix Marseille University, F-13385, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Chanson
- Department of Endocrinology, Reference Center for Rare Pituitary Diseases HYPO, CHU Bicêtre, F-94270 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Manon Fafin
- Department of Endocrinology, French Reference Center for Adrenal Cancer, EURACAN European Expert Center on Rare Neuroendocrine Tumors, Hôpital Haut-Lévèque, CHU and University of Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
| | - Julie Brossaud
- Laboratory of Hormonology and Tumor Markers, Nutrition and Integrated Neurobiology Laboratory, UMR 1286, CHU de Bordeaux, F-33300, Bordeaux, France
| | - Antoine Tabarin
- Department of Endocrinology, French Reference Center for Adrenal Cancer, EURACAN European Expert Center on Rare Neuroendocrine Tumors, Hôpital Haut-Lévèque, CHU and University of Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
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17
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Juncker HG, Naninck EFG, van Keulen BJ, Harinck JE, Schipper L, Lucassen PJ, van Goudoever JB, de Rooij SR, Korosi A. Maternal stress is associated with higher protein-bound amino acid concentrations in human milk. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1165764. [PMID: 37743929 PMCID: PMC10513938 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1165764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal stress in the postpartum period affects not only the mother but also her newborn child, who is at increased risk of developing metabolic and mental disorders later in life. The mechanisms by which stress is transmitted to the infant are not yet fully understood. Human milk (HM) is a potential candidate as maternal stress affects various components of HM, e.g., fat and immunoglobulin concentrations. To date, it is unknown whether maternal stress also affects the amino acids (AAs) in HM, even though this nutrient is of extreme importance to child health and development. This study aimed to investigate whether and how maternal stress is associated with the AA composition of HM. Methods In this observational cohort study (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), lactating women were recruited in two study groups: a high-stress (HS) group; women whose child was hospitalized (n = 24), and a control (CTL) group; women who gave birth to a healthy child (n = 73). HM was collected three times a day, on postpartum days 10, 17, and 24. Perceived psychological stress was measured using validated questionnaires, while biological stress measures were based on hair, saliva, and HM cortisol concentrations. HM protein-bound and free AAs were analyzed by liquid chromatography and compared between groups. Results Maternal perceived stress scores were higher in the HS group (p < 0.01). The concentrations of protein-bound AAs in HM were higher in the HS group compared to the CTL group (p = 0.028) and were positively associated with HM cortisol concentrations (p = 0.024). The concentrations of free AAs did not differ between study groups and were unrelated to cortisol concentrations. Conclusion Findings from this prospective cohort study suggest that maternal stress in the postpartum period is associated with an altered human milk amino acid composition, which could play a role in the transmission of maternal stress effects to her child. The physiological implications of these stress-induced changes for infant development await future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G. Juncker
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eva F. G. Naninck
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Britt J. van Keulen
- Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jolinda E. Harinck
- Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Paul J. Lucassen
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Johannes B. van Goudoever
- Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Susanne R. de Rooij
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Aging and Later Life, Health Behaviors and Chronic Diseases, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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18
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Pageau LM, Ng TJ, Ling J, Given BA, Robbins LB, Deka P, Schlegel EC. Associations between hair cortisol and blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hypertens 2023; 41:875-887. [PMID: 37016924 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000003412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Stress is widely considered to be a risk factor for high blood pressure (BP), but evidence on the associations between biomarkers of chronic stress and BP is inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the current state of the science on relationships between measures of cortisol concentration reflecting chronic stress exposure [hair cortisol concentration (HCC), nail cortisol concentration)] and BP. METHODS PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched. Random effects models were used to assess the pooled effect size. Exploratory moderation analysis was performed. RESULTS Out of 34 014 identified, 16 articles met eligibility criteria and were included in the review, while 14 were included in the meta-analysis. No articles were reported on the association between nail cortisol concentration and BP. Small, positive associations were observed between HCC and SBP [ r = 0.19 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08-0.29)] and HCC and DBP [ r = 0.13 (95% CI: 0.04-0.22)]. Cortisol analysis method was identified as a significant moderator of the association between HCC and DBP. HCC was largely, positively associated with hypertension status [odds ratio = 3.23 (95% CI: 2.55-4.09), P < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS Current evidence suggests that higher HCC may be associated with elevated BP and a potential risk factor for hypertension. However, results should be interpreted with caution because HCC can be affected by hair color, hair care products, and analytic methods. Given the limitations of studies included in this review, further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Pageau
- College of Nursing, Michigan State University College of Nursing, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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19
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Penner F, Khoury JE, Bosquet Enlow M, Lyons-Ruth K. Threat versus deprivation in mother's childhood: Differential relations to hair cortisol and psychopathology in pregnancy. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2023; 139:106107. [PMID: 36870268 PMCID: PMC10101698 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The negative effects of childhood maltreatment can be intergenerational, and the prenatal period may play an important role in this intergenerational transmission. Maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction and maternal psychopathology represent two mechanisms through which the effects of childhood maltreatment are hypothesized to be transmitted across generations. OBJECTIVE This study first sought to extend prior research on pathways of intergenerational transmission by examining whether mothers' childhood experiences of abuse versus neglect differentially relate to maternal HPA activity and to maternal psychopathology during the prenatal period. Second, exploratory analyses examined the links between maternal variables and their State Protective Service involvement as a parent, as an indicator of maladaptive caregiving. METHODS During the third trimester of pregnancy, 51 women reported on experiences of childhood maltreatment, on State Protective Service involvement as an adult parent, and on current depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms, and provided a hair sample for cortisol assay. RESULTS Regression analyses indicated that greater severity of abuse, but not neglect, in childhood was associated with higher maternal depressive symptoms (β = 0.488, p = .020). In contrast, greater severity of neglect, but not abuse, in mothers' childhood was associated with lower maternal hair cortisol concentration (β = -0.437, p = .031). Lower maternal hair cortisol concentration, but not maternal psychopathology or severity of childhood abuse or neglect, in turn, was associated with State Protective Service involvement (β = -0.785, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Findings extend prior work by suggesting that childhood abuse and neglect may have different sequelae for mothers during pregnancy and that these sequelae may have different relations to parenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Penner
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Jennifer E Khoury
- Department of Psychology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karlen Lyons-Ruth
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
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20
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Planert J, Klucken T, Finke JB, Paulus PC, Fischer JE, Gao W, Stalder T. Associations between hair cortisol and subjective stress measures in a large occupational sample. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 152:106086. [PMID: 36947968 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) are commonly used to capture long-term cumulative cortisol secretion in stress research. However, data on associations between HCC and subjective stress measures have been inconsistent. This may partly be due to bias introduced by smaller-sized academic samples. Here, we investigate associations between HCC and (work-) stress-related measures in a large occupational, predominantly male, sample. METHODS Demographic, anthropometric, and self-reported data were collected as part of an occupational health assessment for employees of an airplane manufacturing company (N = 1258). Hair samples (3 cm) were obtained and glucocorticoid concentrations (HCC and hair cortisone, HairE) were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS HCC and HairE were unrelated to self-report measures of perceived stress, work-related stress (effort-reward imbalance, overcommitment), and other stress-related constructs. Group-based analyses concerning associations with job strain revealed a small effect of individuals with high job strain (n = 281) exhibiting higher HCC than the remaining sample (n = 811). CONCLUSIONS Our data replicate previous findings of no consistent associations between hair glucocorticoids and subjective stress-related questionnaire data, besides evidence for elevated HCC in a high job strain group. Further research addressing open methodological questions regarding HCC by means of advanced stress assessment methods is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jari Planert
- Department of Psychology, University of Siegen, 57076 Siegen, Germany
| | - Tim Klucken
- Department of Psychology, University of Siegen, 57076 Siegen, Germany
| | - Johannes B Finke
- Department of Psychology, University of Siegen, 57076 Siegen, Germany
| | - Philipp C Paulus
- Department of Neuropsychology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79085 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Joachim E Fischer
- Institute for Public Health, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Tobias Stalder
- Department of Psychology, University of Siegen, 57076 Siegen, Germany.
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21
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Ren Y, Liu Y, Zhao X, Hu W, Wei Z, Tang Z, Luo J, Li M, Guo K, Wu Y, Yang J. Hair Cortisone Predicts Lower Stress-induced Salivary Cortisol Response: Resting-state Functional Connectivity Between Salience and Limbic Networks. Neuroscience 2023; 517:61-69. [PMID: 36924986 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies revealed that high long-term hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis activity measured by the hair cortisol concentrations predicts lower acute stress cortisol response and reported the influences of hair cortisol on brain activity during acute stress exposure. However, considering that long-term HPA axis activity has a close relationship with the brain's resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), the current study aimed to explore the role of RSFC between limbic and salience network in this relationship. Seventy-seven healthy participants underwent resting-state imaging scans before performing the acute ScanSTRESS task. Saliva samples were collected to assess the levels of acute stress salivary cortisol. Hair samples were also collected, and the corticosteroid concentration extracted from these samples were used as a biomarker of long-term HPA axis activity. High hair cortisone (HairE) levels predicted lower acute stress cortisol response. Moreover, high HairE levels were significantly correlated with enhanced RSFC between limbic and salience networks, while RSFC was negatively associated with acute stress cortisol response. Importantly, the RSFC between left insula and left parahippocampus mediated the association between HairE and acute cortisol stress response. Taken together, this study uncovers the important role of RSFC between salience and limbic networks in the long-term relationship between HairE and acute cortisol response and contributes to a deeper understanding of the individual differences in acute stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yipeng Ren
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yadong Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Weiyu Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhenni Wei
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zihan Tang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiahao Luo
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mengyi Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaige Guo
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Ministry of Education), Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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22
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Iqbal T, Elahi A, Wijns W, Shahzad A. Cortisol detection methods for stress monitoring in connected health. HEALTH SCIENCES REVIEW 2023; 6:100079. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hsr.2023.100079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
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23
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Haugen T, Halvorsen JØ, Friborg O, Simpson MR, Mork PJ, Mikkelsen G, Elklit A, Rothbaum BO, Schei B, Hagemann C. Modified prolonged exposure therapy as Early Intervention after Rape (The EIR-study): study protocol for a multicenter randomized add-on superiority trial. Trials 2023; 24:126. [PMID: 36810120 PMCID: PMC9942301 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07147-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual assault and rape are the traumatic life events with the highest probability for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can have devastating consequences for those afflicted by the condition. Studies indicate that modified prolonged exposure (mPE) therapy may be effective in preventing the development of PTSD in recently traumatized individuals, and especially for people who have experienced sexual assault. If a brief, manualized early intervention can prevent or reduce post-traumatic symptoms in women who have recently experienced rape, healthcare services targeted for these populations (i.e., sexual assault centers, SACs) should consider implementing such interventions as part of routine care. METHODS/DESIGN This is a multicenter randomized controlled add-on superiority trial that enrolls patients attending sexual assault centers within 72 h after rape or attempted rape. The objective is to assess whether mPE shortly after rape can prevent the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Patients will be randomized to either mPE plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. The primary outcome is the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms 3 months after trauma. Secondary outcomes will be symptoms of depression, sleep difficulties, pelvic floor hyperactivity, and sexual dysfunction. The first 22 subjects will constitute an internal pilot trial to test acceptance of the intervention and feasibility of the assessment battery. DISCUSSION This study will guide further research and clinical initiatives for implementing strategies for preventing post-traumatic stress symptoms after rape and provide new knowledge about which women may benefit the most from such initiatives and for revising existing treatment guidelines within this area. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05489133. Registered on 3 August 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Haugen
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
- St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Pb. 3250 Torgarden, 7006, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Joar Øveraas Halvorsen
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
- St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Pb. 3250 Torgarden, 7006, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Oddgeir Friborg
- Department of Psychology, The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), Pb. 6050 Langnes, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Melanie Rae Simpson
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Pb. 8905, N-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Paul Jarle Mork
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Pb. 8905, N-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Gustav Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Pb. 3250 Torgarden, 7006, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ask Elklit
- National Danish center for Psychotraumatology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Barbara O Rothbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Program and the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
| | - Berit Schei
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Pb. 8905, N-7491, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Pb. 3250 Sluppen, NO-7006, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Cecilie Hagemann
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Pb. 3250 Sluppen, NO-7006, Trondheim, Norway
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24
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Jia R, Ayling K, Coupland C, Chalder T, Massey A, Nater U, Broadbent E, Gasteiger N, Gao W, Kirschbaum C, Vedhara K. Increases in stress hormone levels in a UK population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 148:105992. [PMID: 36495625 PMCID: PMC9705007 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research suggests that psychological factors may influence vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection, although the mechanisms are unclear. PURPOSE We examined whether the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may be a possible mechanism, by measuring the relationship between indices of psychological distress and cortisone in hair (hairE) in a UK cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Participants (N = 827) provided two 3 cm hair samples over a 6-month period between April-September 2020. Samples reflected hairE in the 3 months prior to the collection date. RESULTS HairE in the first samples (T1: commenced April 2020) did not differ significantly from pre-pandemic population norms. However, hairE in the second samples (T2: commenced July 2020) were significantly higher than T1 and pre-pandemic population norms, with a 23% increase between T1 and T2. Linear regressions, controlling for age and gender, demonstrated that at both timepoints, hairE levels were greatest in people with a history of mental health difficulties. In addition, stress reported at T1 predicted greater hairE at T2 and a greater change in hairE between T1 and T2. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that during the COVID-19 pandemic hairE was substantially elevated across a large community cohort, with greatest levels in those with a history of mental health difficulties and greatest changes in those reporting greatest levels of stress early in the pandemic. Further research is required with verified SARS-CoV-2 outcomes to determine whether the HPA axis is among the mechanisms by which a history of mental health difficulties and stress influence SARS-CoV-2 outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Jia
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Kieran Ayling
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Carol Coupland
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Adam Massey
- Cortigenix, Cortigenix Laboratory, 6 Westhill Court, Walcott, Lincoln LN4 3BU, UK
| | - Urs Nater
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elizabeth Broadbent
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Private bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Norina Gasteiger
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Private bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand; School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Wei Gao
- Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Kavita Vedhara
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
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25
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Different Types of Glucocorticoids to Evaluate Stress and Welfare in Animals and Humans: General Concepts and Examples of Combined Use. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13010106. [PMID: 36677031 PMCID: PMC9865266 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The main glucocorticoids involved in the stress response are cortisol and cortisone in most mammals and corticosterone in birds and rodents. Therefore, these analytes are currently the biomarkers more frequently used to evaluate the physiological response to a stressful situation. In addition, "total glucocorticoids", which refers to the quantification of various glucocorticoids by immunoassays showing cross-reactivity with different types of glucocorticoids or related metabolites, can be measured. In this review, we describe the characteristics of the main glucocorticoids used to assess stress, as well as the main techniques and samples used for their quantification. In addition, we analyse the studies where at least two of the main glucocorticoids were measured in combination. Overall, this review points out the different behaviours of the main glucocorticoids, depending on the animal species and stressful stimuli, and shows the potential advantages that the measurement of at least two different glucocorticoid types can have for evaluating welfare.
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26
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Karl M, Huth V, Schälicke S, Müller-Stark C, Weise V, Mack JT, Kirschbaum C, Weidner K, Garthus-Niegel S, Steudte-Schmiedgen S. The association between maternal symptoms of depression and hair glucocorticoids in infants across the perinatal period. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 147:105952. [PMID: 36370678 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal symptoms of depression constitute an early adversity for infants that is considered to exert its effects via the maternal-placental-fetal neuroendocrine axis. Previous research implicates associations between maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and infants' glucocorticoid (GC) levels shortly after birth. To date, associations have not been investigated in the early postnatal period. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of maternal perinatal symptoms of depression on infants' neonatal and postnatal hair GCs providing a retrospective reflection of integrated cortisol secretion in the intrauterine and early postnatal period, respectively. METHODS As part of a prospective cohort study, hair samples of infants were taken up to two weeks after delivery (N = 152) and again eight weeks after delivery (N = 165). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine hair cortisol and cortisone in scalp-near 2-cm hair segments. Maternal symptoms of depression were assessed during pregnancy and eight weeks postnatally based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. RESULTS Higher maternal prenatal symptoms of depression showed a significant association with higher infants' neonatal hair cortisol, when controlling for confounding variables (i.e., gestational age, mode of delivery, parity, storage time, pregnancy complications). A non-significant trend for this effect was found for the hair cortisol-to-cortisone ratio while no effect occurred for hair cortisone. No association of maternal postnatal symptoms of depression with infants' postnatal hair GCs was observed. Further exploratory analyses revealed no relationship between a change of maternal prenatal to postnatal symptoms of depression with the change from infants' neonatal to postnatal hair GC levels or postnatal hair GCs. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that maternal prenatal symptoms of depression are associated with dysregulated infants' hair cortisol levels mainly incorporated in the intrauterine period which, in turn, might contribute to increased susceptibility for later diseases. However, no relationship was observed in infants' hair samples additionally reflecting hair GCs of the early postnatal period. Future studies should consider research on associations between maternal symptoms of depression and infants' hair GCs also later in life and take into account additional risk factors with potential impacts on GC secretion during early infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Karl
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Vanessa Huth
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sarah Schälicke
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Corinna Müller-Stark
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Victoria Weise
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Judith T Mack
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Susan Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM), Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Childhood and Families, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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Luthra NS, Clow A, Corcos DM. The Interrelated Multifactorial Actions of Cortisol and Klotho: Potential Implications in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1695. [PMID: 36552155 PMCID: PMC9775285 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) is complex, multilayered, and not fully understood, resulting in a lack of effective disease-modifying treatments for this prevalent neurodegenerative condition. Symptoms of PD are heterogenous, including motor impairment as well as non-motor symptoms such as depression, cognitive impairment, and circadian disruption. Aging and stress are important risk factors for PD, leading us to explore pathways that may either accelerate or protect against cellular aging and the detrimental effects of stress. Cortisol is a much-studied hormone that can disrupt mitochondrial function and increase oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, which are recognized as key underlying disease mechanisms in PD. The more recently discovered klotho protein, considered a general aging-suppressor, has a similarly wide range of actions but in the opposite direction to cortisol: promoting mitochondrial function while reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Both hormones also converge on pathways of vitamin D metabolism and insulin resistance, also implicated to play a role in PD. Interestingly, aging, stress and PD associate with an increase in cortisol and decrease in klotho, while physical exercise and certain genetic variations lead to a decrease in cortisol response and increased klotho. Here, we review the interrelated opposite actions of cortisol and klotho in the pathogenesis of PD. Together they impact powerful and divergent mechanisms that may go on to influence PD-related symptoms. Better understanding of these hormones in PD would facilitate the design of effective interventions that can simultaneously impact the multiple systems involved in the pathogenesis of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nijee S. Luthra
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94127, USA
| | - Angela Clow
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London W1B 2HW, UK
| | - Daniel M. Corcos
- Department of Physical Therapy & Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
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28
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Abduch NG, Pires BV, Souza LL, Vicentini RR, Zadra LEF, Fragomeni BO, Silva RMO, Baldi F, Paz CCP, Stafuzza NB. Effect of Thermal Stress on Thermoregulation, Hematological and Hormonal Characteristics of Caracu Beef Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243473. [PMID: 36552393 PMCID: PMC9774310 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the influence of environmental temperature on thermoregulation, hormonal, and hematological characteristics in Caracu cattle. Blood samples, hair length, coat and muzzle colors, rectal (RT), and surface temperatures were collected from 48 males and 43 females before (morning) and after sun exposure for eight hours (afternoon). Infrared thermography (IRT) was used to identify superficial temperature that exhibits a high correlation with RT. Hematological parameters, hormone concentrations, RT, and the superficial temperature obtained by IRT that exhibited the highest correlation with RT were evaluated by variance analysis. Regarding IRT, the lower left side of the body (LS) showed the highest correlation with the RT. Interaction between period and sex was observed for LS, cortisol, and eosinophils. Cortisone, progesterone, and RT were influenced by period and sex. Neutrophils and segmented neutrophils were influenced by the period, which showed the highest concentrations after sun exposure. Platelets, leukocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes were influenced by sex. Heat stress changes several physiological characteristics where males and females exhibited differences in their responses to heat stress. Furthermore, most characteristics evaluated remained within the regular values observed for taurine Creole breeds, showing that Caracu is adapted to tropical climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya G Abduch
- Centro Avançado de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em Bovinos de Corte, Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Sertãozinho 14174-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Bianca V Pires
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Luana L Souza
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Rogerio R Vicentini
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora 36036-900, MG, Brazil
| | - Lenira El Faro Zadra
- Centro Avançado de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em Bovinos de Corte, Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Sertãozinho 14174-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Breno O Fragomeni
- Department of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | | | - Fernando Baldi
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Claudia C P Paz
- Centro Avançado de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em Bovinos de Corte, Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Sertãozinho 14174-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Nedenia B Stafuzza
- Centro Avançado de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em Bovinos de Corte, Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Sertãozinho 14174-000, SP, Brazil
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Nordkap L, Almstrup K, Priskorn L, Bang AK, Stalder T, Petersen JH, Hansen ÅM, Juul A, Johannsen TH, Jørgensen N. Hair cortisol, glucocorticoid gene receptor polymorphisms, stress, and testicular function. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 146:105942. [PMID: 36179533 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Self-reported psychological stress has been associated with decreased semen quality. Cortisol levels in scalp hair (hair cortisol concentration, HCC) has emerged as a potential objective marker of psychological stress. Thus, we investigated if HCC was associated with markers of testicular function. Furthermore, we examined whether three common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the glucocorticoid-receptor gene (NR3C1, chromosome 5), potentially affecting receptor sensitivity, were associated with HCC and could influence the studied association between HCC and testicular function. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS We analysed HCC, serum-levels of reproductive hormones, semen parameters, and the three NR3C1-polymorphisms; BclI (rs41423247), Tth111I (rs10052957), and 9β (rs6198), in a population of 696 men from the general population. RESULTS HCC was not associated with testicular function, and adjustment for the three NR3C1-polymorphisms did not alter the results. However, HCC increased significantly with the number of Tth111I minor-alleles (T) and decreased significantly with the number of 9β minor-alleles (G). CONCLUSION Given previously shown associations between stress and semen quality, and that no association between HCC and self-reported stress was observed in the current study, we speculate that negative reproductive effects of stress may not be mediated directly by cortisol. This study demonstrates associations between HCC and glucocorticoid receptor gene variants indicating that these SNPs may influence systemic glucocorticoid levels, but the potential health effects of such alterations are yet unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loa Nordkap
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
| | - Kristian Almstrup
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lærke Priskorn
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Anne Kirstine Bang
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Tobias Stalder
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Jørgen Holm Petersen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Åse Marie Hansen
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Juul
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trine Holm Johannsen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Niels Jørgensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, Denmark
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Chen Y, Petzold M, Rüetschi U, Dahlstrand J, Löfstedt P, Corell M, Friberg P. Hair glucocorticoid concentration, self-perceived stress and their associations with cardiometabolic risk markers in Swedish adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 146:105908. [PMID: 36054941 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While hair cortisol is proposed as a biomarker for chronic stress and a possible mediator linking chronic stress and cardiovascular risk in adults, studies in adolescents are scarce. We explored the associations between self-perceived stress, hair cortisol (HairF) and cortisone (HairE), and cardiometabolic risk markers in adolescents. Further, we examined whether association between self-perceived stress and HairF may depend on the use of the coping strategies "shift-persist". METHODS Participants were 7th grade pupils recruited to the STudy of Adolescence Resilience and Stress (STARS) and data from the baseline examinations were used. Adolescents (n = 1553, 26 % boys, Mage=13.6, SD = 0.4) completed questionnaires assessing perceived stress and coping strategies "shift-persist", provided hair sample, and examined for cardiometabolic risk factors including waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI) z-score, blood pressure, and white blood cell counts (WBC). HairF and HairE were analysed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. We conducted descriptive analyses (Student's t-test, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test, Chi-square test) and linear regression analyses. RESULTS Perceived stress was not associated with HairF, neither had the use of coping strategies "shift-persist" any influence on this association. Both HairF and HairE were positively associated with BMI z-score (beta coefficients (β): 0.178 (p < 0.001) and 0.119 (p < 0.001) for boys; 0.123 (p < 0.001) and 0.089 (p < 0.01) for girls) and WC (β: 0.089 (p > 0.05) and 0.098 (p < 0.05) for boys; 0.103 (p < 0.01) and 0.076 (p < 0.05) for girls). Perceived stress was also positively associated with BMI z-score and WC. Perceived stress, but not HairF, remained associated with WC in boys (β = 0.200, p < 0.001) in the models with HairF and perceived stress presented simultaneously. Modest association between HairE and WBC was found in boys (β = 0.149, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The study supports the association between chronic stress and overweight/obesity in adolescents. Hair cortisol and self-perceived stress capture different aspects of how chronic stress is related to overweight/obesity in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chen
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Max Petzold
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Ulrika Rüetschi
- Department of Clinial Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Johan Dahlstrand
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Petra Löfstedt
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Maria Corell
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Peter Friberg
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Juncker HG, Naninck EFG, Schipper L, Lucassen PJ, van Goudoever JB, de Rooij SR, Korosi A. Maternal stress in the postpartum period is associated with altered human milk fatty acid composition. Clin Nutr 2022; 41:2517-2528. [PMID: 36223713 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Maternal stress in the postpartum period affects not only the mother, but also her newborn child who is at increased risk for a wide range of disorders later in life. The mechanisms underlying transmission of maternal stress to the child remain elusive. Human milk (HM) is a potential candidate and is an important source of fatty acid (FA), which are crucial for child (neuro)development. This study aims to investigate whether maternal psychological and biological stress influences HM FA composition over the first month postpartum. METHODS The Amsterdam Mother's Milk study is a prospective cohort study. We included lactating women who delivered at term with a large range of stress levels: a high stress (HS) group, women whose child was hospitalized for a minimum of 2 days (n=23) and a control (CTL) group, women who gave birth to a healthy child (n=73). HM was collected three times a day at postpartum days 10, 17 and 24. Perceived psychological stress was measured using multiple validated questionnaires, while biological stress measures were based on cortisol in hair, saliva and HM. HM FAs were analyzed by gas-chromatography and compared between groups. RESULTS Maternal perceived stress scores were significantly higher in the HS group (p < 0.01), whereas cortisol measurements did not differ between groups. The absolute concentrations of total FA in HM (p=0.023), including the total amount of poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (p=0.022) and omega-6 PUFAs (p=0.018), were lower in the HS group compared to the CTL group. Relative values of FAs did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION Maternal stress in the first month postpartum was associated with overall lower levels of FA in HM. This possibly indicates a route of transmission of maternal stress signals to the infant. Future research should investigate if these stress-induced changes in HM FAs have consequences for child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- H G Juncker
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - E F G Naninck
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - L Schipper
- Danone Nutricia Research, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - P J Lucassen
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J B van Goudoever
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S R de Rooij
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A Korosi
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Peng FJ, Palazzi P, Viguié C, Appenzeller BMR. Hormonal profile changes induced by pesticide mixture exposure in female rats revealed by hair analysis. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 303:135059. [PMID: 35643162 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide exposure has been associated with hormonal disruption in both animals and humans. However, there is limited knowledge of the combined effects of complex mixtures of pesticides on endogenous hormone levels. Here, we used hair analysis to assess the impact of a pesticide mixture comprising 19 components from multiple chemical classes at eight doses of 0-400 μg/kg body weight (bw) three times per week per component on concentrations of 36 steroid and thyroid hormones in female rats over a 90-day exposure period. We detected 13 hormones in rat hair, namely estradiol (E2), androstenedione (AD), testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), pregnenolone (P5), progesterone (P4), 11-deoxycorticosterone (11-DOC), corticosterone (CORT), 3,3'-l-diiodothyronine (T2), 3,5,3'-l-triiodothyronine (T3), 3,3',5'-l-triiodothyronine (rT3), and 3,5,3',5'-l-tetraiodothyronine (T4). In comparison to the control group, hair E2 concentration was significantly lower in the two highest (200 and 400 μg/kg bw) exposure groups, whereas hair DHEAS and CORT concentrations were significantly higher in the 40 μg/kg bw and the highest exposure groups, respectively. Results from generalized additive models suggest that pesticide exposure resulted in monotonic dose responses in hair E2 concentration, CORT concentration and DHEA/CORT molar ratio but nonmonotonic dose responses in hair T concentration, DHEAS concentration, P4/P5 and DHEA/DHEAS molar ratios. The associations of E2, CORT and DHEA/CORT ratio with exposure intensity were confirmed by their significant linear relationships with hair concentrations of at least 23 of the 25 exposure biomarkers analyzed. Our results demonstrate that exposure to low levels of the pesticide mixture evaluated here can alter hair reproductive and adrenal hormones levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Jiao Peng
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Paul Palazzi
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Catherine Viguié
- Toxalim (Research Center in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31300, Toulouse, France
| | - Brice M R Appenzeller
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg.
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33
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Michaud DS, Thomson EM, van Oosterhout P, McNamee JP. Hair cortisol as a viable tool for the assessment of an association between environmental noise exposure and chronic stress. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 152:866. [PMID: 36050175 DOI: 10.1121/10.0012887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Entrenched in the well-established link between stress and health, noise exposure as a potential contributor to stress-related health effects receives tremendous attention. Indeed, exposure to noise can act as a stressor as evidenced through increased heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline, epinephrine, and cortisol. Cortisol is secreted from the adrenal glands in response to stressor-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. For assessment of environmental noise and stress, repeated sampling in blood, saliva, or urine is necessary to evaluate the association between environmental noise exposure and protracted changes in cortisol. Controlling for the many variables that influence the secretion of cortisol at discrete sampling intervals is challenging. Studies suggest that systemically produced cortisol integrates and remains in hair as it grows, providing a measure that integrates a cortisol response over a longer period, circumventing several limitations associated with multiple sampling. Robust evidence supports the integration of cortisol into hair, yet recent studies call into question the notion that cortisol is retained with growth. The current paper discusses the strengths and limitations of hair cortisol analysis with an emphasis on its utility as a measure of chronic stress in environmental noise studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Michaud
- Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1C1, Canada
| | - Errol M Thomson
- Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Priya van Oosterhout
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - James P McNamee
- Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1C1, Canada
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van den Heuvel LL, Smit AM, Stalder T, Kirschbaum C, Seedat S, Emsley R. Hair cortisol levels in schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome. Early Interv Psychiatry 2022; 16:902-911. [PMID: 34978366 DOI: 10.1111/eip.13238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrate higher rates of metabolic syndrome (MetS) than the general population. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) reflect longer-term cortisol secretion and can provide additional insights into the role of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in schizophrenia and co-occurring MetS. METHODS In a case-control study of 16 patients with schizophrenia (11 first episode psychosis [FEP] and 5 chronic) and 21 controls hair samples, representing a 3-month retrospective window of cortisol, were collected and analysed utilizing liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. We investigated whether schizophrenia and MetS co-occurrence were associated with HCC utilizing multivariate regression models. We also explored the longitudinal trajectory of HCC in FEP patients by conducting a mixed models analysis. RESULTS At baseline HCC were significantly lower (Cohen's d = 0.88) in patients with schizophrenia than in controls (p = .014). HCC increased from baseline to month-12 in FEP patients compared to controls, demonstrating a trend towards significance (p = .097). MetS was not associated with HCC at baseline, but HCC increased significantly from baseline to month-12 in relation to MetS (p = .037). CONCLUSIONS In a subgroup of schizophrenia patients, psychosis may be associated with a blunted HPA axis with lower long-term cortisol output. MetS was associated with an increase in HCC and elevated cortisol levels observed in schizophrenia may be related to increased rates of MetS in schizophrenia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh Luella van den Heuvel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council, Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anna Margaretha Smit
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Tobias Stalder
- Clinical Psychology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Biological Psychology, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council, Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Robin Emsley
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council, Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Moody SN, van Dammen L, Wang W, Greder KA, Neiderhiser JM, Afulani PA, Willette A, Shirtcliff EA. Impact of hair type, hair sample weight, external hair exposures, and race on cumulative hair cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 142:105805. [PMID: 35687978 PMCID: PMC10914121 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The biomarker cortisol assesses the impact of biopsychosocial stressors that activate the stress response system. Hair has emerged as a valid and non-invasive means of gauging cumulative cortisol deposited over month-long periods of time. Established protocols for the extraction of hair cortisol are being validated and refined in humans, yet methodological information about hair characteristics on cortisol remains limited. In addition to external hair exposures (e.g. dye, time spent outside), we examined hair categorization or type (e.g. kinky, straight) by extending a hair typing methodology for scientific use that is currently popular among hair care professionals. We then examined the interaction between hair type and race on cortisol levels with a hair questionnaire. Three studies were pooled to investigate how sample weight, hair type, race, heat exposures, and hair treatments impacted cumulative hair cortisol concentrations. Study 1 consisted of Adult Kenyan Medical Workers (N = 44); Study 2 Mexican and Mexican Americans (N = 106); and Study 3 American Youth (N = 107). We found significantly higher cortisol in 5 mg of hair when compared to larger sample weights, and higher cortisol in those who spent more time outdoors. Cortisol concentrations differed between racial groups and varied by hair type; moreover, there were directional differences in cumulative cortisol from straighter to curlier hair types which depended on racial group. In addition to demonstrating the impact of relatively novel control factors like hair sample weight, outdoor exposure, and hair type, the present study illustrates the importance of disentangling hair type and race to understand variability in cumulative hair cortisol. These influences should be included in future studies that measure hair cortisol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannin N Moody
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center- New Orleans; Iowa State University.
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Zhu M, Yuan L, Wu Y, Chu L, Wang W, Zhang H, Liao W, Peng X, Deng H. Simultaneous LC-MS/MS quantification of glucocorticoids, melatonin and its metabolites in hair. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2022; 1196:123217. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2022.123217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Zhang Q, Li X, Qiao S, Liu S, Zhou Y, Shen Z. The relationship of hair glucocorticoid levels to immunological and virological outcomes in a large cohort of combination antiretroviral therapy treated people living with HIV. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:268. [PMID: 35307019 PMCID: PMC8935838 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07257-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Existing literature mostly investigated the relationship of acute or short-term glucocorticoid exposure to HIV disease progression using cortisol levels in serum, saliva, or urine. Data are limited on the relationship of long-term glucocorticoid exposure to HIV disease progression. This study examined whether hair glucocorticoid levels, novel retrospective indicators of long-term glucocorticoid exposure, are associated with two common indicators of HIV disease progression (CD4 count and HIV viral load) among a large cohort of combination antiretroviral therapy treated Chinese people living with HIV (PLHIV). Methods A total of 1198 treated PLHIV provided hair samples for glucocorticoid (cortisol and cortisone) assay and completed a survey assessing sociodemographic, lifestyle, and HIV-related characteristics. Meanwhile, CD4 count and HIV viral load were retrieved from their medical records. Spearman correlation was used to examine the associations of hair cortisol and cortisone levels to continuous CD4 count and HIV viral load. Multivariate logistic regression was used to predict CD4 count < 500 cells/mm3. Results Both hair cortisol and cortisone levels were negatively associated with CD4 count but not with HIV viral load. The odds ratio for CD4 count < 500 cells/mm3 was 1.41 [95% CI 0.99–2.00] and 2.15 [95% CI 1.51–3.05] for those with hair cortisol and cortisone levels in the highest quartile compared to the lowest when controlling for sociodemographic, lifestyle, HIV-related covariates, and HIV viral load. Conclusion Hair glucocorticoid levels were associated with CD4 count but not viral load in treated Chinese PLHIV. Our data furtherly supported the hypothesis that elevated glucocorticoid levels are associated with the lower CD4 count.
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Peng FJ, Palazzi P, Mezzache S, Bourokba N, Soeur J, Appenzeller BMR. Profiling steroid and thyroid hormones with hair analysis in a cohort of women aged 25 to 45 years old. Eur J Endocrinol 2022; 186:K9-K15. [PMID: 35192511 PMCID: PMC8942333 DOI: 10.1530/eje-22-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Endogenous hormones regulate numerous physiological processes in humans. Some of them are routinely measured in blood, saliva and/or urine for the diagnosis of disorders. The analysis of fluids may, however, require multiple samples collected at different time points to avoid the high variability in the concentration of some hormones. In contrast, hair analysis has been proposed as an interesting alternative to reveal average hormone levels over a longer period. In this work, we developed and validated an analytical method for analyzing 36 endogenous steroid and thyroid hormones and one pineal hormone in human hair using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). METHODS Sample preparation involved hair decontamination, pulverization, methanol extraction, and purification with C18-solid phase extraction. Extracts were then divided into two portions, respectively injected into an UPLC-MS/MS system, and analyzed using two different instrumental methods. The method was applied to a healthy female population aged 25-45 years. RESULTS The method was validated on supplemented hair samples for the 37 targeted hormones, and its application to the population under study allowed to detect 32 compounds in 2-100% of the samples. Complete reference intervals (2.5-97.5th percentiles) were established for estrone, 17β-estradiol, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, cortisone, cortisol and 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine. Hair cortisone, cortisol, tetrahydrocortisone and tetrahydrocortisol concentrations were highly correlated with each other, with Kendall's τ correlation coefficients ranging from 0.52 to 0.68. CONCLUSION Allowing the detection of 32 hormones from different chemical classes, the present method will allow to broaden hormonal profiling for better identifying endocrine disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Jiao Peng
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Paul Palazzi
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | | | | | - Jeremie Soeur
- L’Oréal Research and Innovation, Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Brice M R Appenzeller
- Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
- Correspondence should be addressed to B M R Appenzeller;
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van der Valk E, Abawi O, Mohseni M, Abdelmoumen A, Wester V, van der Voorn B, Iyer A, van den Akker E, Hoeks S, van den Berg S, de Rijke Y, Stalder T, van Rossum E. Cross-sectional relation of long-term glucocorticoids in hair with anthropometric measurements and their possible determinants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev 2022; 23:e13376. [PMID: 34811866 PMCID: PMC9285618 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term glucocorticoids (HairGC) measured in scalp hair have been associated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-hip-ratio (WHR) in several cross-sectional studies. We aimed to investigate the magnitude, strength, and clinical relevance of these relations across all ages. METHODS We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration CRD42020205187) searching for articles relating HairGC to measures of obesity. Main outcomes were bivariate correlation coefficients and unadjusted simple linear regression coefficients relating hair cortisol (HairF) and hair cortisone (HairE) to BMI, WC, and WHR. RESULTS We included k = 146 cohorts (n = 34,342 individuals). HairGC were positively related to all anthropometric measurements. The strongest correlation and largest effect size were seen for HairE-WC: pooled correlation 0.18 (95%CI 0.11-0.24; k = 7; n = 3,158; I2 = 45.7%) and pooled regression coefficient 11.0 cm increase in WC per point increase in 10-log-transformed HairE (pg/mg) on liquid-chromatography-(tandem) mass spectrometry (LC-MS) (95%CI 10.1-11.9 cm; k = 6; n = 3,102). Pooled correlation for HairF-BMI was 0.10 (95%CI 0.08-0.13; k = 122; n = 26,527; I2 = 51.2%) and pooled regression coefficient 0.049 kg/m2 per point increase in 10-log-transformed HairF (pg/mg) on LC-MS (95%CI 0.045-0.054 kg/m2 ; k = 26; n = 11,635). DISCUSSION There is a consistent positive association between HairGC and BMI, WC, and WHR, most prominently and clinically relevant for HairE-WC. These findings overall suggest an altered setpoint of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with increasing central adiposity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline van der Valk
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ozair Abawi
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mostafa Mohseni
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Amir Abdelmoumen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent Wester
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bibian van der Voorn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anand Iyer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erica van den Akker
- Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sanne Hoeks
- Department of Anesthesiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd van den Berg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yolanda de Rijke
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias Stalder
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth van Rossum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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40
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Lengton R, Iyer AM, van der Valk ES, Hoogeveen EK, Meijer OC, van der Voorn B, van Rossum EFC. Variation in glucocorticoid sensitivity and the relation with obesity. Obes Rev 2022; 23:e13401. [PMID: 34837448 PMCID: PMC9285588 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence points to a relation between increased glucocorticoid (GC) exposure and weight gain. In support, long-term cortisol measurements using hair analysis revealed that many individuals with obesity appear to have cortisol values in the high physiological range. The mechanisms behind this relationship need to be determined in order to develop targeted therapy to reach sustainable weight loss in these subgroups. The effect of GCs is not only determined by the plasma concentration of GCs but also by individual differences in GC sensitivity and the target tissue, which can be analyzed by functional GC assays. GC sensitivity is influenced by multiple genetic and acquired (e.g., disease-related) factors, including intracellular GC availability, hormone binding affinity, and expression levels of the GC receptors and their isoforms, as well as factors involved in the modulation of gene transcription. Interindividual differences in GC sensitivity also play a role in the response to exogenous GCs, with respect to both therapeutic and adverse effects. Accordingly, in this review, we summarize current knowledge on mechanisms that influence GC sensitivity and their relationships with obesity and discuss personalized treatment options targeting the GC receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Lengton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anand M Iyer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eline S van der Valk
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen K Hoogeveen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bibian van der Voorn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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41
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Mazgelytė E, Burokienė N, Vysocka A, Narkevičius M, Petrėnas T, Kaminskas A, Songailienė J, Utkus A, Karčiauskaitė D. Higher Levels of Stress-Related Hair Steroid Hormones Are Associated with the Increased SCORE2 Risk Prediction Algorithm in Apparently Healthy Women. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022; 9:jcdd9030070. [PMID: 35323618 PMCID: PMC8955541 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9030070] [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: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major cause of death worldwide. Although the importance of conventional CVD risk factors, including older age, male gender, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia, is well-studied, psychosocial stress, which is considered an independent CVD risk factor, requires further investigation. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between long-term secretion of stress-related steroid hormones, including cortisol, cortisone and dehydroepiandrosterone, and the 10-year fatal and non-fatal CVD risk estimated by the SCORE2 risk prediction algorithm, as well as traditional CVD risk factors in a group of apparently healthy women. A total of 145 women (aged 50–64 years) participating in the national CVD prevention program were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, health-related characteristics, stress, anxiety and sleep quality indicators were evaluated using specific questionnaires. Anthropometric and arterial blood pressure measures were assessed by trained personnel, lipid and glucose metabolism biomarkers were measured using routine methods, and hair steroid hormone levels were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that higher levels of hair cortisol and cortisone are associated with increased SCORE2 values. Moreover, significant associations between hair glucocorticoids and individual cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia, were found. These findings indicate that stress-related hair steroid hormones might be valuable biomarkers for CVD prediction and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eglė Mazgelytė
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
- Correspondence:
| | - Neringa Burokienė
- Clinics of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (N.B.); (A.V.); (M.N.)
| | - Agata Vysocka
- Clinics of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (N.B.); (A.V.); (M.N.)
| | - Martynas Narkevičius
- Clinics of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (N.B.); (A.V.); (M.N.)
| | - Tomas Petrėnas
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.P.); (A.K.); (J.S.); (A.U.)
| | - Andrius Kaminskas
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.P.); (A.K.); (J.S.); (A.U.)
| | - Jurgita Songailienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.P.); (A.K.); (J.S.); (A.U.)
| | - Algirdas Utkus
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (T.P.); (A.K.); (J.S.); (A.U.)
| | - Dovilė Karčiauskaitė
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio st. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
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Stomby A, Strömberg S, Theodorsson E, Olsen Faresjö Å, Jones M, Faresjö T. Standard Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors Mediate the Association Between Elevated Hair Cortisol Concentrations and Coronary Artery Disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 8:765000. [PMID: 35146006 PMCID: PMC8821522 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.765000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increased cortisol exposure is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). It is not clear to what degree this risk is independent from the standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs) dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Aim To use path analysis to test the direct and indirect association, mediated by SMuRFs, between long-term cortisol levels measured in hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and CAD. Methods Hair was sampled from patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (n = 203) and a population-based sample without a diagnosis or symptoms of CAD (n = 3,134). The HCC was analyzed using radioimmunoassay and all the participants reported whether they were diagnosed with or treated for diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Path analysis was used to test to what degree the association between logarithmized (ln) HCC and CAD was direct or indirect, mediated by SMuRFs. Results Participants with CAD had elevated HCC compared to those without elevated HCC [median interquartile range (IQR): 75.2 (167.1) vs. 23.6 (35.0) pg/mg, p < 0.0001]. Higher HCC was associated with diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, which, in turn, were associated with CAD. In path models, 80% of the association between ln(HCC) and CAD were mediated by SMuRFs, while the direct path between ln(HCC) and CAD was not statistically significant. Conclusion The SMuRFs diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension mediate the association between ln(HCC) and CAD. Some association between ln(HCC) and CAD did not operate via the SMuRFs considered and might have a pathway through atherosclerosis or inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Stomby
- Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Råslätts vårdcentral, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Andreas Stomby
| | - Susanna Strömberg
- Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Clinical Chemistry, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Åshild Olsen Faresjö
- Division of Society and Health/Public Health, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mike Jones
- Faculty of Medicine Health and Human Sciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Tomas Faresjö
- Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Scalp hair sweating as a predictor of hair cortisol level in human compared to obesity and other confounders. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24160. [PMID: 34921159 PMCID: PMC8683402 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02223-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Inconsistent results were found throughout the literature regarding factors affecting hair cortisol levels. Hair cortisol level in humans was not studied for its associations to scalp hair sweating or hair wash frequency in a patient-based way. Factors affecting hair cortisol levels must be precisely known in order to interpret the results correctly. The aims of the study are to assess if BMI, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), hair wash frequency, and sweating with scalp hair affect hair cortisol levels. It will assess which of these factors are more significant predictors of hair cortisol levels. In a study on healthy adults, information about history, socio-demographics, PSS, hair wash frequency, hair treatment, and scalp hair sweating were collected, and hair samples were taken and analyzed for their hair cortisol level. Associations of hair cortisol levels with each of the variables were investigated and significant predictors of hair cortisol levels among the variables were found. Mean hair cortisol level in the study participants was 16.84 pg/mg hair. Hair cortisol has a significant positive association with weight, BMI, PSS, and scalp hair sweating, p < 0.05. Scalp hair sweating significantly predicts hair cortisol levels by 12.3%, while other variables did not significantly predict hair cortisol levels, p < 0.05. Scalp hair sweating significantly predicts hair cortisol levels. Age, hair wash frequency, hair treatment, and stressful events have no associations with hair cortisol levels. Although BMI and PSS are associated with hair cortisol levels, they do not significantly predict it. Obesity is significantly associated with profuse sweating, thus the increase in hair cortisol levels in obese individuals could partly be the result of a higher incidence of sweating in these individuals. Thus, scalp hair sweating should be taken into consideration during the study and interpretation of hair cortisol levels.
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Zhang Q, Li X, Qiao S, Liu S, Shen Z, Zhou Y. Association between hair cortisol, hair cortisone, and fatigue in people living with HIV. Stress 2021; 24:772-779. [PMID: 33913374 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1919616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence to date largely supports an association between dysregulation of the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and fatigue. People living with HIV (PLHIV), in particular, are vulnerable to both HPA axis dysregulation and fatigue. Few investigations have examined the possible role of HPA-axis dysfunction in the occurrence of fatigue in PLHIV. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between glucocorticoids in hair, retrospective indicators of long-term HPA axis activity and biomarkers of chronic stress, and fatigue in PLHIV. A total of 446 PLHIV from Guangxi China provided hair samples for cortisol and cortisone assay and provided information on fatigue levels, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and HIV-related characteristics. Results showed that before and after controlling sociodemographic, lifestyle, and HIV-related characteristics, hair cortisone levels, but not hair cortisol levels, were associated with fatigue levels in PLHIV. In conclusion, we found that higher cortisone levels are associated with greater fatigue levels in a large cohort of Chinese PLHIV.LAY SUMMARYWe found that hair cortisone levels were significantly associated with fatigue levels in a large cohort of Chinese PLHIV. Hair cortisol levels were, however, not associated with fatigue levels in the PLHIV studied. We thus show that Chinese PLHIV who have higher cortisone levels are associated with higher fatigue levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Zhang
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Institute of Pedagogy and Applied Psychology, School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Shan Qiao
- South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Shuaifeng Liu
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Zhiyong Shen
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Yuejiao Zhou
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, China
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Nafisa A, Wattoo FH, Qayyum M, Gulfraz M. The association between chronic stress, hair cortisol, and angiographically documented coronary atherosclerosis, a case-control study. Stress 2021; 24:1008-1015. [PMID: 34633899 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1985994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases remain the principal contributor to global mortality and morbidity. Chronic stress has emerged as a strong prognostic factor for cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to measure hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in patients with angiographically confirmed coronary atherosclerosis and find the association between HCC and classic cardiovascular risk factors in a case-control study. The study included 500 angiographically confirmed coronary atherosclerosis patients and 500 age and sex-matched controls having no coronary stenosis. Hair cortisol concentration was assessed from a single sample of scalp hair by ELISA. Perceived stress scale 10 was used to evaluate the stress level of the participants. Spearman rank correlation was applied to find the association between hair cortisol level and classic cardiovascular risk factors. Multivariate regression was executed to assess the independent contribution of hair cortisol concentration as a coronary atherosclerosis risk factor. Median hair cortisol concentration was significantly high in patients with angiographically documented coronary atherosclerosis compared to controls (158(17.6-1331.3) pg/mg versus 73 (13.4-889) pg/mg. Hair cortisol concentration showed a significant positive correlation with BMI r = 525 and Hb1Ac r = 665 (both, p = ≤0.0001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for all the confounding variables, HCC, matched odds ratio (MOR), 10.73;95%CI (1.60,42.09) p-value = 0.001 remained the most significant predictor of coronary atherosclerosis.LAY SUMMARYHair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were significantly high in patients with angiographically confirmed coronary atherosclerosis compared to controls. HCC showed a significant positive correlation with diabetes and obesity and remained a major predictor of coronary atherosclerosis in the final analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Nafisa
- University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Feroza Hamid Wattoo
- University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Mazhar Qayyum
- Department of Zoology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Gulfraz
- University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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Verheyen VJ, Remy S, Bijnens EM, Colles A, Govarts E, Martin LR, Koppen G, Bruckers L, Nielsen F, Vos S, Morrens B, Coertjens D, De Decker A, Franken C, Den Hond E, Nelen V, Covaci A, Loots I, De Henauw S, van Larebeke N, Teughels C, Nawrot TS, Schoeters G. Long-term residential exposure to air pollution is associated with hair cortisol concentration and differential leucocyte count in Flemish adolescent boys. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 201:111595. [PMID: 34186082 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to air pollution and traffic noise are associated with adverse health outcomes in adolescents. Chronic endocrine stress and systemic inflammation have been hypothesized to underlie the adverse health effects. Simultaneous assessment of inflammation and chronic endocrine stress in epidemiological studies is lacking. The aim of the study was to investigate biomarkers of chronic endocrine stress and inflammation in relation to long-term residential exposure to air pollution and traffic noise in adolescents. METHODS In Flemish adolescents (14-15 years), we determined hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a chronic stress biomarker in 3-cm scalp-near hair sections (n = 395), and leucocyte and leucocyte subtype counts (neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes) as inflammatory biomarkers in peripheral blood (n = 385). Daily particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and black carbon (BC) concentrations were modelled at the residential address and averaged over 3-month and 1-year periods prior to sampling. Residential traffic noise level was estimated and classified in 5 dB intervals. Sex-specific associations between residential exposures and effect biomarkers were studied using linear regression models, adjusted for a priori selected covariates. RESULTS In boys, HCC increased with a factor 1.30 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.54) for an increase in 1-year mean NO2 from the 25th to 75th percentile (p75/p25), after adjustment for age, BMI, personal and neighborhood socioeconomic status. The corresponding estimate for PM10 was 1.24 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.51). Total leucocyte count in boys, adjusted for the aforementioned covariates and recent health complaints, was positively associated with PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and BC. In particular, the neutrophil count increased with a factor 1.11 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.19) for a (p75/p25)-factor increase in 1-year mean BC, corresponding estimates for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.19), 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.20) and 1.08 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.16). Lymphocyte count increased with a factor 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.10) for a (p75/p25)-factor increase in 1-year mean NO2. Similar results were observed for 3-month mean exposures. Results were robust to adjustment for recent air pollution exposure. In girls, air pollutants were not associated with HCC or differential leucocyte count. Residential traffic noise level was not associated with HCC or leucocyte counts in boys nor girls. CONCLUSIONS Long-term residential exposure to air pollutants was positively associated with chronic endocrine stress and inflammation in adolescent boys, not in girls. This study may contribute to a better understanding of the early pathophysiological changes that may underlie adverse health effects of air pollution exposure in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerle J Verheyen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Sylvie Remy
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Esmée M Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Ann Colles
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Eva Govarts
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Laura Rodriguez Martin
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Gudrun Koppen
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Liesbeth Bruckers
- I-BioStat, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Flemming Nielsen
- Institute of Public Health, Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A, 5000, Odense, Denmark
| | - Stijn Vos
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Bert Morrens
- Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Sint-Jacobstraat 2, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dries Coertjens
- Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Sint-Jacobstraat 2, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Annelies De Decker
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene, Kronenburgstraat 45, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Carmen Franken
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene, Kronenburgstraat 45, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Elly Den Hond
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene, Kronenburgstraat 45, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vera Nelen
- Provincial Institute of Hygiene, Kronenburgstraat 45, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ilse Loots
- Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Sint-Jacobstraat 2, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Stefaan De Henauw
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicolas van Larebeke
- Analytical, Environmental and Geo- Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Radiotherapy and Experimental Cancerology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Caroline Teughels
- Flemish Planning Bureau for the Environment and Spatial Development, Koning Albert II laan 20, bus 8, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Greet Schoeters
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
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Puhlmann LM, Vrtička P, Linz R, Stalder T, Kirschbaum C, Engert V, Singer T. Contemplative Mental Training Reduces Hair Glucocorticoid Levels in a Randomized Clinical Trial. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:894-905. [PMID: 34259441 PMCID: PMC8505163 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the effect of regular contemplative mental training on endocrine and psychological indices of long-term stress. METHODS An open-label efficacy trial that comprised three distinct 3-month long modules targeting attention and interoception, socioaffective, or sociocognitive abilities through dyadic exercises and secularized meditation practices was conducted with healthy adults. Participants underwent the training for 3 or 9 months, or were assigned to a retest control cohort. Chronic stress indices were assayed at four time points: pretraining and after 3, 6, and 9 months. The main outcome measures were cortisol (HC) and cortisone (HE) concentration in hair and self-reported long-term stress. RESULTS Of 362 initially randomized individuals, 30 dropped out before study initiation (n = 332; mean [SD] age = 40.7 [9.2] years; 197 women). Hair-based glucocorticoid assays were available from n = 227, and questionnaire data from n = 326. Results from three separate training cohorts (TC1-3) revealed consistent decreases in HC and HE levels over the first three (TC3) to 6 months (TC1 and TC2) of training, with no further reduction at the final 9-month mark (baseline to end of training differences, HC, TC1: t(355) = 2.59, p = .010, contrast estimate (est.) [SE] = 0.35 [0.14]; HC, TC2: t(363) = 4.06, p < .001, est. = 0.48 [0.12]; HC, TC3: t(368) = 3.18, p = .002, est. = 0.41 [0.13]; HE, TC1: t(435) = 3.23, p = .001, est. = 0.45 [0.14]; HE, TC2: t(442) = 2.60, p = .010, est. = 0.33 [0.13]; HE, TC3: t(446) = 4.18, p < .001, est. = 0.57 [0.14]). Training effects on HC increased with individual compliance (practice frequency), and effects on both HC and HE were independent of training content and unrelated to change in self-reported chronic stress. Self-reported stress, and cortisol-to-dehydroepiandrosterone ratios as an exploratory endpoint, were also reduced, albeit less consistently. CONCLUSIONS Our results point to the reduction of long-term cortisol exposure as a mechanism through which meditation-based mental training may exert positive effects on practitioners' health.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01833104.
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van der Valk ES, van der Voorn B, Iyer AM, Mohseni M, Leenen PJM, Dik WA, van den Berg SAA, de Rijke YB, van den Akker ELT, Penninx BWJH, van Rossum EFC. Hair cortisol, obesity and the immune system: Results from a 3 year longitudinal study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 134:105422. [PMID: 34666286 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Higher long-term glucocorticoid levels, measured in scalp hair (HairGC), are associated with obesity. This may represent the state of obesity (perhaps interrelated with chronic immune activation), but could also promote further weight gain. We studied whether hair cortisol (HairF) and hair cortisone (HairE) predict changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) over time, and assessed the association between HairGC and common immune parameters. METHODS We measured HairGC in 1604 participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), and investigated their associations to BMI, WC, and immune parameters (interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and leukocyte subsets). Also, we assessed whether baseline HairGC predict changes in BMI and WC at follow-up (three years later). RESULTS In cross-sectional analyses, HairF and HairE were positively associated to BMI (β = 2.06 kg/m2, 95% confidence interval (CI)= 1.22-2.90 kg/m2) and β = 2.84 kg/m2 (95%CI 1.75-3.93 kg/m2) respectively) and WC (β = 5.36 cm (95%CI 3.09-7.62 cm) and β = 8.54 cm (95%CI 5.60-11.48 cm) respectively, all p < 0.001). HairF was also positively associated to IL-6 (β = 0.15 (95%CI 0.003-0.292) p < 0.05) and leukocyte count (β = 0.57 (95%CI 0.234-0.909), p < 0.01), and HairE to IL-6 (β = 0.21 (95%CI 0.016-0.399), p < 0.05). In the longitudinal analyses, higher HairF was associated with yearly increases in BMI (β = 0.58% BMI change per year (95%CI 0.14-1.01%), p = 0.009) and higher HairE with increases in WC (β = 0.84% WC change per year (95%CI 0.02-1.69%), p = 0.049). Adjusting for baseline IL-6 or leukocytes did not change the found associations between HairGC and WC or BMI change. CONCLUSIONS HairGC levels are positively associated to BMI, WC, IL-6 and leukocyte numbers in cross-sectional analyses, and to increases in BMI and WC in longitudinal analyses. Although causality is yet to be proven, higher long-term glucocorticoid levels could represent a relevant risk factor for the development of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline S van der Valk
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bibian van der Voorn
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anand M Iyer
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mostafa Mohseni
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter J M Leenen
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem A Dik
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Laboratory Medical Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd A A van den Berg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yolanda B de Rijke
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erica L T van den Akker
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Obesity Centre CGG, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Probo M, Peric T, Fusi J, Prandi A, Faustini M, Veronesi MC. Hair cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations in healthy beef calves from birth to 6 months of age. Theriogenology 2021; 175:89-94. [PMID: 34517287 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cortisol (C) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are recognized as the main fetal steroids, and they are likely to influence fetal development and have long-term effects on newborn hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) function. DHEA is often measured as its sulfates and expressed as DHEA-S. Hair analysis represents a promising methodological approach for the non-invasive measurement of steroids, allowing for a retrospective analysis of the total exposure to steroids over time, and avoiding the influence of acute events or circadian fluctuations. Hair cortisol and DHEA concentrations have been investigated in cows, but no studies have been performed on calves. The object of this study was to evaluate hair cortisol (HC) and hair DHEA-S (HDHEA-S) concentrations in beef calves from birth to six months of age. Hair samples of 12 beef calves (seven males, five females) were firstly collected at birth (T1) and then every three weeks up to six months of age (T2-T10), collecting only the re-grown hair. HC and HDHEA-S were analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Calves sex, weight and APGAR score were registered immediately after birth. Statistical analysis revealed that both HC and HDHEA-S were influenced by sampling time (P < 0.001). HC concentrations were higher at T1 compared to all subsequent samplings (T2-T10, P < 0.01); HC concentrations were higher at T2 compared to T4-T10 (P < 0.01), while no further changes were detected from T3 onward. Higher HDHEA-S concentrations were registered at T1, T2 and T3 compared to all the other samplings (P < 0.01). No correlation was found between hair concentrations of both steroids and calf sex or birthweight. APGAR score was negatively correlated only with HC at birth (P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that C and DHEA-S are quantifiable in the hair of calves and are influenced by their age. The higher HC detected at birth (T1) probably reflects the high serum C concentrations present late in pregnancy and increased by the fetal HPA axis, by which parturition is initiated in cows. The highest HDHEA-S at birth (T1) in calves indicates that the largest amounts of DHEA and its sulfates are produced during fetal development. Moreover, the findings of higher HC at three weeks after birth and of higher HDHEA-S until six weeks after birth, suggest that C and DHEA secretion continues also beyond birth, and that these steroids could be involved in the events occurring during the challenging first weeks of age in the calf.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Probo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - T Peric
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio, 2/a, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - J Fusi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - A Prandi
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio, 2/a, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - M Faustini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - M C Veronesi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
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Resilience and personality as predictors of the biological stress load during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:443. [PMID: 34455419 PMCID: PMC8401367 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01569-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, pandemic-specific stressors have potentiated the-already severe-stress load across the world. However, stress is more than an adverse state, and chronic exposure is causally involved in the development of mental and physical disease. We ask the question whether resilience and the Big Five personality traits predict the biological stress response to the first lockdown in Germany. In a prospective, longitudinal, observational study, N = 80 adult volunteers completed an internet-based survey prior to the first Covid-19-related fatality in Germany (T0), during the first lockdown period (T1), and during the subsequent period of contact restrictions (T2). Hair strands for the assessment of systemic cortisol and cortisone levels were collected at T2. Higher neuroticism predicted higher hair cortisol, cortisone and subjective stress levels. Higher extraversion predicted higher hair cortisone levels. Resilience showed no effects on subjective or physiological stress markers. Our study provides longitudinal evidence that neuroticism and extraversion have predictive utility for the accumulation of biological stress over the course of the pandemic. While in pre-pandemic times individuals high in neuroticism are typically at risk for worse health outcomes, extraverted individuals tend to be protected. We conclude that, in the pandemic context, we cannot simply generalize from pre-pandemic knowledge. Neurotic individuals may currently suffer due to their general emotional lability. Extraverted individuals may primarily be socially stressed. Individualized stress management programs need to be developed, and offered in a lockdown-friendly format, to minimize the stress burden caused by Covid-19 or future pandemics and to protect the most severely affected individuals from the development of stress-associated disease.
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