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Bhattacharya A, Chakraborty M, Chanda A, Alqahtani T, Kumer A, Dhara B, Chattopadhyay M. Neuroendocrine and cellular mechanisms in stress resilience: From hormonal influence in the CNS to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18220. [PMID: 38509751 PMCID: PMC10955164 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in neuroendocrinology challenge the long-held belief that hormonal effects are confined to perivascular tissues and do not extend to the central nervous system (CNS). This paradigm shift, propelled by groundbreaking research, reveals that synthetic hormones, notably in anti-inflammatory medications, significantly influence steroid psychosis, behavioural, and cognitive impairments, as well as neuropeptide functions. A seminal development in this field occurred in 1968 with McEven's proposal that rodent brains are responsive to glucocorticoids, fundamentally altering the understanding of how anxiety impacts CNS functionality and leading to the identification of glucocorticosteroids and mineralocorticoids as distinct corticotropic receptors. This paper focuses on the intricate roles of the neuroendocrine, immunological, and CNS in fostering stress resilience, underscored by recent animal model studies. These studies highlight active, compensatory, and passive strategies for resilience, supporting the concept that anxiety and depression are systemic disorders involving dysregulation across both peripheral and central systems. Resilience is conceptualized as a multifaceted process that enhances psychological adaptability to stress through adaptive mechanisms within the immunological system, brain, hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, and ANS Axis. Furthermore, the paper explores oxidative stress, particularly its origin from the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria. The mitochondria's role extends beyond ATP production, encompassing lipid, heme, purine, and steroidogenesis synthesis. ROS-induced damage to biomolecules can lead to significant mitochondrial dysfunction and cell apoptosis, emphasizing the critical nature of mitochondrial health in overall cellular function and stress resilience. This comprehensive synthesis of neuroendocrinological and cellular biological research offers new insights into the systemic complexity of stress-related disorders and the imperative for multidisciplinary approaches in their study and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arghya Bhattacharya
- Department of PharmacologyCalcutta Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and AHSUluberiaWest BengalIndia
| | - Manas Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmaceutical BiotechnologyCalcutta institute of pharmaceutical technology and AHSUluberiaWest BengalIndia
| | - Ananya Chanda
- Department of Pharmaceutical ScienceAdamas UniversityBarasatWest BengalIndia
| | - Taha Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmacology, College of PharmacyKing Khalid UniversityAbhaSaudi Arabia
| | - Ajoy Kumer
- Department of ChemistryCollege of Arts and Sciences, IUBAT‐International University of Business Agriculture and TechnologyDhakaBangladesh
| | - Bikram Dhara
- Center for Global Health ResearchSaveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical SciencesChennaiIndia
- Department of Health SciencesNovel Global Community and Educational FoundationHebershamNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Moitreyee Chattopadhyay
- Department of Pharmaceutical TechnologyMaulana Abul Kalam Azad University of TechnologyKolkataWest BengalIndia
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Colicino E, Cowell W, Pedretti NF, Joshi A, Petrick L, Niedzwiecki M, Wright RO, Wright RJ. Maternal steroids during pregnancy and their associations with exposure to lifetime stressful life events, prenatal stress appraisal and psychological functioning. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 158:106395. [PMID: 37776732 PMCID: PMC10841416 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106395] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During pregnancy, steroids enable physiological adaptations in response to many factors, including maternal stress or psychological functioning. While stress and psychological dysfunction can have endocrine-disrupting effects beyond cortisol disruption, associations between prenatal maternal stress or related psychological dysfunction and the broader steroid milieu remain understudied. AIM To assess associations between independent and joint maternal stress and psychological functioning measures and steroid profiles in pregnancy (22-40 gestational weeks) in the Programming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) birth cohort (n = 334). METHODS Serum metabolomics detected 42 steroids and their metabolites, which were grouped into five classes (pregnenolone, androgens, estrogens, progestin, and corticosteroids). The Perceived Stress Scale, Life Stressor Checklist-Revised, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale indexed lifetime traumatic/non-traumatic stressors, global prenatal stress appraisal, and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, respectively. Exposures were categorized as high-low using the corresponding 3rd quartiles. We assessed associations between both individual and joint stress exposures with steroid classes using linear mixed effect models and with individual steroids using linear regressions. We also examined fetal sex-specific effects. RESULTS High prenatal perceived stress was independently associated with lower levels of androgens and estrogens in the overall sample [β (95%CI): androgens: -0.13 (-0.25;-0.01); estrogens: -0.16 (-0.31;-0.01)], particularly among women carrying males [androgens: -0.22 (-0.39;-0.05); estrogens: -0.28 (-0.50;-0.07)]. Results on estrogens were consistent when considering joint exposure to both greater lifetime stressors and higher prenatal perceived stress. We also found a single testosterone metabolite-5alpha-androstan-3alpha,17alpha-diol disulfate-negatively associated with both individual high perceived stress and joint exposure to high lifetime stressors and high perceived stress among women carrying males. CONCLUSIONS Increased maternal perceived stress experienced in pregnancy was independently associated with lower maternal androgen and estrogen levels during pregnancy in the overall sample, particularly among women carrying males. Results on estrogens were consistent when we considered the joint exposure of increased lifetime stressors and higher prenatal perceived stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Whitney Cowell
- Departments of Pediatrics and Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicolo Foppa Pedretti
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anu Joshi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lauren Petrick
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Megan Niedzwiecki
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Kravis Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Sotelo-Tapia C, Medina AC, Cortes PM, Hernández-Arteaga E, Hidalgo-Aguirre RM, Guevara MA, Hernández-González M. Ejaculation latency determines susceptibility to stress in the male rat. Behav Processes 2023; 205:104819. [PMID: 36642152 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104819] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Stress induces diverse effects on sexual behavior, ranging from enhanced execution to the complete abolishment of sexual interaction. However, it is not clear whether some characteristics intrinsic to the individual that experiences stress could also explain this differential effect. This study seeks to relate sexual execution to susceptibility to stress (as post-stress sexual motivation). To this end, we designed a three-session experimental paradigm. In the first session, male rats were allowed to copulate with a female. In the second, the male rats received electric foot shocks as they attempted to approach the female. The third and final session was used to determine the effects of stress on sexual behavior by separating the rats into two groups: a motivation-impaired group (rats that did not cross to achieve copulation), and an unimpaired group (rats that did cross). Mount latency was affected immediately by stress in both groups, though only the non-crossing group presented a reduced number of copulatory events. The rats that did not cross showed slower-paced sexual execution even before stress was applied compared to the rats that crossed. These results show that rats that are more susceptible to stress present higher ejaculation latency even before the application of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Sotelo-Tapia
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Andrea Cristina Medina
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Pedro Manuel Cortes
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | | | - Rosa María Hidalgo-Aguirre
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Miguel Angel Guevara
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
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Ledford A, Luning CR, Beckner M, Conkright W, Dixon D, Miles P, Martin B, Nindl B, Lynch S. Psychological and Physiological Changes during Basic, Underwater, Demolition/SEAL Training. Physiol Behav 2022; 257:113970. [PMID: 36179811 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113970] [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: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This longitudinal study examines the growth of psychological characteristics and adaptation of physiological markers of stress during a six-month assessment and selection course for U.S. Navy SEALs. Resilience, hardiness, and grit instruments were used to evaluate the psychological characteristics. Blood samples were taken to determine physiological markers related to stress adaptation; specifically, evaluating DHEA, DHEA-to-cortisol ratio, BDNF, NPY, and cortisol. Data was collected at four timepoints throughout the assessment and selection course from 353 students over three classes. Results indicated that resilience and hardiness grow after an initial decline, DHEA and DHEA-to-cortisol increased suggesting physiological adaptation. However, psychological and physiological markers do not exhibit the same growth patterns for participants in the course. This study enhances the understanding of psychological growth and physiological adaptation in a high-stress environment over an extended duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Ledford
- Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law, United States Naval Academy.
| | | | | | - Will Conkright
- Deputy Chief, Nutrition Care Division, Madigan Army Medical Center
| | - Deirdre Dixon
- TECO Energy Center for Leadership, Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa
| | | | - Brian Martin
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Brad Nindl
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh
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Berryman CE, McClung HL, Sepowitz JJ, Gaffney‐Stomberg E, Ferrando AA, McClung JP, Pasiakos SM. Testosterone status following short-term, severe energy deficit is associated with fat-free mass loss in U.S. Marines. Physiol Rep 2022; 10:e15461. [PMID: 36117330 PMCID: PMC9483439 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine metabolic and physiological differences between males with low testosterone (LT) versus those with normal testosterone (NT) following a period of severe energy deficit. In this secondary analysis, 68 male US Marines (mean ± SD, 24.6 ± 2.4 y) were dichotomized by testosterone concentration (< or ≥ 10.5 nmol/L as determined from a single blood sample collected between 0600-0630 after an 8-10 h overnight fast by automated immunoassay) following 7 days of near complete starvation (~300 kcal consumed/d, ~85% energy deficit) during Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training. Dietary intake was assessed before (PRE) SERE. Body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography) and whole-body protein turnover (15 N alanine) were assessed before (PRE) and after (POST) SERE. Mean testosterone concentrations decreased PRE (17.5 ± 4.7 nmol/L) to POST (9.8 ± 4.0 nmol/L, p < 0.0001). When volunteers were dichotomized by POST testosterone concentrations [NT (n = 24) 14.1 ± 3.4 vs. LT (n = 44): 7.5 ± 1.8 nmol/L, p < 0.0001], PRE BMI, total fat mass, trunk fat mass, and testosterone were greater and the diet quality score and total carbohydrate intake were lower in NT compared to LT (p ≤ 0.05). LT lost more fat-free mass and less fat mass, particularly in the trunk region, compared to NT following SERE (p-interaction≤0.044). Whole-body protein synthesis, net balance, and flux decreased and whole-body protein breakdown increased from PRE to POST in both groups (p-time ≤0.025). Following short-term, severe energy deficit, Marines who exhibited low testosterone had greater fat-free mass loss than those who maintained normal testosterone concentrations. Altering body composition and dietary strategies prior to physical training that elicits severe energy deficit may provide an opportunity to attenuate post-training decrements in testosterone and its associated effects (e.g., loss of lean mass, performance declines, fatigue).
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E. Berryman
- Military Nutrition DivisionUS Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicineNatickMassachusettsUSA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and EducationBelcampMarylandUSA
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative PhysiologyFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFloridaUSA
| | - Holly L. McClung
- Military Nutrition DivisionUS Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicineNatickMassachusettsUSA
| | - John J. Sepowitz
- Military Nutrition DivisionUS Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicineNatickMassachusettsUSA
| | - Erin Gaffney‐Stomberg
- Military Performance DivisionU.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicineNatickMassachusettsUSA
| | - Arny A. Ferrando
- Department of Geriatrics, The Center for Translational Research in Aging & LongevityDonald W. Reynolds Institute of Aging, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockArkansasUSA
| | - James P. McClung
- Military Nutrition DivisionUS Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicineNatickMassachusettsUSA
| | - Stefan M. Pasiakos
- Military Performance DivisionU.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental MedicineNatickMassachusettsUSA
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Wisén N, Larsson G, Risling M, Arborelius U. Is conduct after capture training sufficiently stressful? Front Psychol 2022; 13:795759. [PMID: 35967608 PMCID: PMC9372607 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.795759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Conduct after capture (CAC) training is for personnel at risk of being captured. To be effective, it needs to be stressful. But how do we know if it is stressful enough? This study uses biomarkers and cognitive measures to evaluate CAC. Soldiers undergoing CAC were measured by the stress hormone cortisol from saliva samples at baseline and during training. The training consisted of being taken capture and put through a number of realistic and threatening scenarios, targeting survival strategies taught in the preceding week. Between scenarios, the trainees were held in a holding cell where they were monitored by a guard. The saliva samples were taken in conjunction with the scenarios. The whole training took place over a period of ~24 h. Cognitive performance was measured at baseline and after training. Three groups took part Group A (n = 20) was taken after 48 h of intense tasks leaving them in a poor resting state. Group B (n = 23) was well rested at CAC onset. Group C (n = 10) was part of a survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) instructor course. The CAC training was the same for all groups. Group A exhibited a high increase in cortisol during CAC, compared to baseline levels were multiple times as high as “expected” values. Group B exhibited elevated levels slightly lower than those of group A, they also “dropped” to “normal” levels during the latter part of the exercise. Group C displayed the least increase with only slightly elevated levels. CAC training is stressful and cortisol levels were elevated enough to satisfy the prerequisite for effective stress inoculation. No cognitive performance drop could be identified; however, several participants “froze” during the exercise due to intensive stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niclas Wisén
- Department of Experimental Traumatology, Institution of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Niclas Wisén,
| | - Gerry Larsson
- Department of Leadership and Command and Control, Swedish Defence University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Mårten Risling
- Department of Experimental Traumatology, Institution of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulf Arborelius
- Department of Experimental Traumatology, Institution of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Kelly KR, Arrington LJ, Bernards JR, Jensen AE. Prolonged Extreme Cold Water Diving and the Acute Stress Response During Military Dive Training. Front Physiol 2022; 13:842612. [PMID: 35874531 PMCID: PMC9304957 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.842612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cold water exposure poses a unique physiological challenge to the human body. Normally, water submersion increases activation of parasympathetic tone to induce bradycardia in order to compensate for hemodynamic shifts and reduce oxygen consumption by peripheral tissues. However, elevated stress, such as that which may occur due to prolonged cold exposure, may shift the sympatho-vagal balance towards sympathetic activation which may potentially negate the dive reflex and impact thermoregulation. Objective: To quantify the acute stress response during prolonged extreme cold water diving and to determine the influence of acute stress on thermoregulation. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one (n = 21) subjects tasked with cold water dive training participated. Divers donned standard diving equipment and fully submerged to a depth of ≈20 feet, in a pool chilled to 4°C, for a 9-h training exercise. Pre- and post-training measures included: core and skin temperature; salivary alpha amylase (AA), cortisol (CORT), osteocalcin (OCN), testosterone (TEST) and dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA); body weight; blood glucose, lactate, and ketones. Results: Core, skin, and extremity temperature decreased (p < 0.001) over the 9-h dive; however, core temperature was maintained above the clinical threshold for hypothermia and was not correlated to body size (p = 0.595). There was a significant increase in AA (p < 0.001) and OCN (p = 0.021) and a significant decrease in TEST (p = 0.003) over the duration of the dive. An indirect correlation between changes in cortisol concentrations and changes in foot temperature (ρ = -0.5,p = 0.042) were observed. There was a significant positive correlation between baseline OCN and change in hand temperature (ρ = 0.66, p = 0.044) and significant indirect correlation between changes in OCN concentrations and changes in hand temperature (ρ = -0.59, p = 0.043). Conclusion: These data suggest that long-duration, cold water diving initiates a stress response—as measurable by salivary stress biomarkers—and that peripheral skin temperature decreases over the course of these dives. Cumulatively, these data suggest that there is a relationship between the acute stress response and peripheral thermoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen R. Kelly
- Applied Translational Exercise and Metabolic Physiology Team, Warfighter Performance, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Karen R. Kelly,
| | - Laura J. Arrington
- Applied Translational Exercise and Metabolic Physiology Team, Warfighter Performance, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States
- Leidos, Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Jake R. Bernards
- Applied Translational Exercise and Metabolic Physiology Team, Warfighter Performance, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States
- Leidos, Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Andrew E. Jensen
- Applied Translational Exercise and Metabolic Physiology Team, Warfighter Performance, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States
- Leidos, Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
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Varanoske AN, Harris MN, Hebert C, Howard EE, Johannsen NM, Heymsfield SB, Greenway FL, Margolis LM, Lieberman HR, Beyl RA, Church DD, Ferrando AA, Pasiakos SM, Rood JC. Testosterone Undecanoate Administration Prevents Declines in Fat-Free Mass but not Physical Performance During Simulated Multi-Stressor Military Operations. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2022; 133:426-442. [PMID: 35796614 PMCID: PMC9359646 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00190.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Male military personnel conducting strenuous operations experience reduced testosterone, muscle mass, and performance. Pharmacological restoration of normal testosterone may attenuate performance decrements by mitigating muscle loss. Previously, administering testosterone enanthate (200 mg/week) during energy deficit prompted supraphysiological testosterone concentrations and lean mass gain without preventing isokinetic/isometric deterioration. Whether administering a practical dose of testosterone protects muscle and performance during strenuous operations is undetermined. OBJECTIVE Test the effects of a single dose of testosterone on body composition and military-relevant physical performance during a simulated operation. METHODS After a 7-day baseline phase (P1), 32 males (mean±SD; 77.1±12.3 kg, 26.5±4.4 years) received a single dose of either testosterone undecanoate (750 mg; TEST) or placebo (PLA) before a 20-day simulated military operation (P2), followed by a 23-day recovery (P3). Assessments included body composition and physical performance at the end of each phase and circulating endocrine biomarkers throughout the study. RESULTS Total and free testosterone concentrations in TEST were greater than PLA throughout most of P2 (p<0.05), but returned to P1 values during P3. Fat-free mass (FFM) was maintained from P1 to P2 in TEST (mean±SE; 0.41±0.65 kg, p=0.53), but decreased in PLA (-1.85±0.69 kg, p=0.01) and recovered in P3. Regardless of treatment, total body mass and fat mass decreased from P1 to P2 (p<0.05), but did not fully recover by P3. Physical performance decreased during P2 (p<0.05) and recovered by P3, regardless of treatment. CONCLUSIONS Administering testosterone undecanoate before a simulated military operation protected FFM but did not prevent decrements in physical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Varanoske
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States.,Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Melissa N Harris
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Callie Hebert
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Emily E Howard
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States.,Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Neil M Johannsen
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Steven B Heymsfield
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Frank L Greenway
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Lee M Margolis
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States
| | - Harris R Lieberman
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States
| | - Robbie A Beyl
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - David D Church
- Department of Geriatrics, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Arny A Ferrando
- Department of Geriatrics, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Stefan M Pasiakos
- Military Performance Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer C Rood
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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Beckner ME, Conkright WR, Mi Q, Martin BJ, Sahu A, Flanagan SD, Ledford AK, Wright M, Susmarski A, Ambrosio F, Nindl BC. Neuroendocrine, Inflammatory, and Extracellular Vesicle Responses During the Navy Special Warfare Screener Selection Course. Physiol Genomics 2022; 54:283-295. [PMID: 35695270 PMCID: PMC9291410 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00184.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Military operational stress is known to increase adrenal hormones and inflammatory cytokines, while decreasing hormones associated with the anabolic milieu and neuroendocrine system. Less is known about the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs), a form of cell-to-cell communication, in military operational stress and their relationship to circulating hormones. PURPOSE To characterize the neuroendocrine, cytokine, and EV response to an intense, 24-h selection course known as the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Screener and identify associations between EVs and cytokines. METHODS Blood samples were collected the morning of and following the NSW Screener in 29 men (18 - 26 years). Samples were analyzed for concentrations of cortisol, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), neuropeptide-Y (NPY), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), α-klotho, tumor necrosis factor- α (TNFα), and interleukins (IL) -1β, -6, and -10. EVs stained with markers associated with exosomes (CD63), microvesicles (VAMP3), and apoptotic bodies (THSD1) were characterized using imaging flow cytometry and vesicle flow cytometry. RESULTS The selection event induced significant changes in circulating BDNF (-43.2%), IGF-I (-24.56%), TNFα (+17.7%), IL-6 (+13.6%), accompanied by increases in intensities of THSD1+ and VAMP3+ EVs (all p<0.05). Higher concentrations of IL-1β and IL-10 were positively associated with THSD1+ EVs (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Military operational stress altered the EV profile. Surface markers associated with apoptotic bodies were positively correlated with an inflammatory response. Future studies should consider a multi-omics assessment of EV cargo to discern canonical pathways that may be mediated by EVs during military stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan E Beckner
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - William R Conkright
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Qi Mi
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Brian J Martin
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Amrita Sahu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Shawn D Flanagan
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Andrew K Ledford
- Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, United States
| | - Martin Wright
- Human Performance Lab, Physical Education Department, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, United States
| | - Adam Susmarski
- Brigade Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, U.S. Navy Academy, Annapolis, MD, United States
| | - Fabrisia Ambrosio
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Bradley C Nindl
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Flood A, Keegan RJ. Cognitive Resilience to Psychological Stress in Military Personnel. Front Psychol 2022; 13:809003. [PMID: 35369170 PMCID: PMC8966027 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.809003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Military personnel often perform complex cognitive operations under unique conditions of intense stress. This requirement to perform diverse physical and mental tasks under stress, often with high stakes, has led to recognition of the term ‘tactical athlete’ for these performers. Impaired cognitive performance as a result of this stress may have serious implications for the success of military operations and the well-being of military service men and women, particularly in combat scenarios. Therefore, understanding the nature of the stress experienced by military personnel and the resilience of cognitive functioning to this stress is of great importance. This review synthesises the current state of the literature regarding cognitive resilience to psychological stress in tactical athletes. The experience of psychological stress in military personnel is considered through the lens of the Transactional Theory of stress, while offering contemporary updates and new insights. Models of the effects of stress on cognitive performance are then reviewed to highlight the complexity of this interaction before considering recent advancements in the preparation of military personnel for the enhancement of cognitive resilience. Several areas for future research are identified throughout the review, emphasising the need for the wider use of self-report measures and mixed methods approaches to better reflect the subjective experience of stress and its impact on the performance of cognitive operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Flood
- University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia.,Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - Richard J Keegan
- University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia.,Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
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11
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Beckner ME, Conkright WR, Sahu A, Mi Q, Clemens ZJ, Martin BJ, Flanagan SD, Ferrarelli F, Ambrosio F, Nindl BC. Utility of extracellular vesicles as a potential biological indicator of physiological resilience during military operational stress. Physiol Rep 2022; 10:e15219. [PMID: 35373929 PMCID: PMC8978596 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) transport biological content between cells to mediate physiological processes. The association between EVs and resilience, the ability to cope with stress, is unknown. Using unbiased machine learning approaches, we aimed to identify a biological profile of resilience. Twenty servicemen (27.8 ± 5.9 years) completed the Connor Davidson Resilience (CD‐RISC) questionnaire and were exposed to daily physical and cognitive exertion with 48‐hr sleep and caloric restriction. Blood samples from baseline and the second day of stress were analyzed for neuroendocrine biomarkers impacted by military stress. EVs were isolated from plasma and stained with antibodies associated with exosomes (CD63), microvesicles (VAMP3), and apoptotic bodies (THSD1). Individuals were separated into high (n = 10, CD‐RISC > 90) and low (n = 10, CD‐RISC < 79) resilience. EV features were stratified by size, then down‐selected using regression trees and compared between groups. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Compared to low resilience, high resilience demonstrated a greater increase in variability of THSD1 local bright spot intensities among large‐sized EVs in response to stress (p = 0.002, Hedges’ g = 1.59). Among medium‐sized EVs, high resilience exhibited a greater decrease in side scatter intensity (p = 0.014, Hedges’ g = 1.17). Both features demonstrated high to moderate diagnostic accuracy for high resilience (AUC = 0.90 and 0.79). In contrast, neuroendocrine biomarker concentrations were similar between groups. The increase in variability among THSD1 + EVs in high, but not low, resilient individuals following stress may suggest high resilience is accompanied by stress‐triggered apoptotic adaptations to the environment that are not detected in neuroendocrine biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan E. Beckner
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - William R. Conkright
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Amrita Sahu
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Qi Mi
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Zachary J. Clemens
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Brian J. Martin
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Shawn D. Flanagan
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Fabio Ferrarelli
- School of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Fabrisia Ambrosio
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Bradley C. Nindl
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
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12
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Varanoske AN, McClung HL, Sepowitz JJ, Halagarda CJ, Farina EK, Berryman CE, Lieberman HR, McClung JP, Pasiakos SM, Philip Karl J. Stress and the gut-brain axis: Cognitive performance, mood state, and biomarkers of blood-brain barrier and intestinal permeability following severe physical and psychological stress. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 101:383-393. [PMID: 35131441 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical and psychological stress alter gut-brain axis activity, potentially causing intestinal barrier dysfunction that may, in turn, induce cognitive and mood impairments through exacerbated inflammation and blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability. These interactions are commonly studied in animals or artificial laboratory environments. However, military survival training provides an alternative and unique human model for studying the impacts of severe physical and psychological stress on the gut-brain axis in a realistic environment. PURPOSE To determine changes in intestinal barrier and BBB permeability during stressful military survival training and identify relationships between those changes and markers of stress, inflammation, cognitive performance, and mood state. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventy-one male U.S. Marines (25.2 ± 2.6 years) were studied during Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training. Measurements were conducted on day 2 of the 10-day classroom phase of training (PRE), following completion of the 7.5-day field-based simulation phase of the training (POST), and following a 27-day recovery period (REC). Fat-free mass (FFM) was measured to assess the overall physiologic impact of the training. Biomarkers of intestinal permeability (liposaccharide-binding protein [LBP]) and BBB permeability (S100 calcium-binding protein B [S100B]), stress (cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEA-S] epinephrine, norepinephrine) and inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6], high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP]) were measured in blood. Cognitive performance was assessed by psychomotor vigilance (PVT) and grammatical reasoning (GR) tests, and mood state by the Profile of Mood States (total mood disturbance; TMD), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health (PHQ-9) questionnaires. RESULTS FFM, psychomotor vigilance, and LBP decreased from PRE to POST, while TMD, anxiety, and depression scores, and S100B, DHEA-S, IL-6, norepinephrine, and epinephrine concentrations all increased (all p ≤ 0.01). Increases in DHEA-S were associated with decreases in body mass (p = 0.015). Decreases in FFM were associated with decreases in LBP concentrations (p = 0.015), and both decreases in FFM and LBP were associated with increases in TMD and depression scores (all p < 0.05) but not with changes in cognitive performance. Conversely, increases in S100B concentrations were associated with decreases in psychomotor vigilance (p < 0.05) but not with changes in mood state or LBP concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of increased intestinal permeability was not observed in this military survival training-based model of severe physical and psychological stress. However, increased BBB permeability was associated with stress and cognitive decline, while FFM loss was associated with mood disturbance, suggesting that distinct mechanisms may contribute to decrements in cognitive performance and mood state during the severe physical and psychological stress experienced during military survival training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Varanoske
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Holly L McClung
- Biophysics and Biomedical Modeling Division, USARIEM, Natick, MA, USA
| | - John J Sepowitz
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
| | | | - Emily K Farina
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
| | - Claire E Berryman
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, USA; Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Harris R Lieberman
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
| | - James P McClung
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
| | | | - J Philip Karl
- Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA.
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13
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Beckner ME, Main L, Tait JL, Martin BJ, Conkright WR, Nindl BC. Circulating biomarkers associated with performance and resilience during military operational stress. Eur J Sport Sci 2021; 22:72-86. [PMID: 34346851 DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1962983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Adaptation to military operational stress is a complex physiological response that calls upon the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and immune system, to create a delicate balance between anabolism and catabolism and meet the demands of an ever-changing environment. As such, resilience, the ability to withstand and overcome the negative impact of stress on military performance, is likely grounded in an appropriate biological adaptation to encountered stressors. Neuroendocrine [i.e. cortisol, epinephrine (EPI), norepinephrine (NE), neuropeptide-Y (NPY), and brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF)], inflammatory [i.e. interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α], as well as growth and anabolic [i.e. insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)] biomarkers independently and interactively function in stress adaptations that are associated with a soldier's physical and psychological performance. In this narrative review, we detail biomarkers across neuroendocrine, inflammatory, and growth stimulating domains to better elucidate the biological basis of a resilient soldier. The findings from the reviewed studies indicate that military readiness and resiliency may be enhanced through better homeostatic control, better regulated inflammatory responses, and balanced anabolic/catabolic processes. It is unlikely that one class of biomarkers is better for assessing physiological resilience. Therefore, a biomarker panel that can account for appropriate balance across these domains may be superior in developing monitoring frameworks. Real-time physiological monitoring to assess biomarkers associated with resilience will be possible pending more sophisticated technologies and provide a field-expedient application for early identification and intervention of at-risk soldiers to improve military resiliency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan E Beckner
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center. Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Luana Main
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jamie L Tait
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Brian J Martin
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center. Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - William R Conkright
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center. Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bradley C Nindl
- Neuromuscular Research Laboratory/Warrior Human Performance Research Center. Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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14
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Knutson KM, Gotts SJ, Wassermann EM, Lewis JD. Testosterone and Resting State Connectivity of the Parahippocampal Gyrus in Men With History of Deployment-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Mil Med 2021; 185:e1750-e1758. [PMID: 32776114 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usaa142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of low testosterone level on whole-brain resting state (RS) connectivity in male veterans with symptoms such as sleep disturbance, fatiguability, pain, anxiety, irritability, or aggressiveness persisting after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Follow-up analyses were performed to determine if sleep scores affected the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS In our cross-sectional design study, RS magnetic resonance imaging scans on 28 veterans were performed, and testosterone, sleep quality, mood, and post-traumatic stress symptoms were measured. For each participant, we computed the average correlation of each voxel's time-series with the rest of the voxels in the brain, then used AFNI's 3dttest++ on the group data to determine whether the effects of testosterone level on whole-brain connectivity were significant. We then performed follow-up region of interest-based RS analyses of testosterone, with and without sleep quality as a covariate. The study protocol was approved by the National Institute of Health's Combined Neuroscience Institutional Review Board. RESULTS Sixteen participants reported repeated blast exposure in theater, leading to symptoms; the rest reported exposure to a single blast or a nonblast TBI. Thirty-three percent had testosterone levels <300 ng/dL. Testosterone level was lower in participants who screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder compared to those who screened negative, but it did not reach statistical significance. Whole-brain connectivity and testosterone level were positively correlated in the left parahippocampal gyrus (LPhG), especially in its connectivity with frontal areas, the lingual gyrus, cingulate, insula, caudate, and right parahippocampal gyrus. Further analysis revealed that the effect of testosterone on LPhG connectivity is only partially mediated by sleep quality. Sleep quality by itself had an effect on connectivity of the thalamus, cerebellum, precuneus, and posterior cingulate. CONCLUSION Lower testosterone levels were correlated with lower connectivity of the LPhG. Weaknesses of this study include a retrospective design based on self-report of mTBI and the lack of a control group without TBI. Without a control group or pre-injury testosterone measures, we were not able to attribute the rate of low testosterone in our participants to TBI per se. Also testosterone levels were checked only once. The high rate of low testosterone level that we found suggests there may be an association between low testosterone level and greater post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following deployment, but the causality of the relationships between TBI and deployment stress, testosterone level, behavioral symptomatology, and LPhG connectivity remains to be determined. Our study on men with persistent symptoms postdeployment and post-mTBI may help us understand the role of low testosterone and sleep quality in persistent symptoms and may be important in developing therapeutic interventions. Our results highlight the role of the LPhG, as we found that whole-brain connectivity in that region was positively associated with testosterone level, with only a limited portion of that effect attributable to sleep quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine M Knutson
- Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Room 7D41, MSC 1440, 10 Center Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892-1440
| | - Stephen J Gotts
- Section on Cognitive Neuropsychology, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Room 4C217, 10 Center Dr, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Eric M Wassermann
- Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Room 7D41, MSC 1440, 10 Center Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892-1440
| | - Jeffrey D Lewis
- Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Room 7D41, MSC 1440, 10 Center Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892-1440.,Mental Health Clinic, 88th Medical Group, Wright Patterson Medical Center, 4881 Sugar Maple Drive, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433
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15
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Conkright WR, O'Leary TJ, Wardle SL, Greeves JP, Beckner ME, Nindl BC. SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHO-COGNITIVE RESPONSES TO MILITARY OPERATIONAL STRESS. Eur J Sport Sci 2021; 22:99-111. [PMID: 33840352 DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1916082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Combat roles are physically demanding and expose service personnel to operational stressors such as high levels of physical activity, restricted nutrient intake, sleep loss, psychological stress, and environmental extremes. Women have recently integrated into combat roles, but our knowledge of the physical, physiological, and psycho-cognitive responses to these operational stressors in women is limited. The aim of this narrative review was to evaluate the evidence for sex-specific physical, physiological, and psycho-cognitive responses to real, and simulated, military operational stress. Studies examining physical and cognitive performance, body composition, metabolism, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and psychological health outcomes were evaluated. These studies report that women expend less energy and lose less body mass and fat-free mass, but not fat mass, than men. Despite having similar physical performance decrements as men during operational stress, women experience greater physiological strain than men completing the same physical tasks, but this may be attributed to differences in fitness. From limited data, military operational stress suppresses hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal, but not hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, axis function in both sexes. Men and women demonstrate different psychological and cognitive responses to operational stress, including disturbances in mood, with women having a higher risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms compared with men. Based on current evidence, separate strategies to maximize selection and combat training are not warranted until further data directly comparing men and women are available. However, targeted exercise training programs may be advisable to offset the physical performance gap between sexes and optimize performance prior to inevitable declines caused by intense military operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Conkright
- Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory & Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Thomas J O'Leary
- Army Health and Performance Research, Army Headquarters, Andover, United Kingdom.,Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie L Wardle
- Army Health and Performance Research, Army Headquarters, Andover, United Kingdom.,Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julie P Greeves
- Army Health and Performance Research, Army Headquarters, Andover, United Kingdom.,Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Meaghan E Beckner
- Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory & Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Bradley C Nindl
- Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory & Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
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16
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Apalkova Y, Butovskaya ML, Shackelford TK, Fink B. Personality, aggression, sensation seeking, and hormonal responses to challenge in Russian alpinists and special operation forces. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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17
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Deuter CE, Duesenberg M, Hellmann-Regen J, Metz S, Roepke S, Wolf OT, Otte C, Wingenfeld K. Psychosocial stress increases testosterone in patients with borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and healthy participants. Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul 2021; 8:3. [PMID: 33517905 PMCID: PMC7849084 DOI: 10.1186/s40479-021-00145-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gonadal hormone testosterone not only regulates sexual behavior but is also involved in social behavior and cognition in both sexes. Changes in testosterone secretion in response to stress have been reported. In addition, stress associated mental disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are characterized by alterations in basal testosterone metabolism. However, testosterone changes to stress have not been investigated in mental disorders such as BPD and PTSD so far. METHODS In the study described, we investigated testosterone reactivity to an acute psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Our sample consisted of young adult women with BPD (n = 28), PTSD (n = 22) or both disorders (n = 22), and healthy control (n = 51). Based on previous studies on basal testosterone secretion in these disorders, we expected the stress-associated testosterone reactivity to be higher in the BPD group and lower in the PTSD group, when compared to the healthy control group. RESULTS The study could demonstrate an increase in testosterone after acute stress exposure across all groups and independent of BPD or PTSD status. Different possible explanations for the absence of a group effect are discussed. CONCLUSIONS From the results of this study, we conclude that stress-related changes in testosterone release are not affected by BPD or PTSD status in a female patient population. This study expands the knowledge about changes in gonadal hormones and stress reactivity in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian E Deuter
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Moritz Duesenberg
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Hellmann-Regen
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sophie Metz
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Roepke
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver T Wolf
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christian Otte
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203, Berlin, Germany
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18
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Diurnal Cortisol Variation According to High-Risk Occupational Specialty Within Police: Comparisons Between Frontline, Tactical Officers, and the General Population. J Occup Environ Med 2020; 61:e260-e265. [PMID: 31167225 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare diurnal salivary cortisol among high-risk occupational police specialties and the general population (n = 18,698). METHODS Tactical and frontline officers provided salivary cortisol samples for 2 days (four times: wake, 30 minutes, 11 hours, and 17 hours post-awakening) and were compared with a general population sample of group field studies utilizing similar methodology. Samples were analyzed for free cortisol concentrations (nmol/L) using chemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS Repeated-measures mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significantly greater salivary diurnal cortisol among tactical than frontline officers. Furthermore, both tactical and frontline officers had higher cortisol levels on average at all time points than the general population sample. CONCLUSION Results suggest that diurnal cortisol response may be associated with level of risk exposure in hazardous occupational subspecialties within policing compared with the general population.
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19
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Vaara JP, Eränen L, Ojanen T, Pihlainen K, Nykänen T, Kallinen K, Heikkinen R, Kyröläinen H. Can Physiological and Psychological Factors Predict Dropout from Intense 10-Day Winter Military Survival Training? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17239064. [PMID: 33291711 PMCID: PMC7731046 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17239064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background: In the military context, high levels of physiological and psychological stress together can compromise individual’s ability to complete given duty or mission and increase dropout rates. The purpose of this study was to investigate if baseline physical fitness, body composition, hormonal and psychological factors could predict dropout from a 10-day intense winter military survival training. Methods: 69 conscripts volunteered to participate in the study. Physical fitness (muscle strength and power, muscle endurance, and aerobic fitness), body composition and hormonal variables (BDNF, testosterone, cortisol, SHBG, DHEAS, IGF-1) together with self-reported psychological factors (short five personality, hardiness, sense of coherence, stress, depression) were assessed prior the survival training. Results: During the survival training, 20 conscripts (29%) dropped out. Baseline aerobic fitness (hazard ratio, HR: 0.997, 95% CI: 0.994–0.999, p = 0.006) and serum cortisol (HR: 1.0006, 95% CI: 1.001–1.011, p = 0.017) predicted dropout in Cox regression model. Each 10 m increase in the 12 min running test decreased the risk for dropout by 3%. Conclusion: Although most of the physiological and psychological variables at the baseline did not predict dropout during a short-term winter survival military training, baseline information of aerobic fitness and serum cortisol concentration may be useful to target support for individuals at higher potential risk for dropout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jani P Vaara
- Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, National Defence University, P.O. Box 7, 00861 Helsinki, Finland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Liisa Eränen
- Finnish Defence Research Agency, Finnish Defence Forces, P.O. Box 5, 04401 Järvenpää, Finland; (L.E.); (T.O.); (K.K.)
| | - Tommi Ojanen
- Finnish Defence Research Agency, Finnish Defence Forces, P.O. Box 5, 04401 Järvenpää, Finland; (L.E.); (T.O.); (K.K.)
| | - Kai Pihlainen
- Personnel Division of Defence Command, P.O. Box 919, 00130 Helsinki, Finland;
| | | | - Kari Kallinen
- Finnish Defence Research Agency, Finnish Defence Forces, P.O. Box 5, 04401 Järvenpää, Finland; (L.E.); (T.O.); (K.K.)
| | - Risto Heikkinen
- Statistical Analysis Services, Analyysitoimisto Statisti Oy, 40720 Jyväskylä, Finland;
| | - Heikki Kyröläinen
- Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, National Defence University, P.O. Box 7, 00861 Helsinki, Finland;
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40114 Jyväskylä, Finland
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20
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Reyes G, Vivanco-Carlevari A, Medina F, Manosalva C, de Gardelle V, Sackur J, Silva JR. Hydrocortisone decreases metacognitive efficiency independent of perceived stress. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14100. [PMID: 32839468 PMCID: PMC7445749 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71061-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that acute stress produces negative effects on high level cognitive functions. However, these effects could be due to the physiological components of the stress response (among which cortisol secretion is prominent), to its psychological concomitants (the thoughts generated by the stressor) or to any combination of those. Our study shows for the first time that the typical cortisol response to stress is sufficient to impair metacognition, that is the ability to monitor one's own performance in a task. In a pharmacological protocol, we administered either 20 mg hydrocortisone or placebo to 46 male participants, and measured their subjective perception of stress, their performance in a perceptual task, and their metacognitive ability. We found that hydrocortisone selectively impaired metacognitive ability, without affecting task performance or creating a subjective state of stress. In other words, the single physiological response of stress produces a net effect on metacognition. These results inform our basic understanding of the physiological bases of metacognition. They are also relevant for applied or clinical research about situations involving stress, anxiety, depression, or simply cortisol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Reyes
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD), Av. La Plaza 700, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Franco Medina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD), Av. La Plaza 700, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Manosalva
- Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh), Valdivia, Chile
| | | | - Jérôme Sackur
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives Et Psycholinguistique (EHESS/CNRS/ENS), PSL Research University, École Normale Supérieure, 29 rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France. .,École Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France.
| | - Jaime R Silva
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD), Av. La Plaza 700, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile. .,Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Santiago, Chile. .,Instituto Milenio para la Investigación en Depresión y Personalidad (MIDAP), Santiago, Chile.
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Gray PB, Straftis AA, Bird BM, McHale TS, Zilioli S. Human reproductive behavior, life history, and the Challenge Hypothesis: A 30-year review, retrospective and future directions. Horm Behav 2020; 123:104530. [PMID: 31085183 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The Challenge Hypothesis (Wingfield et al., 1990) originally focused on adult male avian testosterone elevated in response to same-sex competition in reproductive contexts. The purpose of the present paper is to demonstrate how the Challenge Hypothesis has shaped ideas about human life histories. We conduct a citation analysis, drawing upon 400 Google Scholar citations in the human literature to identify patterns in this body of scholarship. We cover key factors, such as context and personality traits, that help explain variable testosterone responses such as winning/losing to adult competitive behavior. Findings from studies on courtship and sexual behavior indicate some variation in testosterone responses depending on factors such as motivation. A large body of research indicates that male testosterone levels are often lower in contexts of long-term committed partnerships and nurturant fathering and aligned with variation in male mating and parenting effort. As the Challenge Hypothesis is extended across the life course, DHEA and androstenedione (rather than testosterone) appear more responsive to juvenile male competitive behavior, and during reproductive senescence, baseline male testosterone levels decrease just as male life history allocations show decreased mating effort. We discuss how research on testosterone administration, particularly in older men, provides causal insight into effects of testosterone in humans, and how this "natural experiment" can be viewed in light of the Challenge Hypothesis. We synthesize central concepts and findings, such as an expanded array of costs of testosterone that inform life history tradeoffs between maintenance and reproductive effort, and we conclude with directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Gray
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 455003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5003, United States of America.
| | - Alex A Straftis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 455003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5003, United States of America
| | - Brian M Bird
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada
| | - Timothy S McHale
- Department of Anthropology, Central Washington University, United States of America
| | - Samuele Zilioli
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, United States of America; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, United States of America.
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Armario A, Labad J, Nadal R. Focusing attention on biological markers of acute stressor intensity: Empirical evidence and limitations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 111:95-103. [PMID: 31954151 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
ARMARIO, A, J. Labad and R. Nadal. Focusing attention on biological markers of acute stressor intensity: empirical evidence and limitations. NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS. The availability of biological markers that objectively quantify stress is a highly relevant issue. However, experimental evidence suggests that most physiological changes elicited by emotional stressors do not reflect their intensity and are not useful for this purpose. Thus, we review experimental evidence in animals and humans about the putative validity of neuroendocrine and sympathetic/parasympathetic variables to measure stress. Plasma levels of some hormones (e.g. ACTH, glucocorticoids, prolactin and catecholamines) have been found to reflect, at least under certain conditions, the intensity of emotional stressors in animals and probably in humans. However, the temporal resolution of hormone changes is insufficient to reflect the very dynamic psychological processes taking place while experiencing stressors. Cardiovascular parameters (e.g. heart rate and blood pressure) have much better temporal resolution but their validity as markers of stressor intensity either in animals or humans is problematic. Skin conductance and pupil dilation appear to be promising. Additional and more systematic studies are needed to demonstrate the actual validity of stress-induced physiological changes to quantify stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Armario
- Institut de Neurociències, Spain; Animal Physiology Unit (Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology), Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Spain.
| | - Javier Labad
- CIBERSAM, Spain; Department of Mental Health, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, I3PT, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roser Nadal
- Institut de Neurociències, Spain; CIBERSAM, Spain; Psicobiology Unit, Faculty of Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Spain
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Farina EK, Thompson LA, Knapik JJ, Pasiakos SM, McClung JP, Lieberman HR. Physical performance, demographic, psychological, and physiological predictors of success in the U.S. Army Special Forces Assessment and Selection course. Physiol Behav 2019; 210:112647. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Williams TB, Corbett J, McMorris T, Young JS, Dicks M, Ando S, Thelwell RC, Tipton MJ, Costello JT. Cognitive performance is associated with cerebral oxygenation and peripheral oxygen saturation, but not plasma catecholamines, during graded normobaric hypoxia. Exp Physiol 2019; 104:1384-1397. [DOI: 10.1113/ep087647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B. Williams
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - Jo Corbett
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - Terry McMorris
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
- Department of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Chichester Chichester UK
| | - John S. Young
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical ScienceUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - Matt Dicks
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - Soichi Ando
- Graduate School of Informatics and EngineeringThe University of Electro‐Communications Tokyo Japan
| | - Richard C. Thelwell
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - Michael J. Tipton
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - Joseph T. Costello
- Extreme Environments LaboratoryDepartment of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
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25
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Metcalfe J, Brezler JC, McNamara J, Maletta G, Vuorre M. Memory, stress, and the hippocampal hypothesis: Firefighters' recollections of the fireground. Hippocampus 2019; 29:1141-1149. [PMID: 31254433 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Nadel, Jacobs, and colleagues have postulated that human memory under conditions of extremely high stress is "special." In particular, episodic memories are thought to be susceptible to impairment, and possibly fragmentation, attributable to hormonally based dysfunction occurring selectively in the hippocampal system. While memory for highly salient and self-relevant events should be better than the memory for less central events, an overall nonmonotonic decrease in spatio/temporal episodic memory as stress approaches traumatic levels is posited. Testing human memory at extremely high levels of stress, however, is difficult and reports are rare. Firefighting is the most stressful civilian occupation in our society. In the present study, we asked New York City firefighters to recall everything that they could upon returning from fires they had just fought. Communications during all fires were recorded, allowing verification of actual events. Our results confirmed that recall was, indeed, impaired with increasing stress. A nonmonotonic relation was observed consistent with the posited inverted u-shaped memory-stress function. Central details about emergency situations were better recalled than were more schematic events, but both kinds of events showed the memory decrement with high stress. There was no evidence of fragmentation. Self-relevant events were recalled nearly five times better than events that were not self-relevant. These results provide confirmation that memories encoded under conditions of extremely high stress are, indeed, special and are impaired in a manner that is consistent with the Nadel/Jacobs hippocampal hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Metcalfe
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Gabriel Maletta
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Matti Vuorre
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
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McBride EM, Lawrence RJ, McGee K, Mach PM, Demond PS, Busch MW, Ramsay JW, Hussey EK, Glaros T, Dhummakupt ES. Rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for targeted quantitation of human performance metabolites in saliva. J Chromatogr A 2019; 1601:205-213. [PMID: 31060786 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.04.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Saliva is increasingly being targeted for metabolic studies due to its non-invasive collection methods. Tracing levels of certain metabolites within biofluids can provide indications for a myriad of physiological conditions. This study was performed on a panel of eight analytes found in saliva that have shown associations with physiological conditions of human performance, such as stress, inflammation, and circadian rhythm. This dual polarity liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric (LCMS/MS) method was developed to accommodate a diverse group of analytes including steroids, alkaloids, and neurotransmitters. Samples collected during field exercises from soldiers were compared to those of civilians and baseline levels of each of these compounds was determined in saliva. Although most analytes showed no significant differences between the two populations, relative cortisol levels were higher for soldiers than for civilians. This developed dual polarity LCMS/MS method can be applied to very diverse groups of salivary analytes simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan M McBride
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
| | - Richard J Lawrence
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
| | - Kirstin McGee
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
| | - Phillip M Mach
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
| | - Paul S Demond
- Excet, Inc., 6225 Brandon Ave, Suite 360, Springfield, VA 22150, USA.
| | - Michael W Busch
- Excet, Inc., 6225 Brandon Ave, Suite 360, Springfield, VA 22150, USA.
| | - John W Ramsay
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Soldier Center, Natick, MA 01760, USA.
| | - Erika K Hussey
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Soldier Center, Natick, MA 01760, USA.
| | - Trevor Glaros
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
| | - Elizabeth S Dhummakupt
- Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
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Rasmusson AM, King MW, Valovski I, Gregor K, Scioli-Salter E, Pineles SL, Hamouda M, Nillni YI, Anderson GM, Pinna G. Relationships between cerebrospinal fluid GABAergic neurosteroid levels and symptom severity in men with PTSD. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 102:95-104. [PMID: 30529908 PMCID: PMC6584957 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Allopregnanolone and pregnanolone (together termed allo + pregnan) are neurosteroid metabolites of progesterone that equipotently facilitate the action of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) at GABAA receptors. The adrenal steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) allosterically antagonizes GABAA receptors and facilitates N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function. In prior research, premenopausal women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) displayed low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of allo + pregnan [undifferentiated by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method used] that correlated strongly and negatively with PTSD reexperiencing and negative mood symptoms. A PTSD-related decrease in the ratio of allo + pregnan to 5α-dihydroprogesterone (5α-DHP: immediate precursor for allopregnanolone) suggested a block in synthesis of these neurosteroids at 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD). In the current study, CSF was collected from unmedicated, tobacco-free men with PTSD (n = 13) and trauma-exposed healthy controls (n = 17) after an overnight fast. Individual CSF steroids were quantified separately by GC-MS. In the men with PTSD, allo + pregnan correlated negatively with Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV) total (ρ=-0.74, p = 0.006) and CAPS-IV derived Simms dysphoria cluster (ρ=-0.71, p = 0.01) scores. The allo+pregnan to DHEA ratio also was negatively correlated with total CAPS (ρ=-0.74, p = 0.006) and dysphoria cluster (ρ=-0.79, p = 0.002) scores. A PTSD-related decrease in the 5α-DHP to progesterone ratio indicated a block in allopregnanolone synthesis at 5α-reductase. This study suggests that CSF allo + pregnan levels correlate negatively with PTSD and negative mood symptoms in both men and women, but that the enzyme blocks in synthesis of these neurosteroids may be sex-specific. Consideration of sex, PTSD severity, and function of 5α-reductase and 3α-HSD thus may enable better targeting of neurosteroid-based PTSD treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Rasmusson
- VA National Center for PTSD Women's Health Science Division, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States.
| | - Matthew W King
- VA National Center for PTSD Women's Health Science Division, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - Ivan Valovski
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Kristin Gregor
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - Erica Scioli-Salter
- VA National Center for PTSD Women's Health Science Division, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - Suzanne L Pineles
- VA National Center for PTSD Women's Health Science Division, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - Mohamed Hamouda
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Yael I Nillni
- VA National Center for PTSD Women's Health Science Division, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - George M Anderson
- Child Study Center and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States
| | - Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
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Vartanian O, Fraser B, Saunders D, Suurd Ralph C, Lieberman HR, Morgan CA, Cheung B. Changes in mood, fatigue, sleep, cognitive performance and stress hormones among instructors conducting stressful military captivity survival training. Physiol Behav 2018; 194:137-143. [PMID: 29752975 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have examined the effects of captivity survival training on psychological and physiological function in trainees. In the present study we shifted the focus to instructors, and measured the effects that the delivery of training exerts on their levels of stress and performance. Because instructors are called upon to perform difficult duties (e.g., mock interrogations) under extreme conditions, we hypothesized that significant increases in psychological and physiological indices of stress would occur due to training. In addition, as part of their job tasking, the instructors conducted courses in consecutive weeks. This offered a unique and ecologically valid opportunity to assess carryover of stress from one week to the next. We hypothesized stress levels would be higher in the second than the first week of training. Our first hypothesis was supported: Delivering training was associated with impairments in mood, fatigue, and sleep, as well as a reduction in the ratio of testosterone/cortisol level in blood. Our second hypothesis was largely not supported as a 3-day break separating consecutive courses appeared sufficient for restoring psychological and physiological function. Our results demonstrate that although the delivery of training exerts negative effects on instructors' levels of stress, the 3-day recovery period separating consecutive courses is sufficient to return psychological and physiological function to baseline levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oshin Vartanian
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto Research Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Brenda Fraser
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto Research Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Doug Saunders
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto Research Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cindy Suurd Ralph
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Harris R Lieberman
- U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States
| | - Charles A Morgan
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice & Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Bob Cheung
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto Research Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Nieto Jimenez C, Cajigal Vargas J, Triantafilo Vladilo VS, Naranjo Orellana J. Impact of Hypothermic Stress During Special Operations Training of Chilean Military Forces. Mil Med 2018; 183:e193-e199. [PMID: 29425375 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usx131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Chilean Army considers processes that can optimize physical capacities for responding to the impact of situations and given stressors. The study of the effect of hypothermia as a stressor agent (HSA) and its relationship with cardiovascular, hematological, anthropometric, endocrine, and immunological parameters has not been fully addressed experimentally in military populations. Objective To identify the endocrine, hematological, cardiovascular, and immunological changes caused by HSA and to associate these variables with body composition and physical fitness in the military special operation courses of the Chilean Army. Materials and Methods Forty-two male subjects were exposed to remain in cold water (10.6 °C) in the context of regular military operations training, the longest time of exposure was determined by individual volitional limits. The measurements were taken in pre-hypothermia conditions, then 2 d later under acute hypothermia condition, and finally during the course period of lesser physical and psychological stressors where the baseline measurements were taken. The statistical analysis consisted of testing normality of the distribution through the Shapiro-Wilk test, assessing the equality of variances through the Levene test, and variance analysis by applying the ANOVA test (analysis of variance). The Bonferroni test was used for multiple comparison correction and the Pearson test for correlations between two variables. The level of significance was of p < 0.05. Results The main finding of this study is that HSA has a significant impact at the cardiovascular level and produces an increment in the cell population of the immune and hematologic systems. Significant hormonal changes were observed: ACTH (r = 0.50, p < 0.002), cortisol (r = 0.32, p < 0.03), free testosterone (r = 0.13, p < 0.002), total testosterone r = 0.31, p < 0.002), and anthropometrics (r = -0.51, p < 0.05). However, there is no significant correlation between physical fitness and HAS. Conclusions All subjects experienced hypothermia stress elicited by immersion in cold water. This was evidenced by the decrease in core temperature as well as cardiovascular, endocrine, anthropometric, and immunological changes. Individual differences exist between subjects and their resistance to hypothermia in cold water. These differences are not explained by the physical fitness profile but rather respond to a greater body adiposity index and minor changes in the adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol hormone. An acute hypothermia stress condition also affects the anabolic/catabolic environment. Finally, HSA produces an increase in the cell population of the immune system. The authors believe that this study allows to standardize HSA exposure times during regular military operations training by identifying the physiological impacts under this extreme environment. At present, the availability of intra-abdominal temperature measurement apparatus with capsule thermometers raises the interest of corroborating the findings of the current study through the use of such measuring devices. Likewise, an interesting line of research for the future would be to compare the HSA against a psychological evaluation with the purpose of identifying the stress management mechanisms among subjects of these characteristics and include heart rate variability measurements as an indicator of sympathetic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Nieto Jimenez
- Chilean Army, Center of Lessons Learned, División Doctrine, Valenzuela Llanos 623, La Reina, Chile
| | - Jorge Cajigal Vargas
- Sports Sciences Laboratory, Physical Education School, Faculty of Humanities, Universidad Mayor, San Pío X 2422, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
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Diurnal and Reactivity Measures of Cortisol in Response to Intensive Resilience and Tactical Training Among Special Forces Police. J Occup Environ Med 2018; 58:e242-8. [PMID: 27218280 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000000756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Special Forces Police are called to the most dangerous situations that require skills and equipment beyond the training available to a patrol officer. We recruited a platoon of special forces (n = 18) and examined their basal and reactivity levels of cortisol in relation to occupational duties. Moreover, we measured the impact of a multiday program of intensive resilience and tactical training in improving cortisol responses to stressful situations. Participants were significantly more likely to exhibit basal cortisol levels higher than the civilian norms across all of the 5 days of intensive training. However, anticipatory cortisol, measured directly before exposure to critical incident scenarios, was significantly lower in Day 5 than in Day 1 of the training period. This study demonstrates that measuring cortisol is an objective method of examining training effects and possible long-term occupational health outcomes.
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Réus GZ, de Moura AB, Silva RH, Resende WR, Quevedo J. Resilience Dysregulation in Major Depressive Disorder: Focus on Glutamatergic Imbalance and Microglial Activation. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:297-307. [PMID: 28676011 PMCID: PMC5843981 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170630164715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many studies have been shown an important role of glutamatergic system as well microglial activation in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). In humans most resistant to the development of psychiatric disorders, including MDD, are observed a greater degree of resilience resulting from stress. Less resilience is associated with neuroendocrine and neuroinflammatory markers, as well as with glutamatergic system dysregulation. Thus, this review we highlighted findings from literature identifying the function of glutamatergic system, microglial activation and inflammation in resilience. METHODS We conducted a review of computerized databases from 1970 to 2017. RESULTS There is an association between microglial activation and glutamatergic system activation with stress vulnerability and resilience. CONCLUSIONS Glutamate neurotransmission, including neurotransmitter synthesis, signalling, and glutamate receptor functions and expression all seem to be involved with both stress vulnerability and resilience. Moreover, inflammation and microglial activation mediate individual differences in resilience and the risk of stress-induced MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gislaine Z. Réus
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Airam B. de Moura
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Ritele H. Silva
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Wilson R. Resende
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - João Quevedo
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
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Liang JJ, Rasmusson AM. Overview of the Molecular Steps in Steroidogenesis of the GABAergic Neurosteroids Allopregnanolone and Pregnanolone. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2018; 2:2470547018818555. [PMID: 32440589 PMCID: PMC7219929 DOI: 10.1177/2470547018818555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Allopregnanolone and pregnanolone-neurosteroids synthesized from progesterone in the brain, adrenal gland, ovary and testis-have been implicated in a range of neuropsychiatric conditions including seizure disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, post-partum depression, pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder, chronic pain, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, neurotrauma, and stroke. Allopregnanolone and pregnanolone equipotently facilitate the effects of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) at GABAA receptors, and when sulfated, antagonize N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. They play myriad roles in neurophysiological homeostasis and adaptation to stress while exerting anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-nociceptive, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, sleep promoting, memory stabilizing, neuroprotective, pro-myelinating, and neurogenic effects. Given that these neurosteroids are synthesized de novo on demand, this review details the molecular steps involved in the biochemical conversion of cholesterol to allopregnanolone and pregnanolone within steroidogenic cells. Although much is known about the early steps in neurosteroidogenesis, less is known about transcriptional, translational, and post-translational processes in allopregnanolone- and pregnanolone-specific synthesis. Further research to elucidate these mechanisms as well as to optimize the timing and dose of interventions aimed at altering the synthesis or levels of these neurosteroids is much needed. This should include the development of novel therapeutics for the many neuropsychiatric conditions to which dysregulation of these neurosteroids contributes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann M. Rasmusson
- Boston
University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,
USA
- National Center for PTSD, Women’s Health
Science Division, Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA,
USA
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Morrow CE, Bryan CJ, Stephenson JA, Bryan AO, Haskell J, Staal M. Posttraumatic Stress, Depression, and Insomnia Among U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1037/mil0000021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Craig J. Bryan
- National Center for Veterans Studies, Salt Lake City, Utah and Department of Psychology, University of Utah
| | | | - AnnaBelle O. Bryan
- National Center for Veterans Studies, Salt Lake City, Utah and Department of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah
| | | | - Mark Staal
- Pope Army Air Field, Fayetteville, North Carolina
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Chappelle W, Skinner E, Goodman T, Bryan CJ, Reardon L, Thompson W, Prince L. Patterns of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among United States Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Personnel. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1037/mil0000143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wayne Chappelle
- U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
| | - Emily Skinner
- U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
| | - Tanya Goodman
- Neurostat Analytical Solutions, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia
| | - Craig J. Bryan
- National Center for Veterans Studies, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Department of Psychology, University of Utah
| | - Laura Reardon
- Neurostat Analytical Solutions, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia
| | | | - Lillian Prince
- Prince Research and Analytic Services, LLC, Birmingham, Alabama
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Abstract
There is significant variation in the way individuals react and respond to extreme stress and adversity. While some individuals develop psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder, others recover from stressful experiences without displaying significant symptoms of psychological ill-health, demonstrating stress-resilience. To understand why some individuals exhibit characteristics of a resilient profile, the interplay between neurochemical, genetic, and epigenetic processes over time needs to be explained. In this review, we examine the hormones, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, and neural circuits associated with resilience and vulnerability to stress-related disorders. We debate how this increasing body of knowledge could also be useful in the creation of a stress-resilient profile. Additionally, identification of the underlying neurobiological components related to resilience may offer a contribution to improved approaches toward the prevention and treatment of stress-related disorders.
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Acute gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment enhances extinction memory in male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 82:164-172. [PMID: 28550793 PMCID: PMC5596662 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Leuprolide acetate (LEU), also known as Lupron, is commonly used to treat prostate cancer in men. As a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor agonist, it initially stimulates the release of gonadal hormones, testosterone (T) and estradiol. This surge eventually suppresses these hormones, preventing the further growth and spread of cancer cells. Individuals receiving this treatment often report anxiety and cognitive changes, but LEU's effects on the neural mechanisms that are involved in anxiety during the trajectory of treatment are not well known. In this study, we examined the acute effects of LEU on fear extinction, hypothesizing that increased T levels following a single administration of LEU will facilitate extinction recall by altering neuronal activity within the fear extinction circuitry. Two groups of naïve adult male rats underwent a 3-day fear conditioning, extinction, and recall experiment. The delayed group (n=15) received a single injection of vehicle or LEU (1.2mg/kg) 3weeks before behavioral testing. The acute group (n=25) received an injection one day after fear conditioning, 30min prior to extinction training. Following recall, the brains for all animals were collected for c-fos immunohistochemistry. Blood samples were also collected and assayed for T levels. Acute administration of LEU increased serum T levels during extinction training and enhanced extinction recall 24h later. This enhanced extinction memory was correlated with increased c-fos activity within the infralimbic cortex and amygdala, which was not observed in the delayed group. These results suggest that the elevation in T induced by acute administration of LEU can influence extinction memory consolidation, perhaps through modification of neuronal activity within the infralimbic cortex and amygdala. This may be an important consideration in clinical applications of LEU and its effects on anxiety and cognition.
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Suurd Ralph C, Vartanian O, Lieberman HR, Morgan CA, Cheung B. The effects of captivity survival training on mood, dissociation, PTSD symptoms, cognitive performance and stress hormones. Int J Psychophysiol 2017; 117:37-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Acute Stress Reduces Perceived Trustworthiness of Male Racial Outgroup Faces. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-017-0065-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Graham D, Becerril-Martinez G, Tang J. Who is the surgically resilient individual with traumatic spinal cord injury? JOURNAL OF SPINE SURGERY 2016; 2:230-233. [PMID: 27757438 DOI: 10.21037/jss.2016.08.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Graham
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia;; TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Australia
| | | | - Jonathan Tang
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Cognitive function, stress hormones, heart rate and nutritional status during simulated captivity in military survival training. Physiol Behav 2016; 165:86-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Lu Y, Ho RCM. An association between neuropeptide Y levels and leukocyte subsets in stress-exacerbated asthmatic mice. Neuropeptides 2016; 57:53-8. [PMID: 26673939 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2015.11.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Revised: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/22/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was recently proposed to be associated with stress and airway inflammation; however, this has rarely been studied in animal models of asthma. Twenty-four C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 3 groups of 8 each: naive control group, asthma group (with an established asthma model), and stressed asthma group (with established asthma and stress models). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was collected for total cell counts using a hemocytometer and for cytological examinations by Wright stain. Differential inflammatory cell counts were performed to identify eosinophils, macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. NPY and corticosterone serum levels were determined with enzyme immunoassay kits. Stress was associated with increased airway inflammatory response, which was manifested by the accumulation of total leukocytes and eosinophils in the BAL fluid in comparison with the asthma and the control groups. The levels of NPY (p<0.05) and corticosterone (p<0.01) were elevated in the stressed asthma group in comparison with the control and asthma groups. The concentration of NPY and corticosterone positively correlated with the total leukocyte count (r=0.892, p<0.05 and r=0.937, p<0.01 respectively) and eosinophil numbers (r=0.806, p=0.053 and r=0.885, p<0.01 respectively). Stress may be associated with elevated peripheral NPY level, which was observed to be associated with exacerbated airway inflammation in asthmatic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxia Lu
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry/School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Roger Chun-Man Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119074, Singapore.
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Trousselard M, Dutheil F, Ferrer MH, Babouraj N, Canini F. Tactics to Optimize the Potential and CardioBioFeedback in Stress Management: The French Experience. Med Acupunct 2015. [DOI: 10.1089/acu.2014.1052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Trousselard
- Senior Researcher, Institute of Biomedical Research, Armies' Health Service, Bretigny sur Orge, France
| | - Frédéric Dutheil
- Researcher, Laboratory of Metabolic Adaptations to Exercise in Physiological and Pathological Conditions, EA3533, Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Ferrer
- Senior Researcher, Institute of Biomedical Research, Armies' Health Service, Bretigny sur Orge, France
| | | | - Frédéric Canini
- Senior Researcher, Institute of Biomedical Research, Armies' Health Service, Bretigny sur Orge, France
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Ruttle PL, Shirtcliff EA, Armstrong JM, Klein MH, Essex MJ. Neuroendocrine coupling across adolescence and the longitudinal influence of early life stress. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 57:688-704. [PMID: 23775330 PMCID: PMC6585402 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Drawing on conceptual models illustrating the advantages of a multisystemic, interactive, developmental approach to understanding development, the present study examines the covariation of stress and sex hormones across the adolescent transition and the effect of early life stress (ELS) on neuroendocrine coupling to gain insight into atypical development. Morning levels of cortisol, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were assessed at ages 11, 13, and 15; ELS was assessed during the infancy and preschool periods. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that cortisol-DHEA coupling patterns progressed to tight, positive coupling across adolescence. Cortisol-testosterone coupling was positive at age 11 but became more negative at ages 13 and 15. Exposure to ELS resulted in more adultlike neuroendocrine coupling patterns earlier in life than non-exposed youth; however the effect of ELS on cortisol-testosterone coupling was unique to girls. Results illustrate trajectories of neuroendocrine coupling that may be unique to adolescence. Moderation by ELS suggests that early stress exposure may prompt earlier adultlike neuroendocrine coupling, particularly within girls, which may contribute to early pubertal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula L Ruttle
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176.
| | | | - Jeffrey M Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176
| | - Marjorie H Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176
| | - Marilyn J Essex
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176
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Reijnen A, Geuze E, Vermetten E. The effect of deployment to a combat zone on testosterone levels and the association with the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms: A longitudinal prospective Dutch military cohort study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 51:525-33. [PMID: 25128222 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is limited evidence on the association of the activity of HPG-axis with stress and symptoms of stress-related disorders. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of deployment to a combat zone on plasma testosterone levels, and the possible association with the development of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS A total of 918 males were included in the study before deployment to a combat zone in Afghanistan. The effect of deployment on testosterone was longitudinally assessed; starting prior to deployment and follow-up assessments were preformed at 1 and 6 months after return. Furthermore, the association with PTSD symptoms reported at 1 and 2 years post-deployment was assessed. RESULTS Plasma testosterone levels were significantly increased after deployment compared with pre-deployment levels. Although no difference was found between individuals reporting high or low levels of PTSD symptoms, pre-deployment testosterone levels predicted the development of PTSD symptoms at 1 and 2 years post-deployment. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that not the alterations in testosterone levels shortly after deployment, but the pre-deployment testosterone levels are associated with PTSD symptoms, which is of value in the identification of biological vulnerability factors for the development of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alieke Reijnen
- Research Centre-Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Elbert Geuze
- Research Centre-Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Vermetten
- Research Centre-Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Arq, Psychotrauma Expert Group, Diemen, The Netherlands
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Lieberman HR, Thompson LA, Caruso CM, Niro PJ, Mahoney CR, McClung JP, Caron GR. The catecholamine neurotransmitter precursor tyrosine increases anger during exposure to severe psychological stress. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:943-51. [PMID: 25220844 PMCID: PMC4325185 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3727-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Acute stress produces behavioral and physiological changes modulated by central catecholamines (CA). Stress increases CA activity, and depletion of CA stores reduces responses to stress. Increasing CA activity by administration of the dietary amino acid CA precursor tyrosine may increase responsiveness to stress. This study determined whether tyrosine enhances the ability of humans to respond to severe stress. METHODS Severe psychological stress was generated during training at Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) School. The acute stressor consisted of two mock interrogations conducted during several days of simulated captivity. Seventy-eight healthy male and female military personnel participated in this double-blind, between-subjects study, in which they received either tyrosine (300 mg/kg, N = 36) or placebo (N = 36). Tyrosine (or placebo) was administered in food bars in two doses of 150 mg/kg each approximately 60 min before each mock interrogation. Mood (Profile of Mood States), saliva cortisol, and heart rate (HR) were assessed prior to stress exposure during a week of academic training preceding mock captivity and immediately following the mock interrogations. RESULTS The severe stress produced robust effects on mood (i.e., increased tension, depression, anger, fatigue, vigor, and confusion; p < .001), cortisol, and HR (p < .001). Tyrosine increased anger (p = .002, ANOVA treatment condition by test session interaction) during stress but had no other effects. CONCLUSION Tyrosine did not alter most subjective or physiological responses to severe acute stress, but it increased ratings of anger. The modest increase in anger may be an adaptive emotional response in stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harris R. Lieberman
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760 USA
| | - Lauren A. Thompson
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760 USA
| | - Christina M. Caruso
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760 USA
| | - Philip J. Niro
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760 USA
| | - Caroline R. Mahoney
- Cognitive Sciences, US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760 USA
| | - James P. McClung
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760 USA
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Schmied EA, Padilla GA, Thomsen CJ, Lauby MDH, Harris E, Taylor MK. Sex differences in coping strategies in military survival school. J Anxiety Disord 2015; 29:7-13. [PMID: 25465883 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A wealth of research has examined psychological responses to trauma among male military service members, but few studies have examined sex differences in response to trauma, such as coping strategies. This study assessed coping strategies used by male and female U.S. service members completing an intensely stressful mock-captivity exercise, compared strategies by sex, and assessed the relationship between coping and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Two hundred service members (78% male) completed self-report surveys before and after mock captivity. Surveys assessed demographics, service characteristics, PTSS, and coping strategies used during mock captivity. Participants used seven coping strategies: denial, self-blame, religion, self-distraction, behavioral disengagement, positive reframing, and planning. Women used denial (p≤.05), self-blame (p≤.05), and positive reinterpretation (p≤.05) strategies more frequently than men, and they had higher PTSS levels following the exercise. Structural equation modeling showed that the relationship between sex and PTSS was fully mediated by coping strategies. The results of this study suggest that reducing the use of maladaptive coping strategies may mitigate PTSS among females. Future efforts should target improving coping during highly stressful and traumatic experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Schmied
- Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA.
| | - Genieleah A Padilla
- Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA.
| | - Cynthia J Thomsen
- Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA.
| | | | - Erica Harris
- Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA.
| | - Marcus K Taylor
- Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA.
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Abstract
Viable new treatments for depression and anxiety have been slow to emerge, likely owing to the complex and incompletely understood etiology of these disorders. A budding area of research with great therapeutic promise involves the study of resilience, the adaptive maintenance of normal physiology and behavior despite exposure to marked psychological stress. This phenomenon, documented in both humans and animal models, involves coordinated biological mechanisms in numerous bodily systems, both peripheral and central. In this review, we provide an overview of resilience mechanisms throughout the body, discussing current research in animal models investigating the roles of the neuroendocrine, immune, and central nervous systems in behavioral resilience to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline L Pfau
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, USA, 10029 ; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Scott J Russo
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, USA, 10029 ; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, USA, 10029
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50
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Bobadilla L, Asberg K, Johnson M, Shirtcliff EA. Experiences in the military may impact dual-axis neuroendocrine processes in veterans. Dev Psychobiol 2014; 57:719-30. [PMID: 25273377 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Military stressors such as survival training can affect endocrine functioning in the short term, and combat has been associated with endocrine changes linked to psychopathology. However, studies with military samples examining whether there are individual differences in these changes as part of normal development, or as an adaptive mechanism in adulthood are lacking. This study examined whether exposure to combat in a sample of veterans was associated with differential endocrine activity to a laboratory frustration task. Results indicated that Army veterans demonstrated significant testosterone reactivity to frustration and negative coupling between cortisol and testosterone. Alternatively, Navy and Marine veterans demonstrated little testosterone reactivity to frustration and positive coupling between cortisol and testosterone. Positive cortisol-testosterone coupling was stronger among individuals who had more dangerous combat experiences. This latter pattern may better prepare individuals for stressful life experiences and supports the contention that adulthood stressors may calibrate endocrine systems. Results are explained in the context of the Adaptive Calibration Model (Ellis et al., 2012, Developmental Psychology, 48(3), 598-623) which proposes that exposure to key environmental dimensions during endocrinologically malleable life stages (e.g., puberty) can change stress responsivity, resulting in a faster life history trajectory (e.g., increased risk-taking and aggression).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Bobadilla
- Charles George VA Medical Center, Asheville, NC.,Oregon State Hospital, Salem, OR
| | - Kia Asberg
- Charles George VA Medical Center, Asheville, NC.,Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
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