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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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La Marca R, Scheiwiller M, Pfaff M, La Marca-Ghaemmaghami P, Böker H. Hair glucocorticoid levels decrease after multimodal inpatient treatment and predict therapy outcome in burnout-related depressive disorders. World J Biol Psychiatry 2024:1-13. [PMID: 39192549 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2024.2393380] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) indicates chronic stress exposure, which is a risk factor in the pathogenesis of burnout and depression. However, findings on HCC are inconsistent. Similarly, intervention studies show mixed effects on HCC. The present study aimed to shed light on these inconsistencies, by additionally considering also hair cortisone. METHODS Twenty-five patients with a burnout-related depressive disorder receiving a multimodal inpatient treatment for clinical burnout and 17 matched healthy controls participated in this study. All participants provided 1 cm long hair samples at the beginning and end of the treatment. HCC and hair cortisone levels (HCNC) were determined. Meteorological data and duration of sick leave were considered as potential covariates. Burnout and depression were assessed with self-ratings, the latter also with examiner ratings. RESULTS There were no significant group differences in glucocorticoid levels. Treatment led to a decrease in both depression severity and hair glucocorticoid concentration in inpatients, while lower HCNC in particular predicted a greater reduction in depression severity. Moreover, meteorological data and the duration of sick leave were also found to have an effect on hair glucocorticoid concentrations. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that multimodal inpatient treatment of clinical burnout considerably reduced stress on both a psychological and biological level. In parallel, hair glucocorticoids appear to be sensitive biomarkers for the evaluation of treatment success and prediction. Examining both HCC and HCNC in intervention studies may provide clearer results than the usual examination of HCC alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto La Marca
- Centre for Stress-Related Disorders, Clinica Holistica Engiadina SA, Susch, Switzerland
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Monika Scheiwiller
- Centre for Stress-Related Disorders, Clinica Holistica Engiadina SA, Susch, Switzerland
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Pfaff
- Centre for Stress-Related Disorders, Clinica Holistica Engiadina SA, Susch, Switzerland
- Practice Seegarten, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pearl La Marca-Ghaemmaghami
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- International Academy for Human Sciences and Culture, Psychology Counselling and Research Institute for Sexuality, Walenstadt, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Böker
- Centre for Stress-Related Disorders, Clinica Holistica Engiadina SA, Susch, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatric Research, University of Zurich, Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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Sato M, Sasaki M, Shima T, Ikegami R, Sato D, Ochi G. Hair cortisol is a physiological indicator of training stress for female footballers. Eur J Appl Physiol 2024:10.1007/s00421-024-05571-7. [PMID: 39133270 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-024-05571-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Chronic physical stress in female athletes can reduce mental health and athletic performance. Therefore, a chronic physical stress assessment method is required. METHODS This study examined whether hair cortisol concentration (HCC) predicted chronic physical stress changes in female university football players. We took measurements in August and December, just before the Japan college national tournament. RESULTS Self-reported training load was significantly positively correlated with HCC. Self-reported training load had no significant relationship with fatigue as measured by the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition or with the stressors from the Stressor Scale for College Students. HCC was negatively correlated with reaction time in the spatial Stroop task, although the repeated correlation analysis showed no significant relationship. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the chronic physical stress experienced by female footballers cannot be predicted by psychological indicators; however, they can be predicted by HCC, which could be used to prevent overtraining in these athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayu Sato
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
| | - Miyuu Sasaki
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
| | - Takeru Shima
- Cooperative Faculty of Education, Department of Health and Physical Education, Gunma University, 4-2 Aramaki-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma, 371-8510, Japan
| | - Ryo Ikegami
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofu-Gaoka, Chofu City, Tokyo, 182-8585, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sato
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
| | - Genta Ochi
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan.
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan.
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Li Z, Kong W, Park HY, Koo SJ, Bang M, Park JT, Lee E, An SK. Association of hair cortisol concentration with brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene methylation: The role of sex as a moderator. Stress Health 2024; 40:e3401. [PMID: 38581566 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3401] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) reflects the long-term activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to stress. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor DNA methylation (BDNF DNAM) may affect HCC, and sex and Val66Met may contribute to this association. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the associations between HCC and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) DNAM, and the moderating effects of Val66Met and sex. We recruited 191 healthy young participants (96 women, mean age 23.0 ± 2.6 years) and collected body samples to evaluate HCC, and to determine BDNF DNAM and Val66Met genotypes. We analyzed the effects of BDNF DNAM, sex, and Val66Met on HCC. We also evaluated the associations between BDNF DNAM and HCC in groups separated by sex and genotypes. We found a marked association of BDNF DNAM with HCC across men and women. After dividing the data by sex, a positive correlation of HCC with BDNF DNAM was found only in women. There was no substantial moderation effect of Val66Met genotypes on the association between BDNF DNAM and HCC. Therefore, BDNF DNAM was found to have positive association with HCC only in healthy young women, indicating that sex moderates the association of BDNF DNAM with long-term HPA axis activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxu Li
- Section of Self, Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Wanji Kong
- Section of Self, Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hye Yoon Park
- Section of Self, Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Se Jun Koo
- Section of Self, Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Graduate Program in Cognitive Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minji Bang
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Jung Tak Park
- Institute of Kidney Disease Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun Lee
- Section of Self, Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Suk Kyoon An
- Section of Self, Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Graduate Program in Cognitive Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
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Johnson-Ferguson L, Shanahan L, Loher M, Bechtiger L, Binz TM, Baumgartner M, Ribeaud D, Eisner M, Quednow BB. Higher paracetamol levels are associated with elevated glucocorticoid concentrations in hair: findings from a large cohort of young adults. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:2261-2268. [PMID: 38615315 PMCID: PMC11168975 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03747-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter medications. Experimental studies suggest a possible stress-suppressing effect of paracetamol in humans facing experimental stress-inducing paradigms. However, no study has investigated whether paracetamol and steroid hormones covary over longer time frames and under real-life conditions. This study addresses this gap by investigating associations between steroid hormones (cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone) and paracetamol concentrations measured in human hair, indexing a timeframe of approximately three months. The data came from a large community sample of young adults (N = 1002). Hair data were assayed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple regression models tested associations between paracetamol and steroid hormones, while adjusting for a wide range of potential confounders, such as sex, stressful live events, psychoactive substance use, hair colour, and body mass index. Almost one in four young adults from the community had detectable paracetamol in their hair (23%). Higher paracetamol hair concentrations were robustly associated with more cortisol (β = 0.13, ηp = 0.016, p < 0.001) and cortisone (β = 0.16, ηp = 0.025, p < 0.001) in hair. Paracetamol and testosterone hair concentrations were not associated. Paracetamol use intensity positively correlated with corticosteroid functioning across several months. However, a potential corticosteroid-inducing effect of chronic paracetamol use has yet to be tested in future experimental designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Johnson-Ferguson
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lilly Shanahan
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michelle Loher
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Bechtiger
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina M Binz
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Baumgartner
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Denis Ribeaud
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Eisner
- Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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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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Grafinger KE, Kassis W, Favre CA, Aksoy D, Gaugler S. Analysing and quantifying chronic stress-associated endogenous steroids in hair samples. Drug Test Anal 2024. [PMID: 38477213 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
In previous studies, various steroids have been associated with stress and have therefore been quantified to investigate stress-related questions. Since the main stress-related steroid cortisol follows a circadian rhythm, often hair is analysed to quantify this steroid. Further, hair analysis gives the unique possibility of long-time monitoring by analysing a certain segment of hair, since hair grows on average 1 cm per month. Hair is a difficult matrix due to the complex sample preparation with many steps including washing and grinding, followed by various extraction steps. Additionally, steroids are endogenous and are therefore present in the hair matrix. Hence, no analyte free matrix is available, which is needed for the quantification via external calibrators. To overcome this problem, the so-called surrogate methods can be used, for which a 13 C3 labelled or deuterated reference compound of the steroid of interest is used for quantification. In the present study, a surrogate method was developed and fully validated for the quantitative analysis of seven steroids in human hair. Validation experiments showed that the method is further suitable for semi-quantitative analysis of estradiol. However, it is not suitable for the analysis of androsterone and DHEAS. The method was successfully used to analyse steroids in a comprehensive study of 360 adolescent hair samples, enabling research into stress markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Elisabeth Grafinger
- Institute of Chemistry and Bioanalytics, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Wassilis Kassis
- Institute of Research and Development, School of Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Céline A Favre
- Institute of Research and Development, School of Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Dilan Aksoy
- Institute of Research and Development, School of Education, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Gaugler
- Institute of Chemistry and Bioanalytics, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
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Kaltenegger HC, Marques MD, Becker L, Rohleder N, Nowak D, Wright BJ, Weigl M. Prospective associations of technostress at work, burnout symptoms, hair cortisol, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 117:320-329. [PMID: 38307447 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.01.222] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working conditions in the age of digitalization harbor risks for chronic stress and burnout. However, real-world investigations into biological effects of technostress, that is stress in the context of digital technology use, are sparse. This study prospectively assessed associations between technostress, general work stress, burnout symptoms, hair cortisol, and chronic low-grade inflammation. METHODS Hospital employees (N = 238, 182 females, Mage = 28.5 years) participated in a prospective cohort study with two follow-ups six months apart (T2, T3). Participants answered standardized questionnaires on general job strain (job demand-control ratio), technostressors (work interruptions, multitasking, information overload), burnout symptoms (exhaustion, mental distance), and relevant confounders. Moreover, they provided capillary blood samples for C-reactive protein (CRP) and hair strands for hair cortisol concentration (HCC) analysis. Structural equation modelling was performed. RESULTS The factorial structure of survey measures was confirmed. Burnout symptoms (MT2 = 2.17, MT3 = 2.33) and HCC (MT2 = 4.79, MT3 = 9.56; pg/mg) increased over time, CRP did not (MT2 = 1.15, MT3 = 1.21; mg/L). Adjusted path models showed that technostress was negatively associated with HCC (β = -0.16, p =.003), but not with burnout and CRP. General work stress in contrast, was not significantly associated with burnout, HCC or CRP. Furthermore, there were reciprocal effects of CRP on HCC (β = 0.28, p =.001) and of HCC on CRP (β = -0.10, p ≤.001). Associations were robust in additional analyses including further confounders. CONCLUSION This is the first study on prospective effects of technostress on employees' endocrine and inflammatory systems. Results suggest differential effects of technostress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis activity. Given its key role for long-term health, the findings have important implications for occupational health and safety in digitalized work environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena C Kaltenegger
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Mathew D Marques
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Linda Becker
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Vinzenz Pallotti University gGmbH, Vallendar, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rohleder
- Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dennis Nowak
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bradley J Wright
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthias Weigl
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Institute for Patient Safety, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Biener I, Mueller TT, Lin J, Bao H, Steffen J, Hoerl M, Biere K, Matzel S, Woehrle T, König S, Keiler AM, Thieme D, Keppler O, Klein M, Weinberger T, Osterman A, Adorjan K, Choukér A. Endocannabinoids, endocannabinoid-like compounds and cortisone in head hair of health care workers as markers of stress and resilience during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:71. [PMID: 38296973 PMCID: PMC10831098 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02771-9] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 impacted health systems globally, creating increased workload and mental stress upon health care workers (HCW). During the first pandemic wave (March to May 2020) in southern Germany, we investigated the impact of stress and the resilience to stress in HCW by measuring changes in hair concentrations of endocannabinoids, endocannabinoid-like compounds and cortisone. HCW (n = 178) recruited from multiple occupation and worksites in the LMU-University-Hospital in Munich were interviewed at four interval visits to evaluate mental stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. A strand of hair of up to 6 cm in length was sampled once in May 2020, which enabled retrospective individual stress hormone quantifications during that aforementioned time period. Perceived anxiety and impact on mental health were demonstrated to be higher at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and decreased significantly thereafter. Resilience was stable over time, but noted to be lower in women than in men. The concentrations of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and the structural congeners N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), N-oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and N-stearoylethanolamide (SEA) were noted to have decreased significantly over the course of the pandemic. In contrast, the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) levels increased significantly and were found to be higher in nurses, laboratory staff and hospital administration than in physicians. PEA was significantly higher in subjects with a higher resilience but lower in subjects with anxiety. SEA was also noted to be reduced in subjects with anxiety. Nurses had significantly higher cortisone levels than physicians, while female subjects had significant lower cortisone levels than males. Hair samples provided temporal and measurable objective psychophysiological-hormonal information. The hair endocannabinoids/endocannabinoid-like compounds and cortisone correlated to each other and to professions, age and sex quite differentially, relative to specific periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingeborg Biener
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Tonina T Mueller
- Department of Medicine I, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Jin Lin
- Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Ludwigstr. 33, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Han Bao
- Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Ludwigstr. 33, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Julius Steffen
- Department of Medicine I, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Marion Hoerl
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Biere
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra Matzel
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Woehrle
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Simon König
- Institute of Doping Analysis und Sports Biochemistry Dresden (IDAS), Dresdner Str. 12, 01731, Kreischa, Germany
| | - Annekathrin M Keiler
- Institute of Doping Analysis und Sports Biochemistry Dresden (IDAS), Dresdner Str. 12, 01731, Kreischa, Germany
| | - Detlef Thieme
- Institute of Doping Analysis und Sports Biochemistry Dresden (IDAS), Dresdner Str. 12, 01731, Kreischa, Germany
| | - Oliver Keppler
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Klein
- Emergency Department, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Weinberger
- Department of Medicine I, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Osterman
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site, Munich, Germany
| | - Kristina Adorjan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Choukér
- Laboratory of Translational Research "Stress and Immunity", Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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10
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Bayot M, Brianda ME, van der Straten N, Mikolajczak M, Shankland R, Roskam I. Treating Parental Burnout: Impact and Particularities of a Mindfulness- and Compassion-Based Approach. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:168. [PMID: 38397280 PMCID: PMC10887731 DOI: 10.3390/children11020168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Mindfulness- and self-compassion-based programs have been shown to reduce parental stress, and levels of mindfulness and self-compassion have been shown to be negatively related to parental burnout (PB) factors. Based on these results, the present study aimed to test the efficacy of an 8-week mindfulness and compassion-based group approach (MCA) (n = 29) compared with the existing Parenting in Balance Program (PBP) (n = 25). Parents were blindly enrolled in one of the two conditions. Parental burnout, parental neglect and violence, irritability, parental balance between stress-enhancing and stress-alleviating factors, hair cortisol, and mindful parenting and self-compassion were measured before, after, and three months after the end of the program. All the measured outcomes positively changed over time in both conditions, except for irritability. Large effect sizes were found for parental burnout, parental neglect and violence, and mindful parenting and self-compassion. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the decrease in parental burnout in the MCA was not significantly related to an increase in mindful parenting nor self-compassion. Furthermore, certain participants from the MCA group reported higher levels of parental burnout after the intervention. The absence of specific effects between MCA and PBP programs suggests the presence of common effectiveness factors. Therefore, future studies need to analyze specific variables that may explain differential effects of programs on parental burnout levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Bayot
- Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Liège, CHU du Sart Tilman–Quartier Hôpital–B23, Avenue Hippocrate 13, 4000 Liège, Belgium;
- Psychological Research Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (M.M.)
| | - Maria Elena Brianda
- Psychological Research Institute, University of Liège, Quartier Agora–B33, Place des Orateurs 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium;
| | - Nastasya van der Straten
- Psychological Research Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (M.M.)
| | - Moïra Mikolajczak
- Psychological Research Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (M.M.)
| | - Rebecca Shankland
- Département de Psychologie du Développement, de l’Éducation et des Vulnérabilités, Université Lumière Lyon 2, Avenue Pierre Mendès-France 5, 69676 Bron, France;
| | - Isabelle Roskam
- Psychological Research Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (M.M.)
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11
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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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12
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Kalfas M, Ayling K, Jia R, Coupland C, Vedhara K, Chalder T. Fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic - prevalence and predictors: findings from a prospective cohort study. Stress 2024; 27:2352117. [PMID: 38757166 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2352117] [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: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdowns had a substantial impact on mental health. Distress and fatigue are highly correlated. However, little is known about the determinants of fatigue in the general population during the pandemic. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and predictors of fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK population. Online surveys were completed by a UK community cohort in April 2020 (wave 1), July-September 2020 (wave 2) and November-December 2020 (wave 3). In total, 3097 participants completed the wave 1 survey, and 1385 and 1087 participants (85.4% women) completed wave 2 and 3 surveys respectively. Fatigue was assessed using the Chalder Fatigue Scale at waves 2 and 3. Hair samples were provided by 827 participants (90.6% women) at wave 1 and wave 2, which were analyzed to indicate HairE (stress hormone). The mean total fatigue score during wave 2 was 14.7 (SD = 4.7), significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels observed in the community (mean difference 0.50, p = .003). At wave 2, 614 (44.3%) participants met the case definition for fatigue, only 15.6% of whom indicated that fatigue lasted for more than 6 months (suggesting it had started prior to the pandemic). Predictors of fatigue at wave 3 included being in a risk group, depression and belief in having COVID-19, which explained 23.8% of the variability in fatigue scores. Depression at wave 1 was the only significant predictor of remaining a fatigue case at wave 3. Fatigue was highly prevalent in the UK community during the COVID-19 pandemic and limited people's daily function. Depression and sociodemographic variables were significant predictors of fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michail Kalfas
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kieran Ayling
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ru Jia
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Medical Science Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carol Coupland
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Trudie Chalder
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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13
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Morris MC, Goodin BR, Bruehl S, Myers H, Rao U, Karlson C, Huber FA, Nag S, Carter C, Kinney K, Dickens H. Adversity type and timing predict temporal summation of pain in African-American adults. J Behav Med 2023; 46:996-1009. [PMID: 37563499 PMCID: PMC10592130 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-023-00440-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
African Americans are disproportionately exposed to adversity across the lifespan, which includes both stressful and traumatic events. Adversity, in turn, is associated with alterations in pain responsiveness. Racial differences in pain responsiveness among healthy adults are well established. However, the extent to which adversity type and timing are associated with alterations in pain responsiveness among healthy African-American adults is not well understood. The present study included 160 healthy African-American adults (98 women), ages 18 to 45. Outcome measures included pain tolerance and temporal summation of pain to evoked thermal pain. Composite scores were created for early-life adversity (childhood trauma, family adversity) and recent adversity (perceived stress, chronic stress burden). A measure of lifetime racial discrimination was also included. Higher levels of recent adversity were associated with higher temporal summation of pain, controlling for gender, age, and education. Neither early-life adversity nor lifetime racial discrimination were associated with temporal summation of pain. The present findings suggest that heightened temporal summation of pain among healthy African-American adults is associated with exposure to recent adversity events. Improved understanding of how recent adversity contributes to heightened temporal summation of pain in African Americans could help to mitigate racial disparities in pain experiences by identifying at-risk individuals who could benefit from early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Morris
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- , 2525 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37206, USA.
| | - Burel R Goodin
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, England
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stephen Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hector Myers
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Uma Rao
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California - Irvine, California, CA, USA
- Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Cynthia Karlson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Felicitas A Huber
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Subodh Nag
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Chelsea Carter
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kerry Kinney
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Harrison Dickens
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
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14
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Gerlach J, Decker ES, Plank AC, Mestermann S, Purbojo A, Cesnjevar RA, Kratz O, Eichler A. Long-Term Effects of Child Early Surgical Ventricular Septal Defect Repair on Maternal Stress. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1832. [PMID: 38136034 PMCID: PMC10741485 DOI: 10.3390/children10121832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The ventricular septal defect (VSD) represents the most common congenital heart defect (CHD). The diagnosis of and cardiac surgery for their child's VSD are highly stressful experiences for parents; especially mothers, who are at risk of developing long-lasting stress-related symptoms. This study examined long-term alterations in maternal stress including self-reported psychological and biophysiological stress levels in a case-control design. We investigated 24 mothers of children with an isolated, surgically corrected VSD compared to non-affected controls. Maternal self-reports on psychopathology, everyday stress, parenting stress and hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were measured during children's primary school age (6-9 years, t1) and early adolescence (10-14 years, t2). In maternal self-reports, psychopathology and stress symptoms in the VSD-group and controls were comparable at t1, whereas at t2, mothers in the VSD-group even showed a decrease in psychopathology. Maternal HCC levels in the VSD-group were significantly lower (hypocortisolism) than HCC levels of controls at t1. This effect was no longer observed at t2 reflecting an approximation of HCC levels in the VSD-group to controls' levels. This study highlights the potential for improved stress hormone balance and psychological well-being in mothers following their child's surgical VSD repair. However, the need for parent-centered interventions is discussed, particularly during peri-operative phases and in early child developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Gerlach
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Elena S. Decker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anne-Christine Plank
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Mestermann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ariawan Purbojo
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Robert A. Cesnjevar
- Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Pediatric Heart Center, University Children’s Hospital, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Kratz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna Eichler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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15
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Johnson-Ferguson L, Shanahan L, Bechtiger L, Steinhoff A, Zimmermann J, Baumgartner MR, Binz TM, Eisner M, Ribeaud D, Quednow BB. Associations of psychoactive substances and steroid hormones in hair: Findings relevant to stress research from a large cohort of young adults. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 157:106369. [PMID: 37639800 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106369] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Epidemiological studies increasingly use hair samples to assess people's cumulative exposure to steroid hormones, but how the use of different psychoactive substances may affect steroid hormone levels in hair is, so far, largely unknown. The current study addresses this gap by establishing the substance exposure correlates of cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone in hair, while also accounting for a number of relevant covariates. METHOD Data came from a large urban community-sample of young adults with a high prevalence of substance use (N = 1002, mean age=20.6 years, 50.2% female), who provided 3 cm of hair samples. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) quantified cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone, as well as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy"), cocaine, several opioids, and their respective metabolites. Multiple linear regression models with covariates were used to predict steroid hormone levels from substance exposure in a four-step approach: In the full sample, low and high substance hair concentrations (median split) were first tested against no use for each substance individually (step 1) and for all substances together (step 2). Then, within the participants with any substance in hair only, the continuous hair concentration of each substance in pg/mg (step 3) and finally of all substances together, were regressed (step 4). RESULTS Low, high, and continuous levels of THC in hair were robustly associated with higher levels of cortisol (sig. in step 1 low THC: β = 0.29, p = .021; high THC: β = 0.42, p = .001; step 2: low THC: β = 0.27, p = 0.036, and high THC: β = 0.40, p = .004, and step 4: β = 0.12, p = .041). Participants with high MDMA levels had higher levels of cortisone without adjusting for other substances (step 1: β = 0.34, p = .026), but this effect was not significant in the other models. While high THC levels were associated with lower levels of testosterone in step 2 (β = -0.35, p = .018), MDMA concentration was positively related to testosterone concentration with and without adjusting for other substances (step 3: β = 0.24, p = .041; step 4: β = 0.17, 95%, p = .015) in male participants. CONCLUSION The use of psychoactive substances, especially of cannabis and ecstasy, should be considered in studies investigating steroid hormones in hair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Johnson-Ferguson
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lilly Shanahan
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Bechtiger
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Annekatrin Steinhoff
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Josua Zimmermann
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus R Baumgartner
- Zurich Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina M Binz
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Eisner
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Denis Ribeaud
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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16
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Jaramillo I, Karl M, Bergunde L, Mack JT, Weise V, Weidner K, Gao W, Steudte-Schmiedgen S, Garthus-Niegel S. Maternal postpartum depressive symptoms: The predictive role of objective and subjective birth experience and hair glucocorticoids. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:974-983. [PMID: 37459971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.034] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Having a negative childbirth experience is a known risk-factor for developing postpartum depression (PPD). Alterations of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis have been discussed as a potential underlying mechanism. However, research on the association between negative birth experiences and long-term integrated glucocorticoids (GCs) is lacking. This study aimed to examine whether objective and subjective birth experience predicted long-term GCs and PPD symptoms. METHODS Measures of objective and subjective birth experience, PPD symptoms, and hair strands for the assessment of hair cortisol concentrations (HairF), hair cortisone concentrations (HairE), and HairF/HairE ratio, were provided eight weeks after childbirth by 235 mothers participating in the study DREAMHAIR. RESULTS A negative objective birth experience predicted a higher HairF/HairE ratio but was not associated with HairF or HairE. The subjective birth experience did not explain additional variance in hair GCs but was a significant predictor for PPD symptoms. A higher HairF/HairE ratio predicted PPD symptoms when controlling for prepartum depressive symptoms and number of lifetime traumatic events. LIMITATIONS Analyses were based on a relatively homogeneous sample and women reported in general positive birth experiences and low levels of depressive symptoms. Therefore, results should be applied to the broader population with caution. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that negative objective birth experience is associated with an altered HairF/HairE ratio, which in turn, seems to be a promising biomarker to identify women at risk for developing PPD. A negative subjective birth experience may be less critical for alterations of the HPA-axis but remains an essential risk factor for PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Jaramillo
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Marlene Karl
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Luisa Bergunde
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Judith T Mack
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Victoria Weise
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Wei Gao
- Institute of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellerscher Weg, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Susan Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM), Faculty of Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Childhood and Families, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0213 Oslo, Norway.
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17
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Preinbergs JK, Sundström-Poromaa I, Theodorsson E, Ström JO, Ingberg E. Effect of cosmetic hair treatment and natural hair colour on hair testosterone concentrations. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291812. [PMID: 37819888 PMCID: PMC10566713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Testosterone analysis in hair allows for retrospective evaluation of endogenous testosterone concentrations, but studies devoted to investigating confounders in hair testosterone analysis have hitherto been scarce. The current study examined the stability of testosterone concentrations between two hair samples collected three months apart and investigated two potential confounding factors: natural hair colour and cosmetic hair treatments. METHODS Testosterone was analysed with an in-house radioimmunoassay with a limit of detection adequate for the purpose. RESULTS The testosterone concentrations from the two samplings, at baseline and three months later, had an intra-individual correlation of moderate strength (rho = 0.378, p<0.001, n = 146). Hair treatment, such as colouring or bleaching, seemed to increase testosterone concentrations (p = 0.051, n = 191, and in a paired analysis in a subset of the cohort p = 0.005, n = 24), while no effect of natural colour in untreated hair (p = 0.133) could be detected. CONCLUSION The current results suggest that cosmetic hair treatments need to be considered in hair testosterone analyses and demonstrate the utility of a radioimmunoassay to reliably measure testosterone concentrations in small hair samples in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K. Preinbergs
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Inger Sundström-Poromaa
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jakob O. Ström
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Edvin Ingberg
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Preinbergs JK, Ström JO, Theodorsson E, Ingberg E. Segmental hair analysis as a retrospective testosterone diary: possibilities and pitfalls. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16015. [PMID: 37749110 PMCID: PMC10519998 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41672-7] [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: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Testosterone is thought to be incorporated in growing hair strands so that specific hair segments reflect average free hormone concentrations from the corresponding time period. However, the exact mechanisms of hormone integration in scalp hair have not yet been established and it is not known how testosterone is stored in the hair segments over time. The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of testosterone concentrations in hair as it grows and to determine if segmental hair analysis can be used as a retrospective testosterone diary. Thirty men and 40 women provided two hair samples and 16 saliva samples during a period of three months. Hair growth between the two samplings was measured. Hair samples were cut into 10 mm segments resulting in three segments from the first sampling and six segments from the second sampling. Hair samples were pulverised and extracted with methanol. Hair testosterone concentrations were analysed using an in-house radioimmunoassay. Salivary testosterone was analysed using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Demeditec). The results demonstrated that there is a degree of segmental hormone conservation over time (rho = 0.405-0.461, p < 0.001, n = 66-67), but also highlighted three potential confounders. Firstly, testosterone concentrations were higher in distal hair segments (mean concentration ratio most distal by most scalp-near was 1.55, SD 0.70), which may be due to continuous hormone integration from sebum and changes in hair matrix composition. Secondly, more frequent hair washing stunted the increase in testosterone concentrations in distal segments (rho = -0.404, p = < 0.001, n = 66). And lastly, intra- and inter- individual variability in hair growth rate influenced the temporal resolution along the hair, although mean growth rate was indeed 30.0 mm for three months. In a multiple regression model the biological sex, natural hair colour, and relationship status were significant explanatory variables to hair testosterone concentrations. The current results indicate that repeated hair sampling near the hair roots during a study may be preferable to analysing concentration changes between proximal and distal segments within the same hair sample. Also, hair testosterone analysis needs to be adjusted for sex and the natural hair colour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Preinbergs
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Jakob O Ström
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Edvin Ingberg
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Ahabrach H, El Mlili N, Mafla-España MA, Cauli O. Hair cortisol concentration associates with insomnia and stress symptoms in breast cancer survivors. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 191:49-56. [PMID: 37532197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Stress, depressive symptoms and sleep quality are important and modifiable determinant of health and their association with hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in breast cancer survivors has not been evaluated. We selected a random sample of 65 participants (mean age 57.9 years old, range 44-75 years) recruited from local patients' associations of breast cancer survivors. Each provided a hair sample at enrollment and basic clinical data and psychological evaluation regarding self-perceived stress (PSS-scale), depressive (GDS scale) and insomnia symptoms (Athens scale). We observed a direct and significant (p = 0.001) association between HCC and stress-levels. Depressive symptoms associated significantly (p < 0.01) with stress levels but not with HCC. There were also a significant and direct correlation between hair cortisol concentration and totals core of insomnia symptoms (p = 0.002), and the subdimension of sleep difficulty symptoms (p = 0.002), and with daytime sleepiness symptoms (p = 0.016). Further investigations into the association between stress and insomnia and changes in HCC in breast cancer survivors are warranted in order to validate this biomarker for diagnosis of psychological alterations and to tailor the effects of interventions aimed to reduced stress and improve sleep quality in these women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanan Ahabrach
- Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques (ISPITS), 93000 Tetouan, Morocco; Department of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essâadi, 93000 Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Nisrin El Mlili
- Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques (ISPITS), 93000 Tetouan, Morocco; Department of Biology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essâadi, 93000 Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Mayra Alejandra Mafla-España
- Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Frailty and Cognitive Impairment Group (FROG), University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Omar Cauli
- Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Frailty and Cognitive Impairment Group (FROG), University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Chair of Healthy, Active and Participatory Aging, Valencia City Council, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
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20
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Mazgelytė E, Valatkevičiūtė A, Songailienė J, Utkus A, Burokienė N, Karčiauskaitė D. Association of hair glucocorticoid levels with sleep quality indicators: a pilot study in apparently healthy perimenopausal and menopausal women. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1186014. [PMID: 37529598 PMCID: PMC10390219 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1186014] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Poor sleep quality is associated with different physical and mental health diseases. It is proposed that increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity is a potential contributor affecting sleep pattern and quality. We aimed to analyze the relationship between subjective sleep quality indicators and hair glucocorticoid levels among relatively healthy perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods A total of 145 women aged 50-64 y.o. were enrolled in the cross-sectional pilot study. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, while stress level was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale. Hair cortisol and cortisone levels were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results Statistically significant positive relationship was found between hair cortisol concentration and Pittsburgh sleep quality index score. Similarly, statistically significant positive associations were observed between hair total glucocorticoid level and Pittsburgh sleep quality index, sleep disturbance, and Perceived Stress Scale scores. Subjects with prolonged sleep latency had significantly higher hair cortisol and total hair glucocorticoid concentrations compared with individuals whose sleep latency is not disturbed. Additionally, Chi-squared test indicated that lower hair cortisol concentration was significantly related to better sleep efficiency. Conclusion Increased hair glucocorticoid (cortisol, cortisone) levels were found to be related with worse sleep quality measured by Pittsburgh sleep quality index score.
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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
| | - Agnė Valatkevičiūtė
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jurgita Songailienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Algirdas Utkus
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Neringa Burokienė
- Clinics of Internal Diseases and Family Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, 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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van Oort J, Llera A, Kohn N, Mei T, Collard RM, Duyser FA, Vrijsen JN, Beckmann CF, Schene AH, Fernández G, Tendolkar I, van Eijndhoven PFP. Brain structure and function link to variation in biobehavioral dimensions across the psychopathological continuum. eLife 2023; 12:e85006. [PMID: 37334965 PMCID: PMC10519708 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85006] [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: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In line with the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) , we set out to investigate the brain basis of psychopathology within a transdiagnostic, dimensional framework. We performed an integrative structural-functional linked independent component analysis to study the relationship between brain measures and a broad set of biobehavioral measures in a sample (n = 295) with both mentally healthy participants and patients with diverse non-psychotic psychiatric disorders (i.e. mood, anxiety, addiction, and neurodevelopmental disorders). To get a more complete understanding of the underlying brain mechanisms, we used gray and white matter measures for brain structure and both resting-state and stress scans for brain function. The results emphasize the importance of the executive control network (ECN) during the functional scans for the understanding of transdiagnostic symptom dimensions. The connectivity between the ECN and the frontoparietal network in the aftermath of stress was correlated with symptom dimensions across both the cognitive and negative valence domains, and also with various other health-related biological and behavioral measures. Finally, we identified a multimodal component that was specifically associated with the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The involvement of the default mode network, precentral gyrus, and thalamus across the different modalities of this component may reflect the broad functional domains that may be affected in ASD, like theory of mind, motor problems, and sensitivity to sensory stimuli, respectively. Taken together, the findings from our extensive, exploratory analyses emphasize the importance of a dimensional and more integrative approach for getting a better understanding of the brain basis of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper van Oort
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Alberto Llera
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Nils Kohn
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Ting Mei
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Rose M Collard
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Fleur A Duyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Janna N Vrijsen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Pro Persona Mental Health Care, Depression Expertise CenterNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Christian F Beckmann
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
- Oxford Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain (FMRIB), University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Aart H Schene
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Guillén Fernández
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Indira Tendolkar
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Philip FP van Eijndhoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
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22
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Portella MJ, González-González I, Jubero M, Trujols J, Pérez V. Depressive-Like Effects of Foreclosing: A Cross-Sectional Study of Hair Cortisol Concentration. Psychopathology 2023; 57:10-17. [PMID: 37331349 DOI: 10.1159/000530706] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Foreclosing and home eviction have been associated with various negative health outcomes, probably due to exposure to such stressful circumstance, but there is no evidence about foreclosure and home eviction to elicit cortisol responses. METHODS Participants who recently had received a court eviction notice were compared to subjects suffering a depressive disorder and to healthy controls in terms of hair cortisol concentrations. RESULTS Subjects under the stressful circumstance of foreclosure and patients with depression showed comparable concentrations in most of the hair segments while healthy subjects displayed the lowest levels of cortisol. CONCLUSION The findings show that foreclosure and home eviction are associated with increased cumulative hair cortisol and with depressive-like symptoms. Foreclosing procedures yielded to maintain high levels of cortisol which may increase the risk to develop major depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J Portella
- Mental Health, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Miriam Jubero
- Mental Health, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Trujols
- Mental Health, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor Pérez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
- INAD Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain
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23
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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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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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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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Carrillo Vázquez M, Johnson-Ferguson L, Zimmermann J, Baumgartner MR, Binz TM, Beuschlein F, Ribeaud D, Shanahan L, Quednow BB. Associations of different hormonal contraceptive methods with hair concentrations of cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone in young women. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 12:100161. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Whitney S, Bedard C, Mielke J, Browne DT, Ferro MA. Do subjective and objective measures of stress agree in a clinical sample of youth and their parents? COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 11:100155. [PMID: 35864882 PMCID: PMC9294048 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This study explored agreement and potential relationships among perceived stress (self-reported using the Perceived Stress Scale), hair cortisol concentration (HCC), and mental disorders in a clinical sample of youth and their parents. Data were collected from a cross-sectional sample of 48 youth (38 females; mean age = 15.6 years) with a mental disorder and 72 parents (65 females; mean age = 45.49 years). Agreement was assessed using Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients. Multiple regression was used to model the association between covariates and HCC and perceived stress for youth and parents. Agreement between perceived stress and HCC was low for both youth and parents (ICC = 0.15 to 0.31). Among youth, lower income (β = 0.24) and parent psychopathology (β = 0.42) were associated with higher HCC. Female sex (β = 0.42) and higher parent psychopathology (β = 0.28) were associated with higher perceived stress, whereas chronic physical illness was associated with lower perceived stress (β = -0.24). Among parents, female sex (β = -0.21) was associated with lower HCC and family functioning (β = 0.46) was associated with higher perceived stress. In youth, higher HCC was associated with generalized anxiety (OR = 1.14) and higher perceived stress was associated with major depressive episode (OR = 1.33), generalized anxiety (OR = 1.10), and separation anxiety (OR = 1.14). Among parents, higher HCC was associated with depression (β = 0.27) and perceived stress was associated with depression (β = 0.53) and anxiety (β = 0.45). This exploratory study shows that agreement between psychological and physiological stress is low in a clinical sample of youth and their parents. Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, and mental health, are differentially associated with psychological and physiological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Whitney
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L3G1, Canada
| | - Chloe Bedard
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L3G1, Canada
| | - John Mielke
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L3G1, Canada
| | - Dillon T. Browne
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L3G1, Canada
| | - Mark A. Ferro
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L3G1, Canada
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First Look into the Use of Fish Scales as a Medium for Multi-Hormone Stress Analyses. FISHES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/fishes7040145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Recent efforts have provided convincing evidence for the use of fish scale cortisol concentration in the assessment of long-term stress in fishes. However, cortisol alone is not sufficient to fully describe this state of long-term stress. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an androgen with actions that oppose those of cortisol. The means by which DHEA negates the effects of cortisol occurs in part via changes in the metabolism of cortisol to cortisone. The quantitation of cortisol, DHEA and cortisone could therefore provide a more comprehensive assessment of the overall status of physiological stress. As DHEA and cortisone have yet to be quantified within the fish scale, our first objective was to ensure our sample processing protocol for cortisol was applicable to cortisone and DHEA. Following this, we induced a state of long-term stress in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Some degree of elevation in all hormones was observed in the stressed fish scales. Additionally, cortisol and cortisone were significantly elevated in the stressed fish serum in comparison to controls while DHEA was undetectable in either group. Overall, these results suggest that fish scales provide an appropriate medium for the assessment of long-term stress in fishes via the quantitation of relevant steroid hormones.
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Ma L, Liu X, Yan N, Gan Y, Wu Y, Li Y, Chu M, Chiu DT, Ma L. Associations Between Different Cortisol Measures and Adiposity in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Nutr 2022; 9:879256. [PMID: 35811977 PMCID: PMC9260431 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.879256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined associations between hair, salivary, serum, and urinary cortisol concentration with adiposity-related indicators in children, and explored their potential effects modification by age, sex, cortisol measurement method, and country developmental context. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for studies examining at least one of the four aforementioned cortisol with objectively measured adiposity-related outcomes in children. Meta-analyses of cross-sectional studies revealed that hair cortisol concentration was associated with fat mass index (FMI)-standard deviation score (SDS)/FMI z-score (pooled-β = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.08) and BMI/BMI z-score (pooled-β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.25), and these associations were significant among children aged ≤ 12 years (pooled-β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.26) and >12 years (pooled-β = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.22), children from developed countries (pooled β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21) and developing countries (pooled-β = 0.193, 95% CI: 0.188, 0.198), and in studies extracting cortisol via LC-MS/MS (pooled-β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.29) but not ELISA (pooled-β = 0.08, 95% CI: −0.06, 0.22). Meta-analyses of both cohort and cross-sectional studies revealed non-significant associations of morning salivary cortisol concentration and total daily cortisol output with BMI/BMI z-score. Serum cortisol concentration was not associated with BMI or waist circumference. Meta-analysis of urinary cortisol concentration and adiposity was hindered by insufficient data. These findings further corroborate understanding of chronic stress’ physiological contribution to increased pediatric obesity risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Ma
- School of Public Health, Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Xi Liu
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Na Yan
- School of Public Health, Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Yiqun Gan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Xi’an, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Meng Chu
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Dorothy T. Chiu
- Community Health Sciences Division, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Dorothy T. Chiu,
| | - Le Ma
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Le Ma,
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30
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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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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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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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Belvis F, Bolíbar M, Benach J, Julià M. Precarious Employment and Chronic Stress: Do Social Support Networks Matter? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031909. [PMID: 35162929 PMCID: PMC8835513 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Precarious employment has been identified as a potentially damaging stressor. Conversely, social support networks have a well-known protective effect on health and well-being. The ways in which precariousness and social support may interact have scarcely been studied with respect to either perceived stress or objective stress biomarkers. This research aims to fill this gap by means of a cross-sectional study based on a non-probability quota sample of 250 workers aged 25–60 in Barcelona, Spain. Fieldwork was carried out between May 2019 and January 2020. Employment precariousness, perceived social support and stress levels were measured by means of scales, while individual steroid profiles capturing the chronic stress suffered over a period of a month were obtained from hair samples using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methodology. As for perceived stress, analysis indicates that a reverse buffering effect exists (interaction B = 0.22, p = 0.014). Steroid biomarkers are unrelated to social support, while association with precariousness is weak and only reaches significance at p < 0.05 in the case of women and 20ß dihydrocortisone metabolites. These results suggest that social support can have negative effects on the relationship between perceived health and an emerging stressful condition like precariousness, while its association with physiological measures of stress remains uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc Belvis
- Research Group on Health Inequalities, Environment, and Employment Conditions (GREDS-EMCONET), Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (J.B.); (M.J.)
- Johns Hopkins University—Universitat Pompeu Fabra Public Policy Center (UPF-PPC), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Mireia Bolíbar
- Research Group on Health Inequalities, Environment, and Employment Conditions (GREDS-EMCONET), Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (J.B.); (M.J.)
- Department of Sociology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Benach
- Research Group on Health Inequalities, Environment, and Employment Conditions (GREDS-EMCONET), Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (J.B.); (M.J.)
- Johns Hopkins University—Universitat Pompeu Fabra Public Policy Center (UPF-PPC), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
- Ecological Humanities Research Group (GHECO), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mireia Julià
- Research Group on Health Inequalities, Environment, and Employment Conditions (GREDS-EMCONET), Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (J.B.); (M.J.)
- ESIMar (Mar Nursing School), Parc de Salut Mar, Universitat Pompeu Fabra-Affiliated, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
- SDHEd (Social Determinants and Health Education Research Group), IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
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Basso L, Boecking B, Neff P, Brueggemann P, Peters EMJ, Mazurek B. Hair-cortisol and hair-BDNF as biomarkers of tinnitus loudness and distress in chronic tinnitus. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1934. [PMID: 35121746 PMCID: PMC8817043 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04811-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of stress and its neuroendocrine mediators in tinnitus is unclear. In this study, we measure cortisol as an indicator of hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis alterations and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a marker of adaptive neuroplasticity in hair of chronic tinnitus patients to investigate relationships with tinnitus-related and psychological factors. Cross-sectional data from chronic tinnitus inpatients were analyzed. Data collection included hair sampling, pure tone audiometry, tinnitus pitch and loudness matching, and psychometric questionnaires. Elastic net regressions with n-fold cross-validation were performed for cortisol (N = 91) and BDNF (N = 87). For hair-cortisol (R2 = 0.10), the strongest effects were sampling in autumn and body-mass index (BMI) (positive), followed by tinnitus loudness (positive) and smoking (negative). For hair-BDNF (R2 = 0.28), the strongest effects were hearing aid use, shift work (positive), and tinnitus loudness (negative), followed by smoking, tinnitus-related distress (Tinnitus Questionnaire), number of experienced traumatic events (negative), and physical health-related quality of life (Short Form-12 Health Survey) (positive). These findings suggest that in chronic tinnitus patients, higher perceived tinnitus loudness is associated with higher hair-cortisol and lower hair-BDNF, and higher tinnitus-related distress with lower hair-BDNF. Regarding hair-BDNF, traumatic experiences appear to have additional stress-related effects, whereas hearing aid use and high physical health-related quality of life appear beneficial. Implications include the potential use of hair-cortisol and hair-BDNF as biomarkers of tinnitus loudness or distress and the need for intensive future research into chronic stress-related HPA axis and neuroplasticity alterations in chronic tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Basso
- Tinnitus Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin Boecking
- Tinnitus Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Neff
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,University Research Priority Program 'Dynamics of Healthy Aging', University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Petra Brueggemann
- Tinnitus Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva M J Peters
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Charité Center 12 Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgit Mazurek
- Tinnitus Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Laufer S, Engel S, Lupien S, Knaevelsrud C, Schumacher S. The Cortisol Assessment List (CoAL) A tool to systematically document and evaluate cortisol assessment in blood, urine and saliva. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 9:100108. [PMID: 35755928 PMCID: PMC9216417 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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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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Puglisi S, Leporati M, Amante E, Parisi A, Pia AR, Berchialla P, Terzolo M, Vincenti M, Reimondo G. Limited Role of Hair Cortisol and Cortisone Measurement for Detecting Cortisol Autonomy in Patients With Adrenal Incidentalomas. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:833514. [PMID: 35222288 PMCID: PMC8863572 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.833514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies demonstrated the diagnostic accuracy of hair glucocorticoid measurement in patients with overt Cushing syndrome, but few data are available for patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI) and cortisol autonomy. The aim of our study was to assess whether measurement of 5 corticosteroid hormones with the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method in the keratin matrix is useful to stratify patients with AI by the presence of autonomous cortisol secretion [ACS] (defined as serum cortisol after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) > 138 nmol/l) or possible ACS [PACS] (defined as serum cortisol after 1 mg DST > 50 nmol/l but ≤138 nmol/l). We analysed data of 67 AI patients (32 with cortisol autonomy) and 81 healthy subjects. We did not find any significant statistical difference comparing hair cortisol, cortisone, and 20β-dihydrocortisol concentrations between healthy controls and AI patients, while 6β-hydroxycortisol and 11-deoxycortisol were undetectable. Moreover, no significant difference was found in hair cortisol, cortisone, and 20β-dihydrocortisol levels of AI patients with or without cortisol autonomy. Finally, we did not find any correlation in patients with AI between hormonal concentrations in the keratin matrix and serum, salivary, and urinary cortisol levels, or with body mass index. In conclusion, our findings suggest that hair glucocorticoid measurement is not suitable as a diagnostic test for cortisol autonomy (ACS and PACS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Puglisi
- Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- *Correspondence: Soraya Puglisi,
| | - Marta Leporati
- Centro Regionale Antidoping e di Tossicologia “A. Bertinaria”, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Alice Parisi
- Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Anna Rosa Pia
- Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Berchialla
- Statistical Unit, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Massimo Terzolo
- Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Vincenti
- Centro Regionale Antidoping e di Tossicologia “A. Bertinaria”, Turin, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Reimondo
- Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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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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Hobo Y, Nishikawa J, Miyashiro Y, Fujikata A. Analysis of hair steroid hormone concentrations at different parts of the head by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Clin Chim Acta 2021; 523:260-266. [PMID: 34627827 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Steroid hormones are known to be associated with diseases like androgenetic alopecia (AGA) resulting in hair loss. The lack of a detailed analysis of the local concentration of steroids in different parts of the head underlies the rationale and purpose of this study. METHODS To evaluate the concentration distributions of steroid hormones in hair in different parts of the head, hair samples of 8 healthy men from 9 point-areas covering the frontal, parietal, and occipital regions were collected. Eight steroid hormones were measured by using the LC-MS/MS and region-wise comparison for different hormones was done using the mean z-score and Tukey's HSD. RESULTS Five of the 8 hormones had a high concentration in the parietal region, with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) showing a peak in the central parietal region (z = 1.59) suggesting a correlation with AGA's clinical presentation. Whereas, no significant differences were observed for testosterone and cortisol between the parietal and occipital regions. Higher DHT levels at the parietal region were also verified with a small group of AGA patients. CONCLUSIONS This research expands upon the role of steroid hormones in hair follicle tissue elucidating their relationship with disease, thus contributing to disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitaka Hobo
- ASKA Pharmamedical Co., Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Jun Nishikawa
- ASKA Pharmamedical Co., Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yoshimichi Miyashiro
- ASKA Pharmamedical Co., Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Akira Fujikata
- ASKA Pharmamedical Co., Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
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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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Parental Stress and Scalp Hair Cortisol in Excessively Crying Infants: A Case Control Study. CHILDREN-BASEL 2021; 8:children8080662. [PMID: 34438553 PMCID: PMC8391563 DOI: 10.3390/children8080662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caring for an excessively crying infant (ECI) can be stressful for mothers and fathers and is associated with mental and bonding problems. Hair cortisol offers a unique measure for the biological reaction of the body to stress over time. METHODS In this case-control study, scalp hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in 35 mothers and 23 fathers and their ECIs. The control group consisted of 64 mothers and 63 fathers of non-ECIs of similar age. Parental stress, depression, anxiety and bonding were assessed using validated questionnaires. RESULTS Mean HCC were significantly lower in mothers and fathers of ECIs (2.3 pg/mg, 95% CI 1.8-2.9 and 1.6 pg/mg, 95% CI 1.3-2.0) than that in control mothers and fathers (3.2 pg/mg, 95% CI 3.0-3.7 and 2.9 pg/mg, 95% CI 2.5-3.5). In the total group of parents and within the parents of ECIs, HCC were not associated with negative feelings. In the control group, HCC showed a positive association with stress and depression (r = 0.207, p = 0.020 and r = 0.221, p = 0.013). In infants, no differences were found in mean HCC between the ECI group and the control group. No associations were found between maternal and infant HCC, paternal and infant HCC and maternal and paternal HCC. CONCLUSION Parents of ECIs showed significantly lower HCC than control parents, reflecting a diminished response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. More research is needed to examine whether this decrease in response is pre-existing or caused by excessive infant crying.
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Gherlone N, Hill DR, Feinn R, Hollenbach JP. Hair cortisol concentrations among urban and rural-dwelling mother-child dyads, La Romana, Dominican Republic. Stress 2021; 24:413-420. [PMID: 33222576 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1846028] [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: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were studied in mother-child dyads of La Romana, Dominican Republic (DR), a low-income city, and of the surrounding bateyes, sugarcane plantation villages with inhabitants frequently of Haitian descent. Populations of low socioeconomic status (SES) experience hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation. Urban communities may be increasingly exposed to stressors such as crime and concentrated poverty whereas rural communities may be devoid of important community resources. As a result, the experience of stress in poverty may differ by place of residence. The goal of this study was to examine differences in HCC among urban and rural-dwelling mother-child dyads in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities surrounding La Romana, DR. Forty-five mother/child dyads were enrolled in La Romana and 45 at several bateyes surrounding La Romana. Mothers were ≥18 years and children were between 7 and 14 years. Mothers self-reported perceived stress and demographic factors. Hair samples were collected from mothers and children, and HCC was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. General linear models examined associations between socioeconomic factors and HCC, and between maternal and child HCC. HCC were measured in 88 maternal and 87 child samples (N = 175). Mothers living in a batey had higher HCC than those living in La Romana (p = 0.001). HCC was positively associated among maternal-child dyads (p = 0.001). Further, Haitian-born mothers as a population who frequently live in a rural batey experienced higher HCC (p = 0.025) that may partially be explained by discriminatory practices in the DR. This research helps to elucidate the impact of urban and rural environmental settings on HCC.Lay summaryThis study focuses on chronic stress, measured by hair cortisol levels, among a low-income population of Dominican and Haitian mother-child pairs who live in urban and rural settings. We found that Haitian-born mothers, who frequently live in a rural batey, had higher hair cortisol levels than Dominican born mothers. Hair cortisol levels between mothers and their children were positively associated. This study addresses the impact of urban and rural environments on the stress response among socioeconomically disadvantaged persons living in an upper middle income country who bear an excessive burden of psychosocial stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Gherlone
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, USA
| | - David R Hill
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, USA
| | - Richard Feinn
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jessica P Hollenbach
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Asthma Center, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA
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Andhavarapu M, Orwa J, Temmerman M, Musana JW. Maternal Sociodemographic Factors and Antenatal Stress. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18136812. [PMID: 34201920 PMCID: PMC8297233 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Antenatal stress has been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as fetal growth restriction, low birth weight, and preterm birth. Understanding key determinants of stress in a vulnerable pregnant population has the potential of informing development of targeted cost-effective interventions to mitigate against these adverse birth outcomes. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 150 pregnant women attending antenatal care services at a rural referral hospital in Kenya. The participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, the Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and gave a hair sample for cortisol and cortisone analysis. The association between selected sociodemographic predictors (age, parity, marital status, maternal education, household income, polygyny, and intimate partner violence) and outcomes (hair cortisol, hair cortisone, and PSS score) was examined using univariate, bivariate and multivariate models. We found a negative association between PSS scores and household income (β = −2.40, p = 0.016, 95% CI = −4.36, −0.45). There was a positive association of the ratio of hair cortisone to cortisol with Adolescent age group (β = 0.64, p = 0.031, 95% CI = 0.06, 1.22), and a negative association with Cohabitation (β = −1.21, p = 0.009, 95% CI = −2.11, −0.31). We conclude that household income influenced psychological stress in pregnancy. Adolescence and cohabitation may have an influence on biological stress, but the nature of this effect is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maheshwari Andhavarapu
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (M.T.); (J.W.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +254-720-885527
| | - James Orwa
- Department of Population Health, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;
| | - Marleen Temmerman
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (M.T.); (J.W.M.)
| | - Joseph Wangira Musana
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (M.T.); (J.W.M.)
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Lines RLJ, Ducker KJ, Ntoumanis N, Thøgersen-Ntoumani C, Fletcher D, Gucciardi DF. Stress, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and resilience-The effects of naturalistic periods of elevated stress: A measurement-burst study. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13846. [PMID: 34124785 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Stress is an important consideration for understanding why individuals take part in limited or no physical activity. The negative effects of stress on physical activity do not hold for everyone, so examinations of possible resilience resources that might protect individuals from the harmful effects of stress are required. Accordingly, we conducted a measurement-burst study with 53 university students over a 6-month period to examine the dynamics among stress, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and resilience resources. Participants completed three bursts of 6 days, with each burst separated by an 8-week gap. Expectations regarding the moderating effects of resilience resources were unsupported. Daily reports of academic and general stress were positively associated with sedentary behavior and negatively associated with light and moderate intensity physical activity. Hair cortisol concentration significantly moderated the association between academic stress and sedentary behavior, such that in bursts where cortisol was lower the daily positive association between stress and sedentary behavior was weaker. The finding that academic and general stress are dynamically associated with lower levels of light and moderate intensity physical activity and higher levels of sedentary behavior is an important extension to previous research, which has relied mainly on cross-sectional designs and self-report methods. Future research might examine resilience resources that are specific to the outcomes of interest rather than rely on generic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin L J Lines
- Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Physical Activity and Well-being Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Kagan J Ducker
- Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Nikos Ntoumanis
- Physical Activity and Well-being Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani
- Physical Activity and Well-being Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - David Fletcher
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Daniel F Gucciardi
- Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Physical Activity and Well-being Research Group, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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López-Arjona M, Tecles F, Mateo SV, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Martínez-Miró S, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Subiela S. A Procedure for Oxytocin Measurement in Hair of Pig: Analytical Validation and a Pilot Application. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10060527. [PMID: 34199172 PMCID: PMC8231541 DOI: 10.3390/biology10060527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Oxytocin is gaining importance in human and animal studies because of its role in welfare stress response, but there is no evidence of oxytocin measurement in hair, which would allow an evaluation of this analyte over a long period of time. For this reason, in this study, a new immunoassay to measure oxytocin in the hair of pigs was developed and validated. In addition, the possible changes in concentrations of oxytocin in hair during the reproductive cycle of pigs were evaluated. The assay was precise and accurate and when applied to the hair extracts of pigs, higher oxytocin values were obtained at days 23 and 59 after farrowing in the winter–spring period. When oxytocin concentrations were compared to cortisone and cortisol, it showed moderate and low correlations, respectively. Based on the results of this report, oxytocin can be measured in the hair of pigs, and changes in concentrations can be detected during a pig’s reproductive cycle. Abstract There is growing interest in oxytocin as a biomarker of stress and welfare. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a procedure based on a highly sensitive immunoassay to measure oxytocin in the hair of pigs. In addition, a pilot study to apply this procedure to evaluate possible changes in concentrations of oxytocin in hair during the reproductive cycle of pigs at different periods of the year was conducted. This procedure used methanol for sample extraction, since it offered better recoveries than acetonitrile, and the immunoassay developed was precise and accurate for the quantification of the oxytocin in the hair. When this procedure was applied to hair collected at different times of the reproductive cycle and season, higher values were found at days 23 and 59 after farrowing in the winter–spring period. In addition, higher oxytocin values in the spring–summer period were found in hair collected 5 days before farrowing compared to winter–spring. Oxytocin in hair showed moderate and low correlations with cortisone and cortisol in hair, respectively. This study represents the first report in which oxytocin was measured in hair and could open new lines for future research about the measurement of oxytocin in pigs and other biological species as a biomarker of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina López-Arjona
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; (M.L.-A.); (F.T.); (S.V.M.); (M.D.C.-A.); (S.M.-S.)
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; (M.L.-A.); (F.T.); (S.V.M.); (M.D.C.-A.); (S.M.-S.)
| | - Sandra V. Mateo
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; (M.L.-A.); (F.T.); (S.V.M.); (M.D.C.-A.); (S.M.-S.)
| | - María Dolores Contreras-Aguilar
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; (M.L.-A.); (F.T.); (S.V.M.); (M.D.C.-A.); (S.M.-S.)
| | - Silvia Martínez-Miró
- Departament of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain;
| | - José Joaquín Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; (M.L.-A.); (F.T.); (S.V.M.); (M.D.C.-A.); (S.M.-S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-868884722
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; (M.L.-A.); (F.T.); (S.V.M.); (M.D.C.-A.); (S.M.-S.)
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Bethancourt HJ, Ulrich MA, Almeida DM, Rosinger AY. Household Food Insecurity, Hair Cortisol, and Adiposity Among Tsimane' Hunter-Forager-Horticulturalists in Bolivia. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2021; 29:1046-1057. [PMID: 33864348 PMCID: PMC8711023 DOI: 10.1002/oby.23137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined how household food insecurity (HFI) and chronic stress relate to adiposity among Tsimane' hunter-forager-horticulturalists in remote Bolivia with limited access to energy-dense processed foods that promote weight gain among industrialized populations. METHODS Retrospective cross-sectional data on HFI (via the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale [HFIAS]), hair cortisol concentration (HCC), adiposity (BMI, body fat percentage [%BF]), and sociodemographics were collected from 171 men, 164 women, and 167 children. Linear mixed-effects models tested linear, quadratic, joint, and interactive relationships between adiposity measures and both the HFIAS score and HCC. RESULTS Among children, each 3-point HFIAS score increase was associated with a 0.44-point higher %BF (SE = 0.22, P = 0.04). However, each 20% increase in HCC was associated with a -0.29-point difference in %BF (SE = 0.12, P = 0.01). Among men, a slight curvilinear relationship emerged between HFIAS and BMI. HFIAS and HCC were unrelated to adiposity measures among women. HCC did not modify relationships between HFIAS and adiposity in any subgroup. CONCLUSIONS These findings from a remote, small-scale population suggest that positive associations between HFI and adiposity are not isolated to contexts of industrialized food environments and heavy reliance on processed foods. However, these dynamics and the role of stress appear to differ by sex and age group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J Bethancourt
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew A Ulrich
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David M Almeida
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Asher Y Rosinger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Hamers PCM, Savas M, van Rossum EFC, de Rijke YB, Bindels PJE, Festen DAM, Hermans H. Hair glucocorticoids in adults with intellectual disabilities and depressive symptoms pre- and post-bright light therapy: First explorations. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES 2021; 34:1549-1559. [PMID: 34047425 PMCID: PMC8597165 DOI: 10.1111/jar.12899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms and stress are common in adults with intellectual disabilities. Our aim was to explore long-term biological stress levels, assessed by hair cortisol (HairF) and cortisone (HairE) concentrations, in adults with intellectual disabilities and depressive symptoms and to investigate the effects of bright light therapy (BLT) on hair glucocorticoids. METHOD Scalp hair samples (n = 14) were retrospectively examined at baseline and post-BLT (10.000 and 300 lux). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure hair glucocorticoids. RESULTS A significant correlation was found between baseline HairF and depression scores (r = .605, p = .028). Post-intervention HairE levels were significantly increased ([95% CI: 11.2-17.4 pg/mg], p = .003), in particular after dim light (300 lux) ([95% CI: 10.0-18.3 pg/mg], p = .020). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that retrospectively examining biological levels of stress in adults with intellectual disabilities seems a potentially promising and objective method to gain insight in the stress level of adults with intellectual disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline C M Hamers
- Department of General Practice, Intellectual Disability Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Amarant, Healthcare Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Mesut Savas
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yolanda B de Rijke
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick J E Bindels
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dederieke A M Festen
- Department of General Practice, Intellectual Disability Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Ipse de Bruggen, Healthcare Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi Hermans
- Department of General Practice, Intellectual Disability Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Amarant, Healthcare Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Tilburg, The Netherlands
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Otten W, Bartels T, Heimbürge S, Tuchscherer A, Kanitz E. The dark side of white hair? Artificial light irradiation reduces cortisol concentrations in white but not black hairs of cattle and pigs. Animal 2021; 15:100230. [PMID: 34049109 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2021.100230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysing hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) is a minimally invasive way to retrospectively assess long-term stress, and its application in studies of animal welfare and stress has attracted considerable interest. However, not only stress-related effects but also hair-specific characteristics and external influences can affect HCCs and interfere with the interpretation of results. Thus, it was the aim of this study to investigate the impact of daylight and UV irradiation on cortisol concentrations in the hairs of pigs and cattle. We also examined whether a potential irradiation effect on HCCs depended on the colour of the hair. For this purpose, black and white hair samples from 18 Saddleback pigs and 18 Holstein Friesian cattle were exposed to artificial light (both visible and UV) and compared with control hair samples from the same animals kept in the dark. Exposure to artificial light significantly decreased HCCs in both pigs (P < 0.05) and cattle (P < 0.001), and hair colour had an influence on HCCs, with black hair showing higher cortisol levels than white hair (cattle: P < 0.001, pigs: P = 0.07). The interaction between light exposure and hair colour was significant in both pigs (P < 0.01) and cattle (P < 0.001), so light exposure reduced HCCs in porcine white hair but not black hair. In cattle, light-exposed white hair exhibited lower hair cortisol levels than control white hair or black hair. These results demonstrate that artificial light irradiation degrades hair cortisol or favours its elimination by structural changes of the hair matrix. However, this effect was only detectable in white hair, indicating that the melanin pigments in black hair absorbed radiation, thereby reducing the effects of photodegradation. Compared with other known influencing factors on HCCs, such as age and body region, the influence of light irradiation was relatively low in this in vitro experiment. However, further studies should investigate this influence under real-life animal conditions, such as outdoor and indoor housing.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Otten
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany.
| | - T Bartels
- Institute for Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Dörnbergstraße 25/27, 29223 Celle, Germany
| | - S Heimbürge
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - A Tuchscherer
- Institute of Genetics and Biometry, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - E Kanitz
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
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50
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Oresta S, Vinkers CH, van Rossum EFC, Penninx BWJH, Nawijn L. How childhood trauma and recent adverse events are related to hair cortisol levels in a large adult cohort. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 126:105150. [PMID: 33515910 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to adversity is a risk factor for many mental and somatic health problems. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation is a potential mechanism linking adversity exposure and negative health outcomes. However, associations between adversity exposure and HPA-axis activity have been inconsistent. To understand the impact of adversity on the HPA-axis, we examined associations between early-life and recent adversity with hair cortisol concentration, an indicator of long-term systemic cortisol levels. METHODS We included 1166 adult participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Hair cortisol was measured in 3 cm of proximal hair, representing cortisol exposure during the previous 3 months. Childhood maltreatment, childhood negative life events, and recent negative life events were retrospectively assessed using interview and self-report questionnaires. Linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between childhood maltreatment, childhood life events and recent life events with hair cortisol. Associations with cumulative adversity exposure and with subtypes of childhood maltreatment, childhood and recent negative life events were also investigated, as were interaction effects between adversity and sex, age and psychopathology. RESULTS Childhood maltreatment (β = 0.034, p = 0.243), childhood life events (β = - 0.017, p = 0.544), and recent life events (β = - 0.021, p = 0.456) were not significantly associated with hair cortisol levels. Subtypes of childhood maltreatment and specific childhood and recent life events were not significantly associated with hair cortisol (pFDR>0.05). There were no significant interaction effects between adversity exposure and sex, age or depression/anxiety diagnostic status on hair cortisol. CONCLUSIONS There were no significant associations between childhood and recent adversity with systemic cortisol levels in adults. Effects of early-life and adult adversity are complex and may not directly impact on long-term systemic cortisol levels as measured in hair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Oresta
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan H Vinkers
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Nawijn
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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