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Javelle F, Bloch W, Borges U, Burberg T, Collins B, Gunasekara N, Hosang TJ, Jacobsen T, Laborde S, Löw A, Schenk A, Schlagheck ML, Schoser D, Vogel A, Walzik D, Zimmer P. Eight weeks of high-intensity interval training versus stretching do not change the psychoneuroendocrine response to a social stress test in emotionally impulsive humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 2024:10.1007/s00421-024-05471-w. [PMID: 38710835 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-024-05471-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Research supports physical activity as a method to heighten stress resistance and resilience through positive metabolic alterations mostly affecting the neuroendocrine system. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been proposed as a highly effective time-saving method to induce those changes. However, existing literature relies heavily on cross-sectional analyses, with few randomised controlled trials highlighting the necessity for more exercise interventions. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of HIIT versus an active control group on the stress response to an acute psychosocial stressor in emotionally impulsive humans (suggested as being strong stress responders). METHODS The study protocol was registered online (DRKS00016589) before data collection. Sedentary, emotionally impulsive adults (30.69 ± 8.20 y) were recruited for a supervised intervention of 8 weeks and randomly allocated to either a HIIT (n = 25) or a stretching group (n = 19, acting as active controls). Participants were submitted to a test battery, including saliva samples, questionnaires (self-efficacy- and perceived stress-related), visual analogue scales (physical exercise- and stress-related), and resting electroencephalography and electrocardiography assessing their reaction to an acute psychological stressor (Trier Social Stress Test) before and after the exercise intervention. RESULTS HIIT increased aerobic fitness in all participants, whereas stretching did not. Participants from the HIIT group reported perceiving exercising more intensively than those from the active control group (ƞp2 = 0.108, p = 0.038). No further group differences were detected. Both interventions largely increased levels of joy post-TSST (ƞp2 = 0.209, p = 0.003) whilst decreasing tension (ƞp2 = 0.262, p < 0.001) and worries (ƞp2 = 0.113, p = 0.037). Finally, both interventions largely increased perceived levels of general self-efficacy (ƞp2 = 0.120, p = 0.029). CONCLUSION This study suggests that 8 weeks of HIIT does not change the psychoneuroendocrine response to an acute psychological stress test compared to an active control group in emotionally impulsive humans. Further replications of supervised exercise studies highly powered with active and passive controls are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Javelle
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - W Bloch
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - U Borges
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Health and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - T Burberg
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - B Collins
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - N Gunasekara
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - T J Hosang
- Experimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - T Jacobsen
- Experimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - S Laborde
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - A Löw
- Experimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A Schenk
- Division of Performance and Health (Sports Medicine), Institute for Sport and Sport Science, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - M L Schlagheck
- Division of Performance and Health (Sports Medicine), Institute for Sport and Sport Science, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - D Schoser
- Institute of Movement Therapy and Movement-Oriented Prevention and Rehabilitation, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - A Vogel
- University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - D Walzik
- Division of Performance and Health (Sports Medicine), Institute for Sport and Sport Science, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - P Zimmer
- Division of Performance and Health (Sports Medicine), Institute for Sport and Sport Science, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
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Huang Z, Bai H, Yang Z, Zhang J, Wang P, Wang X, Zhang L. Bridging childhood to adulthood: the impact of early life stress on acute stress responses. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1391653. [PMID: 38699445 PMCID: PMC11064211 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1391653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood trauma exerts enduring impacts on the physical and psychological well-being of individuals in adulthood, influencing their daily functioning. This study aims to investigate the impact of childhood trauma on stress recovery in adults, concentrating on heart rate variations during acute stress exposure. Methods A cohort of 126 participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to elicit acute stress, with continuous heart rate (HR) monitoring for stress recovery assessment. Results The results revealed a negative correlation between childhood trauma and stress recovery, prominently observed in instances of emotional neglect and abuse. Individuals with heightened childhood trauma exhibited protracted stress recovery following acute stress exposure. Conclusion Childhood traumatic experiences were associated with the recovery from acute stress, as indicated by heart rate indices. These findings contribute to the foundational framework for psychological interventions tailored to individuals with a history of childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huizhi Bai
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ziyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peishan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Zhao M, Wang Y, Zeng Y, Huang H, Xu T, Liu B, Wu C, Luo X, Jiang Y. Gene‒environment interaction effect of hypothalamic‒pituitary‒adrenal axis gene polymorphisms and job stress on the risk of sleep disturbances. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17119. [PMID: 38525273 PMCID: PMC10960531 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Studies have shown that chronic exposure to job stress may increase the risk of sleep disturbances and that hypothalamic‒pituitary‒adrenal (HPA) axis gene polymorphisms may play an important role in the psychopathologic mechanisms of sleep disturbances. However, the interactions among job stress, gene polymorphisms and sleep disturbances have not been examined from the perspective of the HPA axis. This study aimed to know whether job stress is a risk factor for sleep disturbances and to further explore the effect of the HPA axis gene × job stress interaction on sleep disturbances among railway workers. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 671 participants (363 males and 308 females) from the China Railway Fuzhou Branch were included. Sleep disturbances were evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and job stress was measured with the Effort-Reward Imbalance scale (ERI). Generalized multivariate dimensionality reduction (GMDR) models were used to assess gene‒environment interactions. Results We found a significant positive correlation between job stress and sleep disturbances (P < 0.01). The FKBP5 rs1360780-T and rs4713916-A alleles and the CRHR1 rs110402-G allele were associated with increased sleep disturbance risk, with adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of 1.75 [1.38-2.22], 1.68 [1.30-2.18] and 1.43 [1.09-1.87], respectively. However, the FKBP5 rs9470080-T allele was a protective factor against sleep disturbances, with an OR (95% CI) of 0.65 [0.51-0.83]. GMDR analysis indicated that under job stress, individuals with the FKBP5 rs1368780-CT, rs4713916-GG, and rs9470080-CT genotypes and the CRHR1 rs110402-AA genotype had the greatest risk of sleep disturbances. Conclusions Individuals carrying risk alleles who experience job stress may be at increased risk of sleep disturbances. These findings may provide new insights into stress-related sleep disturbances in occupational populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhao
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yidan Zeng
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Huimin Huang
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tong Xu
- Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, China
| | - Baoying Liu
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chuancheng Wu
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiufeng Luo
- Fuzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- Department of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Zuccarella-Hackl C, Princip M, Holzgang SA, Sivakumar S, Kuenburg A, Pazhenkottil AP, Gomez Vieito D, von Känel R. Cortisol Reactivity to Acute Psychosocial Stress in Physician Burnout. Biomedicines 2024; 12:335. [PMID: 38397938 PMCID: PMC10886584 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020335] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physician burnout, characterized by chronic job-related stress leading to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. This cross-sectional study investigates cortisol reactivity in male physicians with burnout compared to healthy controls during an acute psychosocial stress test. METHODS Sixty male physicians (30 burnout, 30 healthy controls) participated between September 2019 and December 2021 to investigate the impact of burnout on cardiovascular health. Salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Covariates included age, BMI, and physical activity. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis and area under the curve analysis. RESULTS Male physicians with burnout exhibited significantly greater cortisol reactivity during the TSST, notably post-stress to 15 min post-stress. Emotional exhaustion correlated with reduced cortisol increase from pre-stress and smaller post-stress to 15- and 45-min declines. DISCUSSION Findings suggest heightened cortisol reactivity in male physicians with burnout, possibly reflecting initial chronic stress stages. This study highlights the necessity for long-term research on cortisol's influence on cardiovascular health and stress responses across diverse groups. CONCLUSIONS The findings contribute to comprehending physiological responses in burnout-afflicted physicians, emphasizing cortisol reactivity's pivotal role in stress-related research and its potential health implications, particularly within the burnout context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Zuccarella-Hackl
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
| | - Mary Princip
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
| | - Sarah A. Holzgang
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
| | - Sinthujan Sivakumar
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
| | - Alexa Kuenburg
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
| | - Aju P. Pazhenkottil
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
- Cardiac Imaging, Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Diego Gomez Vieito
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roland von Känel
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Haldenbachstrasse 16/18, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.P.); (S.A.H.); (S.S.); (A.K.); (A.P.P.); (R.v.K.)
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Chen D, Zhou X, Wu H, Ying J, Shen Y, Zhu Q, You J. The impacts of latent profiles and transitions of stresses on adolescent mental health: A person-centred analysis. Stress Health 2024; 40:e3261. [PMID: 37199056 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3261] [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: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Research has demonstrated robust links between adolescent stress and serious psychological problems. The current study aimed to identify latent stress profiles of 1510 adolescents (59.7% females; Mage = 16.77 years, SD = 0.86) based on five stresses (parental stresses, family environment stresses, academic stresses, teacher stresses, and peer stresses) at three time points (T1/2/3). Moreover, this study would investigate the transition patterns of these profiles over time and examine the associations between the profiles and adverse psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI], and suicidal ideation). Three latent stress profiles were identified, including High-stress profile, Medium-stress profile, and Low-stress profile. The three profiles were significantly different on the levels of T1/2/3 anxiety, depression, NSSI, and suicidal ideation. The profile memberships remained relatively stable across three time points. Notably, the present study found gender differences, with boys were more likely to be in the High-stress profile and to transition from the Medium- to the High-stress profile, compared to girls. Furthermore, left-behind adolescents were more likely to be in the High-stress profile than non-left-behind adolescents. The findings highlight the importance of adopting 'this-approach-fits-this-profile' interventions for adolescents. Parents and teachers are advised to adopt different strategies for girls and boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danrui Chen
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinglin Zhou
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huijiao Wu
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiefeng Ying
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunhong Shen
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qixin Zhu
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianing You
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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Kiss O, Qu Z, Müller-Oehring EM, Baker FC, Mirzasoleiman B. Sleep, brain systems, and persistent stress in early adolescents during COVID-19: Insights from the ABCD study. J Affect Disord 2024; 346:234-241. [PMID: 37944709 PMCID: PMC10842722 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.158] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic constituted a major life stress event for many adolescents, associated with disrupted school, behaviors, social networks, and health concerns. However, pandemic-related stress was not equivalent for everyone and could have been influenced by pre-pandemic factors including brain structure and sleep, which both undergo substantial development during adolescence. Here, we analyzed clusters of perceived stress levels across the pandemic and determined developmentally relevant pre-pandemic risk factors in brain structure and sleep of persistently high stress during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We investigated longitudinal changes in perceived stress at six timepoints across the first year of the pandemic (May 2020-March 2021) in 5559 adolescents (50 % female; age range: 11-14 years) in the United States (U.S.) participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. In 3141 of these adolescents, we fitted machine learning models to identify the most important pre-pandemic predictors from structural MRI brain measures and self-reported sleep data that were associated with persistently high stress across the first year of the pandemic. RESULTS Patterns of perceived stress levels varied across the pandemic, with 5 % reporting persistently high stress. Our classifiers accurately detected persistently high stress (AUC > 0.7). Pre-pandemic brain structure, specifically cortical volume in temporal regions, and cortical thickness in multiple parietal and occipital regions, predicted persistent stress. Pre-pandemic sleep difficulties and short sleep duration were also strong predictors of persistent stress, along with more advanced pubertal stage. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents showed variable stress responses during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some reported persistently high stress across the whole first year. Vulnerability to persistent stress was evident in several brain structural and self-reported sleep measures, collected before the pandemic, suggesting the relevance of other pre-existing individual factors beyond pandemic-related factors, for persistently high stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Kiss
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
| | - Zihan Qu
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California Los Angeles, 420 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Eva M Müller-Oehring
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Rd., Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Fiona C Baker
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Baharan Mirzasoleiman
- Computer Science Department, University of California Los Angeles, 404 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Shin H, Kim J, Choi SR, Kang DW, Moon JY, Roh DH, Bae M, Hwang J, Kim HW. Antinociceptive effect of intermittent fasting via the orexin pathway on formalin-induced acute pain in mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20245. [PMID: 37985842 PMCID: PMC10661460 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47278-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that stress responses induced by fasting have analgesic effects on nociception by elevating the levels of stress-related hormones, while there is limited understanding of pain control mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether acute or intermittent fasting alleviates formalin-induced pain in mice and whether spinal orexin A (OXA) plays a role in this process. 6, 12, or 24 h acute fasting (AF) and 12 or 24 h intermittent fasting (IF) decreased the second phase of pain after intraplantar formalin administration. There was no difference in walking time in the rota-rod test and distance traveld in the open field test in all groups. Plasma corticosterone level and immobility time in the forced swim test were increased after 12 h AF, but not after 12 h IF. 12 h AF and IF increased not only the activation of OXA neurons in the lateral hypothalamus but also the expression of OXA in the lateral hypothalamus and spinal cord. Blockade of spinal orexin 1 receptor with SB334867 restored formalin-induced pain and spinal c-Fos immunoreactivity that were decreased after 12 h IF. These results suggest that 12 h IF produces antinociceptive effects on formalin-induced pain not by corticosterone elevation but by OXA-mediated pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunjin Shin
- Department of Physiology and Medical Science, College of Medicine and Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - Jaehyuk Kim
- Department of Physiology and Medical Science, College of Medicine and Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
- CNS Team, N-DIC, Hwaseong, 18469, Korea
| | - Sheu-Ran Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung, 25601, Korea
| | - Dong-Wook Kang
- Department of Physiology and Medical Science, College of Medicine and Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - Ji-Young Moon
- Animal Protection and Welfare Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Korea
| | - Dae-Hyun Roh
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea
| | - Miok Bae
- Preclinical Research Center, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - Jungmo Hwang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea.
| | - Hyun-Woo Kim
- Department of Physiology and Medical Science, College of Medicine and Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea.
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Isakovic B, Bertoldi B, Tuvblad C, Cucurachi S, Raine A, Baker L, Ling S, Evans BE. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responsivity during adolescence in relation to psychopathic personality traits later in life. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2023; 241:104055. [PMID: 37866039 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104055] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychopathic personality traits have been linked to low physiological arousal, particularly among high risk and forensic samples. A core indicator of physiological arousal is the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; however, findings of a link between HPA axis functioning and psychopathic personality traits have been inconsistent. Furthermore, given sex differences in both HPA axis responsivity and psychopathic personality traits, the association may be expected to differ between men and women. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HPA axis responsivity in mid-adolescence and psychopathic personality traits in early adulthood and determine whether the association was moderated by sex. We examined this link in a general population sample of twins (N = 556). Adolescents participated in a psychosocial stress task during which samples of salivary cortisol were collected (11-15 years) and reported psychopathic personality traits using the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (19-20 years). Multilevel linear regression models were estimated in which psychopathic personality traits (boldness, meanness and disinhibition), and their interactions with sex, were regressed on HPA axis responsivity. The study was pre-registered on the Open Science Framework (osf.io/gs2a8). Preliminary analyses showed that cortisol levels did not increase significantly during the stressor task but decreased during recovery. Results showed that there was no association between HPA axis responsivity in mid-adolescence and psychopathic personality traits in early adulthood. The associations were not moderated by sex. Findings suggest that HPA axis responsivity in mid-adolescence did not serve as a biological marker for psychopathic personality traits among young adults from the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belma Isakovic
- School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Bridget Bertoldi
- Clinical Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
| | - Catherine Tuvblad
- School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Sara Cucurachi
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Adrian Raine
- Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Laura Baker
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Shichun Ling
- School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Brittany E Evans
- School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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Franco CY, Knowlton BJ. Effects of early-life stress on probabilistic reversal learning and response perseverance in young adults. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 205:107839. [PMID: 37805120 PMCID: PMC10841364 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107839] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS), including experiences with abuse and neglect, are related to several negative health outcomes in adulthood. One area that has received attention is the increased rate of substance abuse disorder in individuals who had experienced ELS. Given the critical role habitual behavior in the development of substance abuse, ELS may affect the trajectory of neural development such that habitual responding is more dominant than in individuals who did not experience ELS. Here, we examine learning of a probabilistic classification task (the Weather Prediction Task) in healthy young adults who reported significant ELS and those that did not. This task can be learned in a declarative, model-based manner, or in a more habitual, stimulus-response manner. Participants learned to choose the outcome (sun or rain) that was probabilistically associated with each cue combination through reinforcement on each trial. After 100 trials, the probabilities were reversed, and we conceptualized habitual behavior as perseverating responses based on the old probabilities. We also collected information about subjective socio-economic status (sSES), anxiety, depression, and substance use from participants. Using multiple regression, we found that our measure of habitual responding was correlated with reported alcohol use, suggesting that our measure of habit has validity for health behaviors. Furthermore, we found that some forms of early life stress led to greater response perseverance after contingencies were reversed. Overall, the results suggest that childhood adversity may contribute to the development of habit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Y Franco
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barbara J Knowlton
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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10
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Yamashita M, Matsubayashi S. A case of central adrenocortical insufficiency with alexithymia and alexisomia. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2023; 240:104030. [PMID: 37734245 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104030] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The patient was a 27-year-old woman. Following physical examination for unconscious hypoglycemia, the patient was diagnosed with central adrenocortical insufficiency. She also had alexithymia and alexisomia. Alexisomia is the inability to recognize or describe bodily sensations. Alexithymia is the difficulty of expressing one's feelings adequately. Alexisomia can be described as impaired interoceptive awareness. She had been maltreated and emotionally abused by her parents; thus, her upbringing may have influenced the development of alexithymia and alexisomia. In addition, her upbringing may have influenced the reduced hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Her failure to perceive hypoglycemic symptoms as hypoglycemia was thought to have been influenced by her alexisomia. Interestingly, her alexisomia improved with steroid replacement therapy; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. However, exogenous steroids can also affect interoception. The patient was diagnosed with central adrenocortical insufficiency, an endocrine disorder, suggesting that psychosomatic factors may have been related to the patient's growth history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Yamashita
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Fukuoka Tokushukai Hospital, Japan.
| | - Sunao Matsubayashi
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Fukuoka Tokushukai Hospital, Japan
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11
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Walther LM, Wirtz PH. Physiological reactivity to acute mental stress in essential hypertension-a systematic review. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1215710. [PMID: 37636310 PMCID: PMC10450926 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1215710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Exaggerated physiological reactions to acute mental stress (AMS) are associated with hypertension (development) and have been proposed to play an important role in mediating the cardiovascular disease risk with hypertension. A variety of studies compared physiological reactivity to AMS between essential hypertensive (HT) and normotensive (NT) individuals. However, a systematic review of studies across stress-reactive physiological systems including intermediate biological risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is lacking. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search (PubMed) for original articles and short reports, published in English language in peer-reviewed journals in November and December 2022. We targeted studies comparing the reactivity between essential HT and NT to AMS in terms of cognitive tasks, public speaking tasks, or the combination of both, in at least one of the predefined stress-reactive physiological systems. Results We included a total of 58 publications. The majority of studies investigated physiological reactivity to mental stressors of mild or moderate intensity. Whereas HT seem to exhibit increased reactivity in response to mild or moderate AMS only under certain conditions (i.e., in response to mild mental stressors with specific characteristics, in an early hyperkinetic stage of HT, or with respect to certain stress systems), increased physiological reactivity in HT as compared to NT to AMS of strong intensity was observed across all investigated stress-reactive physiological systems. Conclusion Overall, this systematic review supports the proposed and expected generalized physiological hyperreactivity to AMS with essential hypertension, in particular to strong mental stress. Moreover, we discuss potential underlying mechanisms and highlight open questions for future research of importance for the comprehensive understanding of the observed hyperreactivity to AMS in essential hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Walther
- Biological Work and Health Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Petra H. Wirtz
- Biological Work and Health Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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12
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Wu M, Yao K, Huang N, Li H, Zhou J, Shi R, Li J, Huang X, Li J, Jia H, Gao Z, Wong TH, Li D, Hou S, Liu Y, Zhang S, Song E, Yu J, Yu X. Ultrathin, Soft, Bioresorbable Organic Electrochemical Transistors for Transient Spatiotemporal Mapping of Brain Activity. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300504. [PMID: 36825679 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
A critical challenge lies in the development of the next-generation neural interface, in mechanically tissue-compatible fashion, that offer accurate, transient recording electrophysiological (EP) information and autonomous degradation after stable operation. Here, an ultrathin, lightweight, soft and multichannel neural interface is presented based on organic-electrochemical-transistor-(OECT)-based network, with capabilities of continuous high-fidelity mapping of neural signals and biosafety active degrading after performing functions. Such platform yields a high spatiotemporal resolution of 1.42 ms and 20 µm, with signal-to-noise ratio up to ≈37 dB. The implantable OECT arrays can well establish stable functional neural interfaces, designed as fully biodegradable electronic platforms in vivo. Demonstrated applications of such OECT implants include real-time monitoring of electrical activities from the cortical surface of rats under various conditions (e.g., narcosis, epileptic seizure, and electric stimuli) and electrocorticography mapping from 100 channels. This technology offers general applicability in neural interfaces, with great potential utility in treatment/diagnosis of neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Intelligent Optoelectronics and Perception, Institute of Optoelectronics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Kuanming Yao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Ningge Huang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Intelligent Optoelectronics and Perception, Institute of Optoelectronics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Jingkun Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebra-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Rui Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Jiyu Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebra-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Xingcan Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebra-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Huiling Jia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebra-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Zhan Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Tsz Hung Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Dengfeng Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebra-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Sihui Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Yiming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
| | - Shiming Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P. R. China
| | - Enming Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Intelligent Optoelectronics and Perception, Institute of Optoelectronics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Junsheng Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054, P. R. China
| | - Xinge Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Center for Cerebra-Cardiovascular Health Engineering, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, P. R. China
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13
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Marques-Feixa L, Palma-Gudiel H, Romero S, Moya-Higueras J, Rapado-Castro M, Castro-Quintas Á, Zorrilla I, José Muñoz M, Ramírez M, Mayoral M, Mas A, José Lobato M, Blasco-Fontecilla H, Fañanás L. Childhood maltreatment disrupts HPA-axis activity under basal and stress conditions in a dose-response relationship in children and adolescents. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1060-1073. [PMID: 34269169 PMCID: PMC9976019 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172100249x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigates the impact of childhood maltreatment (CM) on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis functioning and on anxiety perception. Moreover, the influence of CM severity and frequency was also explored. METHODS In total, 187 participants aged 7-17 were assessed for CM history using validated questionnaires and ad hoc interviews to be classified according to the criteria of the Tool for Assessing the Severity of Situations in which Children are Vulnerable (TASSCV). Psychopathology was ascertained using the K-SADS-PL5. To assess HPA-axis functioning, salivary cortisol samples were collected throughout a normal day and during an acute psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test for children (TSST-C). Subjective anxiety was evaluated using STAI/-C. RESULTS Youth with a CM history had higher overall diurnal cortisol levels (p = 0.001), blunted cortisol response to acute psychosocial stress (p = 0.002) and greater perceived anxiety (p = 0.003), than those without CM. Specifically, participants exposed to moderate/severe or often/frequent CM showed the greater diurnal cortisol output (pseverity = 0.002; pfrequency = 0.003), and blunted cortisol response during the TSST-C (pseverity = 0.006; pfrequency = 0.008). Meanwhile, youth with low CM severity/frequency exhibited a similar cortisol response to those without CM. However, perceived anxiety was higher in those exposed to CM (p < 0.001), regardless of its severity/frequency. CONCLUSIONS Disturbances in HPA-axis functioning are already evident early after CM exposure, while psychological and physiological responses to an acute stressor are dissociated in youth exposed to CM. The dose-response relationship described in this paper highlights the need to comprehensively evaluate CM so that vulnerable children can be identified and assigned to proper interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Marques-Feixa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Helena Palma-Gudiel
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Soledad Romero
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 2017SGR88, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Moya-Higueras
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Spain
| | - Marta Rapado-Castro
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Águeda Castro-Quintas
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Iñaki Zorrilla
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Santiago Apostol, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - María José Muñoz
- Hospital Benito Menni, Adolescent Crisis Unit, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Maite Ramírez
- Galdakao Mental Health Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Galdakao, Spain
| | - María Mayoral
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ariadna Mas
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 2017SGR88, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María José Lobato
- Department of Psychiatry, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital-Majadahonda, Autonoma University, ITA Mental Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital-Majadahonda, Autonoma University, ITA Mental Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lourdes Fañanás
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
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Geronikolou SA, Vasdekis V, Mantzou A, Davos C, Cokkinos DV, Chrousos GP. Neuroendocrine System Adaptation during Consecutive Extrinsic Stimuli: A Pilot Dynamic Study. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:children10020248. [PMID: 36832376 PMCID: PMC9954945 DOI: 10.3390/children10020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
This pilot repeated measures study aims to evaluate the dynamics of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and/or their interplay with low-level inflammation in healthy schoolchildren during consecutive extrinsic stimuli. Twenty healthy schoolchildren and adolescents aged 11-14 years (12.5 ± 1.5) were consecutively exposed to an oral task (#2) and an arithmetic task (#3) (Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C)), lasting 5 min each, and a three-minute cellular phone call (#4). Salivary cortisol (SC) was sampled at baseline (#1) and immediately after each exposure (#2, 3, and 4). Baseline serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and cortisol levels were also assessed. ANS dynamics and complexity were measured using Sample Entropy (SampEn) at each experimental time period (#1-4). Baseline serum hCRP and cortisol correlated negatively to each other, while the ANS and HPA axis acute reactions to the three consecutive stimuli differed over time. The ANS adaptation to these stimuli included complexity modulation, which was not dependent on baseline hsCRP or cortisol, and weakened during the third stimulation. However, baseline hsCRP and cortisol had a weakening and an increasing effect on the HPA axis over time, respectively. We conclude that low-level inflammation and baseline morning cortisol level have no effect on ANS dynamics but influence the HPA axis response to consecutive external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Styliani A. Geronikolou
- Clinical, Translational Research and Experimental Surgery Centre, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 11527 Athens, Greece
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Thivon 1, 11527 Athens, Greece
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Levadias 8, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-2106597403
| | - Vasilis Vasdekis
- Department of Statistics, Athens University of Economics and Business, Kodrigtonos 12, 11257 Athens, Greece
| | - Aimilia Mantzou
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Thivon 1, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Constantinos Davos
- Clinical, Translational Research and Experimental Surgery Centre, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dennis V. Cokkinos
- Clinical, Translational Research and Experimental Surgery Centre, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - George P. Chrousos
- Clinical, Translational Research and Experimental Surgery Centre, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 11527 Athens, Greece
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Thivon 1, 11527 Athens, Greece
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Levadias 8, 11527 Athens, Greece
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15
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Sun Y, Li F, He T, Meng Y, Yin J, Yim IS, Xu L, Wu J. Physiological and affective responses to green space virtual reality among pregnant women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114499. [PMID: 36208780 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Benefits of green spaces on stress reduction have been shown in previous studies. Most existing studies to date have focused on the general population. However, there is a lack of understanding of physiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of green space among special populations, such as pregnant women. OBJECTIVES To examine physiological and affective responses to green space on stress recovery among pregnant women, using simulated green space exposure through virtual reality (VR). METHODS We recruited 63 pregnant women between 8 and 14 weeks' gestational age for a laboratory experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to view one of three, 5-min, VR videos of an urban scene with different green space levels (i.e., non-green, moderate, and high) after a laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. Physiological stress responses were measured via changes in blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductance level, salivary alpha-amylase, and salivary cortisol. Affective response was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. RESULTS We found that visual exposure to a green space environment in VR was associated with both physiological and affective stress reduction among pregnant women, including lower systolic blood pressure [-4.6 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI): -8.8, -0.4], reduced salivary alpha-amylase concentration (-1.2 ng/ml, 95% CI: -2.2, -0.2), improved overall positive affect (score: 6.6, 95% CI: 0.3, 13.0) and decreased negative affect of anxiety (score: -2.6, 95% CI: -5.19, -0.04) compared to non-green space environment. Exposure to high green space environment in park-like setting had the strongest impacts on stress recovery. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that virtual green space exposure could effectively ease stress and improve mental health and well-being during pregnancy. Even a short immersion in VR-based green space environment may bring health benefits, which has significant implications for pregnant women when access to an actual nature may not be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Sun
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Fu Li
- College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao He
- Program in Public Health Policy, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yaohan Meng
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Yin
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ilona S Yim
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Liyan Xu
- College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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16
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Is stress colorblind? Exploring endocrine stress responses in intergroup contexts using a virtual reality-based Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR). Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 147:105970. [PMID: 36368123 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Are social stress reactions dependent on the group identities of interaction partners? This study explored the role of ethnic context in modulating endocrine stress responses using a virtual reality (VR)-based adaptation of a standardized stress induction protocol, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR). Previous research found no clear link between endocrine stress response and ethnic context in the TSST, but conclusions remain limited due to the quasi-experimental nature of manipulating ethnic context in real-life face-to-face interactions. The VR adaptation of the TSST circumvents quasi-experimental limitations and thus provides a first, randomized-controlled investigation of the effects of ethnic context on endocrine stress responses. Forty-three men participated in the study, facing either an ingroup ("White") or an outgroup ("Arab") panel of interviewers. As expected, the TSST-VR produced physiological and subjective stress reactions. However, endocrine stress reactions occurred independent of interviewer ethnicity and could not be predicted based on implicit bias, explicit prejudice, or prejudice-related appearance concerns. Other physiological and subjective stress reactivity parameters also remained comparable across intergroup conditions. Implications for stress research are discussed.
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17
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Ramos A, Granzotto N, Kremer R, Boeder AM, de Araújo JFP, Pereira AG, Izídio GS. Hunting for Genes Underlying Emotionality in the Laboratory Rat: Maps, Tools and Traps. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1840-1863. [PMID: 36056863 PMCID: PMC10514530 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220901154034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientists have systematically investigated the hereditary bases of behaviors since the 19th century, moved by either evolutionary questions or clinically-motivated purposes. The pioneer studies on the genetic selection of laboratory animals had already indicated, one hundred years ago, the immense complexity of analyzing behaviors that were influenced by a large number of small-effect genes and an incalculable amount of environmental factors. Merging Mendelian, quantitative and molecular approaches in the 1990s made it possible to map specific rodent behaviors to known chromosome regions. From that point on, Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) analyses coupled with behavioral and molecular techniques, which involved in vivo isolation of relevant blocks of genes, opened new avenues for gene mapping and characterization. This review examines the QTL strategy applied to the behavioral study of emotionality, with a focus on the laboratory rat. We discuss the challenges, advances and limitations of the search for Quantitative Trait Genes (QTG) playing a role in regulating emotionality. For the past 25 years, we have marched the long journey from emotionality-related behaviors to genes. In this context, our experiences are used to illustrate why and how one should move forward in the molecular understanding of complex psychiatric illnesses. The promise of exploring genetic links between immunological and emotional responses are also discussed. New strategies based on humans, rodents and other animals (such as zebrafish) are also acknowledged, as they are likely to allow substantial progress to be made in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Ramos
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Natalli Granzotto
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Rafael Kremer
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Ariela Maína Boeder
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Julia Fernandez Puñal de Araújo
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Aline Guimarães Pereira
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Geison Souza Izídio
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
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Usenko OY, Khomenko IP, Kovalenko AE, Saliutin RV. Stress and surgical diseases of thyroid gland in environment of the armed conflict (review of literature and own observations). KLINICHESKAIA KHIRURGIIA 2022. [DOI: 10.26779/2522-1396.2022.3-4.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Stress and surgical diseases of thyroid gland in environment of the armed conflict (review of literature and own observations)
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DeCaro JA, Helfrecht C. Applying minimally invasive biomarkers of chronic stress across complex ecological contexts. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23814. [PMID: 36201446 PMCID: PMC9788276 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is both theoretically and methodologically challenging to operationalize through biomarkers. Yet minimally invasive, field-friendly biomarkers of chronic stress are valuable in research linking biology and culture, seeking to understand differential patterns of human development across ecological contexts, and exploring the evolution of human sociality. For human biologists, a central question in measurement and interpretation of biomarkers is how stress-responsive physiological systems are regulated across diverse human ecologies. This article aims to describe a conditional toolkit for human biologists interested in the study of chronic stress, highlighting a mix of longstanding and novel biomarkers, with special focus on hair/fingernail cortisol, latent herpesvirus antibodies, allostatic load indices, and serial/ambulatory data collection approaches. Future trends in chronic stress biomarker research, including epigenetic approaches, are briefly considered. This overview considers: (1) challenges in separating a distinctly psychosocial dimension of chronic stress from adversity more broadly; (2) essential characteristics of human ecology that shape interpretation; (3) retrospective vs. longitudinal sampling; (4) the role of age, developmental effects, and local biologies; (5) different timescales of chronicity; and (6) the role of culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A. DeCaro
- Department of AnthropologyThe University of AlabamaTuscaloosaAlabamaUSA
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20
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Neyer S, Witthöft M, Cropley M, Pawelzik M, Sütterlin S, Lugo RG. The cortisol awakening response at admission to hospital predicts depression severity after discharge in major depressive disorder patients—A replication study. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:952903. [DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.952903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is a non-invasive biomarker for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) dysregulation, reflecting accumulated stress over time. In a previous study we reported that a blunted CAR before an inpatient treatment predicted self-reported depressive symptoms six weeks and six months after discharge [Eikeseth, F. F., Denninghaus, S., Cropley, M., Witthöft, M., Pawelzik, M., & Sütterlin, S. (2019). The cortisol awakening response at admission to hospital predicts depression severity after discharge in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 111, 44-50)]. This replication study adopted an improved overall methodology with more stringent assessment protocols and monitoring. The longitudinal design included 122 inpatients from a psychosomatic hospital with a diagnosis of MDD displaying symptoms of moderate to severe major depression (n = 80 females). The CAR was measured at intake. Depression severity was assessed as Beck Depression Inventory II scores at intake, discharge, 6 weeks and 6 months following discharge. Results from the original study were replicated in terms of effect size but did not reach statistical significance (correlation between BDI-II 6 months after discharge and AUCg: r = −0.213; p = 0.054). The replication study yielded nearly identical correlation coefficients as in the original study (BDI-II 6 months and CAR, r = −0.223, p < 0.05). The replication of previously reported effect sizes with a concurrent lack of statistical significance in the more restrictive, larger and better controlled replication study may well inform research on psycho-endocrinological predictors for treatment success, but suggests a rather limited practical relevance for cortisol awakening response measures in this clinical context.
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21
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Thacker JS, Mielke JG. The combined effects of corticosterone and brain-derived neurotrophic factor on plasticity-related receptor phosphorylation and expression at the synaptic surface in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105233. [PMID: 35878471 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Following acute exercise, a temporal window exists wherein neuroplasticity is thought to be heightened. Although a number of studies have established that pairing this post-exercise period with motor training enhances learning, the mechanisms through which exercise-induced priming occurs are not well understood. Previously, we characterized a rodent model of acute exercise that generates significant enhancement in glutamatergic receptor phosphorylation as a possible mechanism to explain how exercise-induced priming might occur. However, whether these changes are stimulated by peripheral factors (e.g., glucocorticoids), central effects (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or a combination of the two remains unclear. Herein, we explored the possible individual and/or cumulative contribution corticosterone (CORT) and BDNF may have on glutamate receptor phosphorylation and synaptic surface expression. Tissue slices from the sensorimotor cortex were prepared and acutely (30 min) incubated with either CORT (200 nM), BDNF (20 ng/mL), or the simultaneous application of CORT and BDNF (CORT+BDNF). Immunoblotting with biotinylated synaptoneurosomes (which provide an enrichment of proteins from the synaptic surface) suggested divergent effects between CORT and BDNF. Acute CORT application enhanced NMDA- (GluN2A, B) and AMPA- (GluA1) receptor phosphorylation, whereas BDNF preferentially increased synaptic surface expression of both NMDA- and AMPA-receptor subunits. The combined effects of CORT+BDNF resulted in a unique subset of signaling patterns that favored phosphorylation in the absence of surface expression. Taken together, these data provide a mechanistic framework for how CORT and BDNF may alter glutamatergic synapses during exercise-induced priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S Thacker
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.
| | - John G Mielke
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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22
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Psychosocial Stress and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Stress Reactivity: Variations by Race and Socioeconomic Status Among Adults at Risk of Diabetes. Psychosom Med 2022; 84:813-821. [PMID: 35980779 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although stress is posited to play a key role in health disparities, the extent to which commonly used self-report psychosocial stress measures are related to neurobiological stress processes, especially across diverse populations, is unresolved. This study examined how two measures of psychosocial stress, perceived stress and domain-specific stress, covary with the acute neurobiological stress response. METHODS The Richmond Stress and Sugar Study includes a racially and socioeconomically diverse cohort of adults at risk for type 2 diabetes ( n = 125; mean age = 57 years, 48% Black, and 61% high neighborhood socioeconomic status [SES]). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity was assessed by salivary cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a laboratory stressor. RESULTS Higher perceived stress was associated with a lower cortisol response to the TSST (-7.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -13.1% to -1.5%) but was not associated with cortisol recovery after the TSST (3%; 95% CI = -0.6% to 6.8%). In contrast, domain-specific stress was not associated with cortisol response (-2.1%; 95% CI = -20.7% to 20.9%) but was inversely associated with cortisol recovery (3.7%; 95% CI = 0.6% to 7.0%). SES modified these associations: both perceived stress and domain-specific stress were associated with TSST cortisol response only among participants from high-SES neighborhoods. There was minimal evidence of effect modification by race. CONCLUSIONS Both self-report measures of psychosocial stress were associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity to an acute stressor. These associations varied by perceived versus domain-specific measurement scales and by neighborhood SES. Further efforts to refine stress measures and clarify biological linkages between social status and health are needed.
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Shu Y, Wu C, Zhai Y. Impacts of Landscape Type, Viewing Distance, and Permeability on Anxiety, Depression, and Stress. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9867. [PMID: 36011503 PMCID: PMC9408521 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Contact with nature is beneficial for mental health, including anxiety and stress. Exposure to virtual nature also has similar restorative traits with real nature. However, previous studies on the restorative environment mostly focus on ordinary people while caring less about patients with depressive disorders. Thus, the restorative impacts of virtual nature on patients with depression warrant examination. This research aims to study the restorative effects of virtual reality (VR) landscape type, viewing distance, and permeability on anxiety, depression, and stress in patients with depression. Study A revealed that the perceived restorative level of landscape type varies greatly: grassland > forest > water > undergrowth > urban square. Additionally, natural environments with higher openness, more green elements, more blue sky, and more sunshine exposure had higher restorative levels on perceived depression, anxiety, and stress relief. Study B found that the grassland landscape with a higher viewing distance and a medium vegetation edge permeability provides more restorative impacts for patients with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Shu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-Saving Study of Dense Habitat, Department of Landscape Studies, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanlabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chengzhao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-Saving Study of Dense Habitat, Department of Landscape Studies, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yujia Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-Saving Study of Dense Habitat, Department of Landscape Studies, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Big Data and Urban Spatial Analytics LAB, Tongji University, No.1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200092, China
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Schote AB, Dietrich K, Linden AE, Dzionsko I, Molano Moreno LDLA, Winnikes U, Zimmer P, Domes G, Meyer J. Real sweating in a virtual stress environment: Investigation of the stress reactivity in people with primary focal hyperhidrosis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272247. [PMID: 35917298 PMCID: PMC9345359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating, OMIM %114110) is a complex disorder with multifactorial causes. Emotional strains and social stress increase symptoms and lead to a vicious circle. Previously, we showed significantly higher depression scores, and normal cortisol awakening responses in patients with primary focal hyperhidrosis (PFH). Stress reactivity in response to a (virtual) Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR) has not been studied so far. Therefore, we measured sweat secretion, salivary cortisol and alpha amylase (sAA) concentrations, and subjective stress ratings in affected and non-affected subjects in response to a TSST-VR. Method In this pilot study, we conducted TSST-VRs and performed general linear models with repeated measurements for salivary cortisol and sAA levels, heart rate, axillary sweat and subjective stress ratings for two groups (diagnosed PFH (n = 11), healthy controls (n = 16)). Results PFH patients showed significantly heightened sweat secretion over time compared to controls (p = 0.006), with highest quantities during the TSST-VR. In both groups, sweating (p < 0.001), maximum cortisol levels (p = 0.002), feelings of stress (p < 0.001), and heart rate (p < 0.001) but not sAA (p = 0.068) increased significantly in response to the TSST-VR. However, no differences were detected in subjective ratings, cortisol concentrations and heart rate between PFH patients and controls (pall > 0.131). Conclusion Patients with diagnosed PFH showed stress-induced higher sweat secretion compared to healthy controls but did not differ in the stress reactivity with regard to endocrine or subjective markers. This pilot study is in need of replication to elucidate the role of the sympathetic nervous system as a potential pathway involved in the stress-induced emotional sweating of PFH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea B. Schote
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | - Katharina Dietrich
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | - Adrian E. Linden
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | - Inga Dzionsko
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | | | - Ulrike Winnikes
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | - Patrick Zimmer
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | - Gregor Domes
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
| | - Jobst Meyer
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer, Trier, Germany
- * E-mail:
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25
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Schär S, Mürner-Lavanchy I, Schmidt SJ, Koenig J, Kaess M. Child maltreatment and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:100987. [PMID: 35202606 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.100987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its effector hormone cortisol have been proposed as one possible mechanism linking child maltreatment experiences to health disparities. In this series of meta-analyses, we aimed to quantify the existing evidence on the effect of child maltreatment on various measures of HPA axis activity. The systematic literature search yielded 1,858 records, of which 87 studies (k = 132) were included. Using random-effects models, we found evidence for blunted cortisol stress reactivity in individuals exposed to child maltreatment. In contrast, no overall differences were found in any of the other HPA axis activity measures (including measures of daily activity, cortisol assessed in the context of pharmacological challenges and cumulative measures of cortisol secretion). The impact of several moderators (e.g., sex, psychopathology, study quality), the role of methodological shortcomings of existing studies, as well as potential directions for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina Schär
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ines Mürner-Lavanchy
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie J Schmidt
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julian Koenig
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany; Section for Experimental Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Brown AF, Richardson CME, Newby N, Pulsipher S, Hoene T. Effect of a Multi-Ingredient Supplement Designed to Regulate Mood on Physiological and Psychological Outcomes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Diet Suppl 2022:1-12. [DOI: 10.1080/19390211.2022.2077880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ann F. Brown
- Department of Movement Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | | | - Nathan Newby
- Department of Movement Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Sydney Pulsipher
- Department of Movement Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Talje Hoene
- Department of Psychology and Communication Studies, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
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27
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Cortina LM, Sandy Hershcovis M, Clancy KBH. The Embodiment of Insult: A Theory of Biobehavioral Response to Workplace Incivility. JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT 2022; 48:738-763. [PMID: 35299898 PMCID: PMC8918878 DOI: 10.1177/0149206321989798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This article builds a broad theory to explain how people respond, both biologically and behaviorally, when targeted with incivility in organizations. Central to our theorizing is a multifaceted framework that yields four quadrants of target response: reciprocation, retreat, relationship repair, and recruitment of support. We advance the novel argument that these behaviors not only stem from biological change within the body but also stimulate such change. Behavioral responses that revolve around affiliation and produce positive social connections are most likely to bring biological benefits. However, social and cultural features of an organization can stand in the way of affiliation, especially for employees holding marginalized identities. When incivility persists over time and employees lack access to the resources needed to recover, we theorize, downstream consequences can include harms to their physical health. Like other aspects of organizational life, this biobehavioral theory of incivility response is anything but simple. But it may help explain how seemingly "small" insults can sometimes have large effects, ultimately undermining workforce well-being. It may also suggest novel sites for incivility intervention, focusing on the relational and inclusive side of work. The overarching goal of this article is to motivate new science on workplace incivility, new knowledge, and ultimately, new solutions.
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Herman JP. The neuroendocrinology of stress: Glucocorticoid signaling mechanisms. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 137:105641. [PMID: 34954409 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid signaling plays major roles in energy homeostasis and adaptation to adversity, and dysregulation of this process is linked to systemic and psychological pathology. Over the last several decades, new work has challenged many of the long-standing assumptions regarding regulation of glucocorticoid secretion and glucocorticoid signaling mechanisms, revealing an exquisite complexity that accompanies the important and perhaps global role of these hormones in physiological and psychological regulation. New findings have included discovery of membrane signaling, direct neural control of the adrenal, a role for pulsatile glucocorticoid release in glucocorticoid receptor signaling, marked sex differences in brain glucocorticoid biology, and salutary as well as deleterious roles for glucocorticoids in long- and short-term adaptations to stress. This review covers some of the major lessons learned in the area of mechanisms of glucocorticoid signaling, and discusses how these may inform the field moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, USA
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29
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Fischer S, Skoluda N, Ali N, Nater UM, Mewes R. Hair cortisol levels in women with medically unexplained symptoms. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 146:77-82. [PMID: 34954363 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Stress has been demonstrated to be involved in the development of medically unexplained symptoms. A key underlying mechanism could be lower levels of cortisol, which can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue or pain. However, the literature is highly equivocal, which may be due to methodological limitations inherent in short-term cortisol assessment. The aim of this case-control study was to investigate, for the first time, whether individuals with different forms of medically unexplained symptoms show altered hair cortisol concentrations, a long-term marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal functioning. Two groups of women with medically unexplained symptoms were recruited. The first had a functional somatic syndrome, characterised by specific medically unexplained symptoms (i.e., chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, or irritable bowel syndrome, n = 33). The second had somatic symptom disorder, characterised by excessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours devoted to various medically unexplained symptoms (n = 23). These groups were contrasted with healthy controls (n = 30), and women with depression (n = 27). Cortisol representing the previous three months was extracted from hair. Chronic stress and childhood trauma were assessed (retrospectively). Women with somatic symptom disorder had lower hair cortisol than healthy controls and women with functional somatic syndromes. No differences in hair cortisol were found between healthy controls, functional somatic syndromes, and depression. Neither childhood trauma nor chronic stress was correlated with hair cortisol. Provided that our findings are replicated, they may suggest that hypocortisolism is found in a specific subgroup of individuals with medically unexplained symptoms, and potentially in those characterised by excessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours about symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Fischer
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Switzerland.
| | - Nadine Skoluda
- University of Vienna, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Austria
| | - Nida Ali
- University of Vienna, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Austria
| | - Urs M Nater
- University of Vienna, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Austria
| | - Ricarda Mewes
- University of Vienna, Department of Psychology, Outpatient Unit for Research, Teaching and Practice, Austria.
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Pfeifer LS, Heyers K, Ocklenburg S, Wolf OT. Stress research during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:581-596. [PMID: 34599918 PMCID: PMC8480136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic confronts stress researchers in psychology and neuroscience with unique challenges. Widely used experimental paradigms such as the Trier Social Stress Test feature physical social encounters to induce stress by means of social-evaluative threat. As lockdowns and contact restrictions currently prevent in-person meetings, established stress induction paradigms are often difficult to use. Despite these challenges, stress research is of pivotal importance as the pandemic will likely increase the prevalence of stress-related mental disorders. Therefore, we review recent research trends like virtual reality, pre-recordings and online adaptations regarding their usefulness for established stress induction paradigms. Such approaches are not only crucial for stress research during COVID-19 but will likely stimulate the field far beyond the pandemic. They may facilitate research in new contexts and in homebound or movement-restricted participant groups. Moreover, they allow for new experimental variations that may advance procedures as well as the conceptualization of stress itself. While posing challenges for stress researchers undeniably, the COVID-19 pandemic may evolve into a driving force for progress eventually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Sophie Pfeifer
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany,Corresponding author at: Lena Sophie Pfeifer (Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Room: IB 6/77, 44780, Bochum, Germany)
| | - Katrin Heyers
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany,General Psychology II and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology, School of Human Sciences, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Oliver T. Wolf
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Habituation of salivary cortisol and cardiovascular reactivity to a repeated real-life and virtual reality Trier Social Stress Test. Physiol Behav 2021; 242:113618. [PMID: 34619162 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) constitutes a valid paradigm for social stress induction, less is known about the effects of a virtual reality (VR) TSST on short- and long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic-adreno-medullar (SAM) axis responses. Hence, this study set out to evaluate reactivity and habituation of self-reported stress and HPA and SAM reactivity in a real TSST and VR-TSST when compared to a placebo TSST. METHOD Sixty-eight healthy young adults (50% female) were randomly assigned to either a real TSST, a VR-TSST, or a placebo TSST, all of which were conducted three times (one day and one week post initial exposure). Social presence, self-reported stress, salivary cortisol, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) were analyzed using ANOVAs and multilevel models. FINDINGS On the first exposure, both the real and VR-TSST showed significantly stronger cortisol and cardiovascular responses than the placebo. On the second visit, the cortisol response was still significantly high-and the HRV response low-for the real and VR-TSST. The third visit resulted in HR, HRV, and cortisol responses comparable to the placebo group. Furthermore, the real TSST induced more self-reported stress than the placebo on all three visits, the VR-TSST only on the first two visits. Social presence was stable across conditions and had no association with stress markers. CONCLUSION These findings imply that the replicability of stress exposures at shorter intervals seems problematic for the traditional TSST, and for the VR-TSST.
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32
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Bakusic J, Ghosh M, Polli A, Bekaert B, Schaufeli W, Claes S, Godderis L. Role of NR3C1 and SLC6A4 methylation in the HPA axis regulation in burnout. J Affect Disord 2021; 295:505-512. [PMID: 34509065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work-related stress and burnout have become major occupational health concerns. Dysregulation of HPA axis is considered one of the central mechanisms and is potentially moderated through epigenetics. In the present study, we aim to investigate epigenetic regulation of the HPA axis in burnout, by focusing on salivary cortisol and cortisone and DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4). METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study with 59 subjects with burnout and 70 healthy controls recruited from the general population. All participants underwent a clinical interview and psychological assessment. Saliva samples were collected at 0, 30 and 60 min after awakening and were used to quantify cortisol and cortisone. Pyrosequencing was performed on whole blood-derived DNA to assess DNA methylation. RESULTS There were no between-group differences in cortisol levels, whereas burnout participants had higher levels of cortisone. Job stress was associated with increased cortisol and cortisone. We observed both increased and decreased NR3C1 and SLC6A4 methylation in the burnout group compared to the control group. Some of these methylation changes correlated with burnout symptoms dimensionally. Increased methylation in a specific CpG in the SLC6A4 promoter region moderated the association between job stress and burnout. DNA methylation in this CpG was also associated with increased cortisol. In addition, average methylation of NR3C1 was negatively associated with cortisone levels. LIMITATIONS This is a cross-sectional study and therefore no conclusions on causality could be made. CONCLUSIONS We provide first evidence of changes in DNA methylation of NR3C1 and SLC6A4 in burnout, which were further associated with cortisol and cortisone. Further, increased cortisol and cortisone seemed to reflect job stress rather than burnout itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Bakusic
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Manosij Ghosh
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andrea Polli
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Pain in Motion (PAIN) Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bram Bekaert
- Department of Forensic Medicine; Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology; KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wilmar Schaufeli
- Work, Organisational and Personnel Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stephan Claes
- Psychiatry Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lode Godderis
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Heverlee, Belgium
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Rowlands A, Juergensen EC, Prescivalli AP, Salvante KG, Nepomnaschy PA. Social and Biological Transgenerational Underpinnings of Adolescent Pregnancy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182212152. [PMID: 34831907 PMCID: PMC8620033 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182212152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent pregnancy (occurring < age 20) is considered a public health problem that creates and perpetuates inequities, affecting not only women, but societies as a whole globally. The efficacy of current approaches to reduce its prevalence is limited. Most existing interventions focus on outcomes without identifying or addressing upstream social and biological causes. Current rhetoric revolves around the need to change girls' individual behaviours during adolescence and puberty. Yet, emerging evidence suggests risk for adolescent pregnancy may be influenced by exposures taking place much earlier during development, starting as early as gametogenesis. Furthermore, pregnancy risks are determined by complex interactions between socio-structural and ecological factors including housing and food security, family structure, and gender-based power dynamics. To explore these interactions, we merge three complimentary theoretical frameworks: "Eco-Social", "Life History" and "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease". We use our new lens to discuss social and biological determinants of two key developmental milestones associated with age at first birth: age at girls' first menstrual bleed (menarche) and age at first sexual intercourse (coitarche). Our review of the literature suggests that promoting stable and safe environments starting at conception (including improving economic and social equity, in addition to gender-based power dynamics) is paramount to effectively curbing adolescent pregnancy rates. Adolescent pregnancy exacerbates and perpetuates social inequities within and across generations. As such, reducing it should be considered a key priority for public health and social change agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Rowlands
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Emma C Juergensen
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Ana Paula Prescivalli
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Katrina G Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Pablo A Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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Lin L, Schwabe L, Zhan L, Wang X, Sun X, Zhang L. Neural signature of affective but not cognitive self-regulation predicts cortisol response to psychosocial stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 133:105388. [PMID: 34450359 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Self-regulation is theoretically closely related to coping with stressful events, yet whether self-regulation capacities can predict individual stress responses is largely unknown. Cognitive control and emotion regulation are two major aspects involved in self-regulation, both of which are mechanisms to support goal-directed behaviors. Here, we aimed to elucidate whether the neural processes involved in emotion regulation and cognitive control could predict the cortisol response to stress. Therefore, we recorded first electroencephalography (EEG) during a cognitive conflict task (Simon task) and an emotion regulation task (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) before healthy participants (n = 72) underwent a psychosocial stressor. Our results showed that late positive potentials (LPPs) during the emotion regulation task predicted both cortisol reactivity to and recovery from stress. Cognitive control and its neural underpinning, however, did not predict the individual stress response. These findings indicate that neural emotion regulation processes can predict HPA axis response to stress, and suggest a differential involvement of cognitive and affective components of self-regulation in the adaptation to stressful events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Lin
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lei Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xianghong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Gonzalez ST, Marty V, Spigelman I, Reise SP, Fanselow MS. Impact of stress resilience and susceptibility on fear learning, anxiety, and alcohol intake. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100335. [PMID: 34036127 PMCID: PMC8135041 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after exposure to traumatic events and severely impacts the quality of life. PTSD is frequently comorbid with substance use disorders, with alcoholism being particularly common. However, not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD and the factors that render individuals susceptible or resilient to the effects of stress are unknown although gender appears to play an important role. Rodent models of stress exposure such as stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) recapitulate some aspects of PTSD symptomology, making them an invaluable tool for studying this disorder. This study examined whether exposure to a modified version of the SEFL procedure (4 footshocks instead of the standard 15 over 90 min) would reveal both susceptible and resilient subjects. Following stress exposure, distinct susceptible and resilient groups emerged that differed in fear learning and anxiety-related behavior as well as voluntary alcohol intake. Some aspects of stress susceptibility manifested differently in males compared to females, with susceptibility associated with increased alcohol intake in males and increased baseline anxiety in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah T. Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Marty
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Igor Spigelman
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven P. Reise
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S. Fanselow
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Mana A, Catz O, Mana Y, Neuman M, Benheim S, Sagy S. How Do People Cope During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Stay Well? A Salutogenic Longitudinal Study in Israel. Front Psychol 2021; 12:729543. [PMID: 34764914 PMCID: PMC8576467 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.729543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Employing the salutogenic approach, this longitudinal study explored the effects of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, as it evolved from an acute to a chronic stress situation, during the first year. We examined the role of individual [sense of coherence (SOC)], social (perceived social support), and national [sense of national coherence (SONC)] coping resources, as well as situational and demographic factors, in predicting mental health and anxiety. Data was collected in five phases between March 2020 and February 2021 via a repeated panel sample and included 198 Jewish Israelis (52% males) age 18-64 (M = 43.5). The results confirmed the expected pattern of moving from acute to chronic stressful situation: levels of general anxiety were higher in the first phase of the pandemic outbreak as compared to the other phases. Levels of social and national coping resources significantly decreased over time. However, as expected, the salutogenic resource of the individual sense of coherence remained stable and was also found as the main predictor of both anxiety and mental health in the 5 phases of the study. Beyond the explanatory factor of SOC, mental health was better explained by the social and national coping resources, while anxiety was explained by situational factors (level of financial risk and gender). The discussion delineates the longitudinal effects of individual, social, and national coping resources on mental health and anxiety during the dynamic process of the long period of 1 year of the pandemic, evolving from acute to chronic phases of the complicated health, economic, social, and political crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Mana
- Department of Behavioral Studies, Peres Academic Center, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Or Catz
- Department of Psychology, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon, Israel
| | - Yossi Mana
- Martin Springer Center for Conflict Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Moran Neuman
- Martin Springer Center for Conflict Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Sharon Benheim
- Martin Springer Center for Conflict Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Shifra Sagy
- Martin Springer Center for Conflict Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
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Kokkinopoulou I, Diakoumi A, Moutsatsou P. Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Diabetes. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222011173. [PMID: 34681832 PMCID: PMC8537243 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress and depression increase the risk of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) development. Evidence demonstrates that the Glucocorticoid (GC) negative feedback is impaired (GC resistance) in T2D patients resulting in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity and hypercortisolism. High GCs, in turn, activate multiple aspects of glucose homeostasis in peripheral tissues leading to hyperglycemia. Elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms revealed that Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) mediates the GC-induced dysregulation of glucose production, uptake and insulin signaling in GC-sensitive peripheral tissues, such as liver, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and pancreas. In contrast to increased GR peripheral sensitivity, an impaired GR signaling in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) of T2D patients, associated with hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and increased inflammation, has been shown. Given that GR changes in immune cells parallel those in brain, the above data implicate that a reduced brain GR function may be the biological link among stress, HPA hyperactivity, hypercortisolism and hyperglycemia. GR polymorphisms have also been associated with metabolic disturbances in T2D while dysregulation of micro-RNAs—known to target GR mRNA—has been described. Collectively, GR has a crucial role in T2D, acting in a cell-type and context-specific manner, leading to either GC sensitivity or GC resistance. Selective modulation of GR signaling in T2D therapy warrants further investigation.
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38
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van Nieuwenhuizen BP, Sekercan A, Tan HL, Blom MT, Lok A, van den Born BJH, Kunst AE, van Valkengoed IGM. Is the Association Between Education and Sympathovagal Balance Mediated by Chronic Stressors? Int J Behav Med 2021; 29:426-437. [PMID: 34580830 PMCID: PMC9338002 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-021-10027-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background This study investigated whether raised chronic stress in low education groups contributes to education differences in cardiovascular disease by altering sympathovagal balance. Methods This study included cross-sectional data of 10,202 participants from the multi-ethnic, population-based HELIUS-study. Sympathovagal balance was measured by baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), the standard deviation of the inter-beat interval (SDNN) and the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD). The associations between chronic stressors (work, home, psychiatric, financial, negative life events, lack of job control and perceived discrimination) in a variety of domains and BRS, SDNN and RMSSD were assessed using linear regression, adjusted for age, ethnicity, waist-to-hip ratio and pack-years smoked. Mediation analysis was used to assess the contribution of chronic stress to the association between education and sympathovagal balance. Results Modest but significant associations were observed between financial stress and BRS and SDNN in women, but not in RMSSD nor for any outcome measure in men. Women with the highest category of financial stress had 0.55% lower BRS (ms/mmHg; β = -0.055; CI = -0.098, -0.011) and 0.61% lower SDNN (ms; β = -0.061; CI = -0.099, -0.024) than those in the lowest category. Financial stress in women contributed 7.1% to the association between education and BRS, and 13.8% to the association between education and SDNN. Conclusion No evidence was found for the hypothesized pathway in which sympathovagal balance is altered by chronic stress, except for a small contribution of financial stress in women. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12529-021-10027-9.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aydin Sekercan
- Department of Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgery, OLVG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanno L Tan
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Heart Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke T Blom
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anja Lok
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bert-Jan H van den Born
- Department of Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anton E Kunst
- Department of Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Bibi S, Shah M, Malik MO, Goosens KA. T3 is linked to stress-associated reduction of prolactin in lactating women. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13003. [PMID: 34241933 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between stress responses and lactation is bidirectional. Breastfeeding confers many benefits to maternal health, including attenuated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responsiveness to stress. However, increased stress burden can impair lactation. The mechanisms that underlie these relationships are poorly understood. The present study aimed to compare breastfeeding habits, as well as subjective and objective measures of stress, in employed and non-employed lactating women and assess the relationships between these measures and prolactin (PRL), thyroid hormones (thyroid-stimulating hormone, triiodothyronine [T3] and thyroxine), vasopressin and cortisol levels. A dexamethasone suppression test was also administered to determine the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to negative-feedback. We report that lactating employed women had lower breastfeeding rates and lower PRL than lactating non-employed women. They also had a significantly higher stress burden, indicated by elevations in blood pressure and evening cortisol, relative to lactating non-employed women. In regression analyses that controlled for feeding modality and breastfeeding duration, we found these factors differentially affected PRL in the two groups and there were significant differences in PRL across groups that were not accounted for by these factors. A mediation regression analysis suggested that group differences in PRL were best explained by differences in T3 and income levels, rather than breastfeeding duration or other variables. Our data fit a speculative model in which elevated maternal stress increases cortisol, which suppresses T3, leading to decreased PRL. The decreases in PRL are associated with higher rates of bottlefeeding, which may further contribute to decreased PRL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safia Bibi
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Mohsin Shah
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Omar Malik
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Ki Ann Goosens
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Xiong B, Chen C, Tian Y, Zhang S, Liu C, Evans TM, Fernández G, Wu J, Qin S. Brain preparedness: The proactive role of the cortisol awakening response in hippocampal-prefrontal functional interactions. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 205:102127. [PMID: 34343631 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Upon awakening from nighttime sleep, the stress hormone cortisol in humans exhibits a robust rise within thirty to forty-five minutes. This cortisol awakening response (CAR), a crucial point of reference within the healthy cortisol circadian rhythm, has been linked to various psychological, psychiatric and health-related conditions. The CAR is thought to prepare the brain for anticipated challenges of the upcoming day to maintain one's homeostasis and promote adaptive responses. Using brain imaging with a prospective design and pharmacological manipulation, we investigate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this preparation function of the CAR across two studies. In Study 1, a robust CAR is predictive of less hippocampal and prefrontal activity, though enhanced functional coupling between those regions during a demanding task hours later in the afternoon. Reduced prefrontal activity is in turn linked to better working memory performance, implicating that the CAR proactively promotes brain preparedness based on improved neurocognitive efficiency. In Study 2, pharmacologically suppressed CAR using Dexamethasone mirrors this proactive effect, which further causes a selective reduction of prefrontal top-down functional modulation over hippocampal activity. These findings establish a causal link between the CAR and its proactive role in optimizing functional brain networks involved in neuroendocrine control, executive function and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingsen Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Changming Chen
- School of Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Yanqiu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shouwen Zhang
- West Essence Clinic, Beijing Institute of Functional Neurosurgery & Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Tanya M Evans
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Guillén Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour & Department for Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, the Netherlands
| | - Jianhui Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 100069, China.
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Cima M, Nicolson NA. Salivary cortisol patterns in psychopathic and non-psychopathic offenders. Physiol Behav 2021; 239:113529. [PMID: 34273345 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has described diverse biological correlates of the psychopathic personality. Efforts to understand the underpinnings of low fear responses in psychopathic individuals have drawn attention to the possible role of abnormalities in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, but studies to date have been largely limited to youth or to adult community samples. The current study therefore examined morning basal cortisol levels and responses to a psychosocial stress task in a forensic clinical sample of psychopathic offenders (n = 14), non-psychopathic offenders (n = 22), and non-offender controls (n = 14). Morning cortisol levels were similar in all three groups. Throughout the stress task, psychopathic offenders showed significantly lower cortisol than controls; non-psychopathic offenders showed a similar but non-significant trend towards lower cortisol. The three groups did not differ, however, in cortisol response slopes. Implications of these findings are discussed in the framework of current theories about biological mechanisms underlying psychopathic personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cima
- Department Developmental Psychopathology, Radboud University, Behavioural Science Institute, P.O. Box 9102, Nijmegen 6500 HC, the Netherlands; VIGO, Juvenile Youth Institutions (YouthCarePLUS) BJ Brabant, OGH Zetten and Pactum, the Netherlands.
| | - N A Nicolson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
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al'Absi M, Allen AM. Impact of Acute and Chronic Cannabis Use on Stress Response Regulation: Challenging the Belief That Cannabis Is an Effective Method for Coping. Front Psychol 2021; 12:687106. [PMID: 34276511 PMCID: PMC8283823 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although research has only recently started to examine the impact of cannabis use on stress response, there is some evidence that indicates acute and chronic impacts of cannabis on these processes. In this paper, we review processes involved in regulating the stress response and we review the influence of acute and chronic exposure to cannabis on patterns and regulation of the stress response. We also highlight the role of stress as a risk factor for initiation and maintenance of cannabis use. In this context, we examine moderating variables, including sex and life adversity. In light of recent observations indicating increasing prevalence of cannabis use during pregnancy, we provide additional focus on cannabis use in this vulnerable population, including how acute and chronic stress may predispose some individuals to use cannabis during pregnancy. While this line of research is in its infancy, we review available articles that focus on the perinatal period and that examined the association between cannabis use and various life stressors, including partner violence, job loss, and lack of housing. We also review psychiatric co-morbidities (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety). A better understanding of the way stress and cannabis use relate within the general population, as well as within certain subgroups that may be at a greater risk of using and/or at greater risk for adverse outcomes of use, may lead to the development of novel prevention and intervention approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa al'Absi
- Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, United States
| | - Alicia M Allen
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Identifying diurnal cortisol profiles among young adults: Physiological signatures of mental health trajectories. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 128:105204. [PMID: 33862309 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has used cortisol, the major hormonal byproduct of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis system, to explore how environmental stressors influence daily physiological functioning. Most of the research focused on diurnal cortisol has examined specific cortisol markers, with little consideration of how different components of the diurnal pattern may co-occur. Morning level, cortisol awakening response (CAR), bedtime level, as well as the diurnal slope and total cortisol exposure throughout the day (area under the curve; AUC), are five common parameters of diurnal HPA axis functioning that have been individually linked to physical and mental health outcomes, with mixed results. The current study introduces a novel approach to capture heterogeneity in HPA axis activity by using latent profile analysis to generate empirically-derived, theoretically supported diurnal cortisol profiles based on all five indicators. We analyzed salivary cortisol data from 278 young adults during a time of heightened sociopolitical stress - the 2016 U.S. presidential election - and examined whether profiles differentially predicted mental health trajectories across six months. Findings suggest that a specific combination of cortisol parameters (i.e., flat slope, high AUC, and high CAR) may predict worse mental health risk over time. Overall, this work suggests that diurnal cortisol profiles likely reflect distinct physiological underpinnings with unique health consequences that may not be observed by studying individual cortisol parameters.
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Vavrinsky E, Stopjakova V, Kopani M, Kosnacova H. The Concept of Advanced Multi-Sensor Monitoring of Human Stress. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:3499. [PMID: 34067895 PMCID: PMC8157129 DOI: 10.3390/s21103499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Many people live under stressful conditions which has an adverse effect on their health. Human stress, especially long-term one, can lead to a serious illness. Therefore, monitoring of human stress influence can be very useful. We can monitor stress in strictly controlled laboratory conditions, but it is time-consuming and does not capture reactions, on everyday stressors or in natural environment using wearable sensors, but with limited accuracy. Therefore, we began to analyze the current state of promising wearable stress-meters and the latest advances in the record of related physiological variables. Based on these results, we present the concept of an accurate, reliable and easier to use telemedicine device for long-term monitoring of people in a real life. In our concept, we ratify with two synchronized devices, one on the finger and the second on the chest. The results will be obtained from several physiological variables including electrodermal activity, heart rate and respiration, body temperature, blood pressure and others. All these variables will be measured using a coherent multi-sensors device. Our goal is to show possibilities and trends towards the production of new telemedicine equipment and thus, opening the door to a widespread application of human stress-meters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Vavrinsky
- Institute of Electronics and Photonics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Ilkovicova 3, 81219 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 2, 81272 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Viera Stopjakova
- Institute of Electronics and Photonics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Ilkovicova 3, 81219 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Martin Kopani
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 2, 81272 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Helena Kosnacova
- Department of Simulation and Virtual Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 81272 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Genetic and environmental influences on cortisol reactivity to a psychosocial stressor in adolescents and young adults. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 127:105195. [PMID: 33714784 PMCID: PMC8186845 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Individuals vary in their response to psychological and physiological stressors, and this reactivity can be captured using measures of cortisol. Previous research suggests cortisol reactivity is under some degree of genetic control; however, the measures used have varied widely. This study (N = 524) examined potential differences in heritability across varying cortisol metrics of stress reactivity following the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and whether these measures are genetically or environmentally interrelated. Participants included twins aged 15-20 years (56% female). Cortisol reactivity to the TSST was assessed via serial salivary cortisol samples collected pre- and post-TSST. Modest to moderate heritability estimates (12% [95CI: 1-36%] - 45% [95CI: 16-69%]) were observed across measures purported to capture stress reactivity (peak, area under the curve [AUC], baseline-to-peak change). Findings also demonstrate both shared and unique genetic and environmental influences between baseline cortisol and cortisol reactivity. Minimal to no additional genetic innovations above and beyond the contributions of peak cortisol were found for other measures of cortisol reactivity such as AUC. This study is one of the largest twin-based samples to examine the heritability of cortisol reactivity, and results suggest that simpler measures of cortisol reactivity demonstrate higher heritability compared to more complex measurements.
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Vatheuer CC, Vehlen A, von Dawans B, Domes G. Gaze behavior is associated with the cortisol response to acute psychosocial stress in the virtual TSST. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2021; 128:1269-1278. [PMID: 33914146 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-021-02344-w] [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: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is a reliable tool for psychobiological stress induction. Because of its socio-evaluative nature, it has been useful for investigating gaze behavior. It has been shown that healthy people avoid looking toward faces when under stress, a finding that corroborates studies demonstrating avoidance of eye contact in social anxiety disorder. Yet, little is known about the relationship between gaze behavior and the biological stress response. METHODS In a final sample of 74 healthy males, a virtual reality version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR) with an integrated eye tracker was implemented to investigate gaze behavior during acute stress induction. Stress response measures were collected via saliva samples and subjective stress ratings. Additional questionnaires were administered for examining the influence of social anxiety traits. RESULTS The TSST-VR elicited a significant psychobiological stress response. Overall, higher gaze times on judges compared to surroundings were found in the speech task while this pattern was reversed in the arithmetic task. Critically, there was a significant negative association between gaze time on judges and cortisol output in cortisol responders. CONCLUSIONS In a non-clinical sample, avoidance of gaze is associated with a stronger cortisol response to acute stress. This study demonstrates the potential of eye tracking to disentangle the effects of acute stress on social interaction, warranting further investigation in clinical populations characterized by high levels of anxiety in social situations, such as social anxiety and autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Carolyn Vatheuer
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, 54290, Trier, Germany
| | - Antonia Vehlen
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, 54290, Trier, Germany
| | - Bernadette von Dawans
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, 54290, Trier, Germany
| | - Gregor Domes
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Johanniterufer 15, 54290, Trier, Germany.
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George AK, Behera J, Homme RP, Tyagi N, Tyagi SC, Singh M. Rebuilding Microbiome for Mitigating Traumatic Brain Injury: Importance of Restructuring the Gut-Microbiome-Brain Axis. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3614-3627. [PMID: 33774742 PMCID: PMC8003896 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02357-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a damage to the brain from an external force that results in temporary or permanent impairment in brain functions. Unfortunately, not many treatment options are available to TBI patients. Therefore, knowledge of the complex interplay between gut microbiome (GM) and brain health may shed novel insights as it is a rapidly expanding field of research around the world. Recent studies show that GM plays important roles in shaping neurogenerative processes such as blood-brain-barrier (BBB), myelination, neurogenesis, and microglial maturation. In addition, GM is also known to modulate many aspects of neurological behavior and cognition; however, not much is known about the role of GM in brain injuries. Since GM has been shown to improve cellular and molecular functions via mitigating TBI-induced pathologies such as BBB permeability, neuroinflammation, astroglia activation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, herein we discuss how a dysbiotic gut environment, which in fact, contributes to central nervous system (CNS) disorders during brain injury and how to potentially ward off these harmful effects. We further opine that a better understanding of GM-brain (GMB) axis could help assist in designing better treatment and management strategies in future for the patients who are faced with limited options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash K George
- Eye and Vision Science Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA.,Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA
| | - Jyotirmaya Behera
- Bone Biology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA
| | - Rubens P Homme
- Eye and Vision Science Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA.,Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA
| | - Neetu Tyagi
- Bone Biology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA
| | - Suresh C Tyagi
- Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA
| | - Mahavir Singh
- Eye and Vision Science Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA. .,Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA.
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Bortolotto I, de Brum APS, Guecheva TN, de Souza LM, de Paula-Ramos ALL, Trindade C, Consiglio AR. DNA damage, salivary cortisol levels, and cognitive parameters in a nursing team. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2021; 861-862:503300. [PMID: 33551101 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2020.503300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In a cross-sectional study of women in a nursing team at a university hospital in southern Brazil, we studied DNA damage, salivary cortisol levels, and cognition. DNA damage was measured in blood leukocytes with the comet assay and the micronucleus test. Salivary cortisol levels were determined upon waking, 30 min later, and at bedtime. Cognition was evaluated according to the Stroop, Digit span and Word span tests. Cortisol levels on waking up were associated negatively with the number of years the employee worked at the institution and positively with the DNA damage in comet assay. Cognitive scores were lower when the cortisol levels were low at awakening and high at bedtime; and were associated positively with educational level. Cortisol status may influence overall health as well as essential work skills, such as attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iranez Bortolotto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Scherer de Brum
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina (UNOESC), SC, Brazil
| | - Temenouga Nikolova Guecheva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Larissa Milano de Souza
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Ligia Lia de Paula-Ramos
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Trindade
- Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil; Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Biomédicas, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia.
| | - Angelica Rosat Consiglio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), RS, Brazil.
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Keenan K, Berona J, Hipwell AE, Stepp SD, Romito MT. Validity of the Trier Social Stress Test in studying discrimination stress. Stress 2021; 24:113-119. [PMID: 32160797 PMCID: PMC7541629 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1741545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
To test the validity of a modified Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) for studying stress reactivity in sexual minority women. Two hundred seventy-four female participants (66.4% Black American), half of whom identified as lesbian/gay or bisexual and half as heterosexual, completed the TSST with instructions to describe an experience of discrimination. Cortisol levels and negative emotion scores increased, and heart rate variability decreased in response to the TSST, and the magnitude of these responses varied as a function of sexual orientation and race. Women who discussed sexual orientation as a source of discrimination had greater increases in cortisol and negative mood following the TSST. The modified instructions did not compromise the validity of the TSST. Prompting participants to discuss specific sources of discrimination may be a useful adaptation of the TSST in studying minority stress reactivity. SUMMARY The goal of the present study was to adapt a widely used measure of stress reactivity to study the impact of experiences with discrimination on biological systems involved in regulating the stress response. The modification included asking women to discuss a time when they had been treated unfairly and to describe how they responded to that experience. The magnitude of response to the task varied as a function of sexual orientation and race, and the topics discussed, demonstrating usefulness of the modification for studying the impact of discrimination stress of physical health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Keenan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Johnny Berona
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie D Stepp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Adults’ Stress Response to Unexpected Oral and Arithmetic Tasks in Supine Position. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1337:355-360. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-78771-4_40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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