Influence of Personal Meaning Organization and 5-HTTLPR Genotype on Cortisol Stress Reactivity in Healthy Women

IntroductionReactivity to acute psychosocial stress in the framework of a physiological multidimensional pattern affects several individual-level systems that include genetic factors and features related to personality development. The 5-HTTLPR genotype has been implicated in the modulation of susceptibility to environmental stimuli.ObjectivesIn the present study, 91 healthy young women were investigated (i) for their reactivity to a standardized psychosocial laboratory stressor (TSST), as measured by changes in salivary cortisol; (ii) in terms of 5-httlpr genotype and (iii) in terms of their personality profile according to the post-rationalist personal meaning organizations (PMOs), which are considered as adaptive modes of response to environmental stressors.MethodsParticipants were divided into three 5-HTTLPR genotype groups (s/s; s/l, and l/s). The quantitative and qualitative variables that may affect circulating cortisol were compared among the three groups. A multiple linear quantile regression analysis was then performed to evaluate the effect of the personality profile, as Outward/Inward PMO, and 5-HTTLPR genotype on the median level of cortisol, considered as dependent variable.ResultsComparison of the variables that may affect circulating cortisol no significant differences. Salivary cortisol changed significantly in the course of the TSST. Reactivity to stress was affected by personality profile and the 5-HTTLPR genotype and also by body mass index and age.ConclusionsThe present data suggest that the psychosocial stress response is a multidimensional physiological event that is affected by a variety of factors as diverse as 5-HTTLPR genotype, personality profile, BMI, and age.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Threat-induced hippocampal connectivity fingerprints do not generalize to psychosocial stress

10.1101/2020.11.16.380220 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anne Kühnel ◽

Michael Czisch ◽

Philipp G. Sämann ◽

Elisabeth B. Binder ◽

Nils B. Kroemer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Psychosocial Stress ◽

Social Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Predictive Performance ◽

Prediction Algorithm ◽

Subjective Stress ◽

Individual Level ◽

Social Evaluative Threat ◽

Induced Changes

AbstractStress is an everyday experience and maladaptive responses play a crucial role in the etiology of affective disorders. Despite its ubiquity, the neural underpinnings of subjective stress experiences have not yet been elucidated, particularly at an individual level. In an important advance, Goldfarb et al.1 showed recently that subjective stress and arousal levels in response to threatening stimuli were successfully predicted based on changes in hippocampal connectivity during the task using a machine learning approach. Crucially, stress responses were predicted by interpretable hippocampal connectivity networks, shedding new light on the role of the hippocampus in regulating stress reactivity2. However, the authors induced stress by displaying aversive pictures, while stress research often relies on the extensively validated Trier social stress task (TSST)3. The TSST incorporates crucial factors such as unpredictability of success and the social-evaluative threat of the stressor thereby eliciting cortisol responses more robustly compared to threatening images4. Towards generalization, cross validation within a sample as conducted by Goldfarb et al.1 or independent replications are important steps, but the generalizability to different stressors allows to draw broader conclusions about the potential use of hippocampal connectivity to predict subjective stress5. Arguably, translating these findings to clinical applications would require a broad generalization of the results or the prediction algorithm to psychosocial stress. Here, we assessed the predictive performance of Goldfarb et al’s1 algorithm for subjective stress in an independent sample using an MR adaption of the TSST6,7. In line with Goldfarb et al.1, we observed robust stress-induced changes in hippocampal connectivity. However, the spatial correlation of the changes in connectivity was low indicating little convergence across alleged stress paradigms. Critically, stress-induced changes of hippocampal connectivity were not robustly predictive of subjective stress across a multiverse of analyses based on connectivity changes. Collectively, this indicates that the generalizability of the reported stress connectivity fingerprint to other stressors is limited at best, suggesting that specific tasks might require tailored algorithms to robustly predict stress above chance levels.

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Sixteen Going on Sixty-Six: A Longitudinal Study of Personality Stability and Change across 50 Years

10.31234/osf.io/dmq5g ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Rodica I. Damian ◽

Marion Spengler ◽

Andreea Sutu ◽

Brent Roberts

Keyword(s):

Measurement Error ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Rank Order ◽

Personality Development ◽

Self Report ◽

Personality Profile ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Individual Level ◽

Level Change ◽

Personality Stability

How much do people’s personalities change or remain stable from high-school to retirement? To address these questions, we used a large US sample (N = 1,795) that assessed people’s personality traits in adolescence and 50 years later. We also used two independent samples, one cross-sectional and one short-term longitudinal (N = 3,934 and N = 38, respectively), to validate the personality scales and estimate measurement error. This was the first study to test personality stability/change over a 50-year time span in which the same data source was tapped (i.e., self-report). This allowed us to use four different methods (rank-order stability, mean-level change, individual-level change, and profile stability) answering different developmental questions. We also systematically tested gender differences. We found that the average rank-order stability was .31 (corrected for measurement error) and .23 (uncorrected). The average mean-level change was half of a standard deviation across personality traits, and the pattern of change showed maturation. Individual-level change also supported maturation, with 20-60% of the people showing reliable change within each trait. We tested three aspects of personality profile stability, and found that overall personality profile stability was .37, distinctive profile stability was .17, and profile normativeness was .51 at baseline and .62 at the follow-up. Gender played little role in personality development across the lifespan. Our findings suggest that personality has a stable component across the lifespan, both at the trait level and at the profile level, and that personality is also malleable and people mature as they age.

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Psychosocial stress and cortisol stress reactivity predict breast milk composition

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90980-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anna Ziomkiewicz ◽

Magdalena Babiszewska ◽

Anna Apanasewicz ◽

Magdalena Piosek ◽

Patrycja Wychowaniec ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Breast Milk ◽

Psychosocial Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Fatty Acid Content ◽

Milk Composition ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Psychological Status ◽

Long Chain

AbstractWe studied a sample of 146 Polish, exclusively breastfeeding mothers and their healthy born on time infants to explore the effect of perinatal psychosocial stress on breast milk composition. Maternal perinatal stress was assessed using Recent Life Changes Questionnaire summarizing stressful events from the previous six months. Stress reactivity was determined by administering the cold pressor test and measuring cortisol in saliva samples taken during the test. Breast milk sample was taken to measure energy, protein, fat, lactose, and fatty acid content. Analyses revealed that stress reactivity was positively associated with milk fat and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids and negatively associated with milk lactose. Perinatal psychosocial stress negatively affected energy density, fat as well as medium-chain and long-chain saturated fatty acids in milk. These results, together with previous studies, advocate monitoring maternal psychological status during the peripartum to promote breastfeeding and healthy infant nutrition.

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Influence of a Suggestive Placebo Intervention on Psychobiological Responses to Social Stress

Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1177/2156587215588642 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 3-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Frank Zimmermann-Viehoff ◽

Nico Steckhan ◽

Karin Meissner ◽

Hans-Christian Deter ◽

Clemens Kirschbaum

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Salivary Cortisol ◽

Psychosocial Stress ◽

Social Stress ◽

Stress Test ◽

Alpha Amylase ◽

Subjective Stress ◽

Psychological Variables ◽

Placebo Intervention

We tested the hypothesis that a suggestive placebo intervention can reduce the subjective and neurobiological stress response to psychosocial stress. Fifty-four healthy male subjects with elevated levels of trait anxiety were randomly assigned in a 4:4:1 fashion to receive either no treatment (n = 24), a placebo pill (n = 24), or a herbal drug (n = 6) before undergoing a stress test. We repeatedly measured psychological variables as well as salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and heart rate variability prior to and following the stress test. The stressor increased subjective stress and anxiety, salivary cortisol, and alpha-amylase, and decreased heart rate variability (all P < .001). However, no significant differences between subjects receiving placebo or no treatment were found. Subjects receiving placebo showed increased wakefulness during the stress test compared with no-treatment controls ( P < .001). Thus, the suggestive placebo intervention increased alertness, but modulated neither subjective stress and anxiety nor the physiological response to psychosocial stress.

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Early psychosis in young women

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.789 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S7-S7

Author(s):

A. Riecher-Rössler

Keyword(s):

Young Women ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

First Episode ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Drug Naïve ◽

Competing Interest ◽

The University

IntroductionIt is well known that young women are at lower risk for schizophrenic psychoses than young men. However, little is known about the peculiarities of emerging psychosis in young women.ObjectivesTo describe characteristics of emerging psychosis in women.MethodsWithin the FePsy (Früherkennung von Psychosen = early detection of psychosis) study at the University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics we have examined consecutively all patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) or an at-risk mental state (ARMS) referred to us between 2000 and 2015.ResultsWomen did not significantly differ from men regarding psychopathology, neither in the ARMS nor in the FEP group. This was true for positive as well as negative symptoms and basic symptoms. Interestingly, women had a higher correlation of self-rating with observer-rating regarding psychotic symptoms. Duration of untreated psychosis was significantly lower in women than in men. Women seek help more quickly than men and their first contact is more often their partner.Regarding neurocognition women showed a slightly better performance in verbal tasks. They also had higher prolactin levels and larger pituitary volumes, even when drug-naive.Transition to psychosis occurred as often and as quickly in women as in men.ConclusionsThere are only few gender differences in patients with emerging psychosis, which resemble mainly those found in the general population, with women showing a better help-seeking behavior, being more partner-oriented, having a better verbal performance and potentially also a higher stress reactivity [1].Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

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Homelessness and Immigrants: In Front of the Border Between Spain and France

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.999 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S621-S621

Author(s):

F. Calvo ◽

C. Giralt ◽

C. Xavier

Keyword(s):

Total Population ◽

Homeless People ◽

Data Bases ◽

Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽

Qualitative Variables ◽

Competing Interest ◽

Autochthonous Population ◽

Prospective Longitudinal ◽

Official Records

IntroductionIn 2006, prior to the worldwide economic crisis which especially affected Western countries, Southern Spain was one of the illegal immigrant gateways from Africa into Europe. The aim of this study is to establish the rate of homeless immigrants in a cohort of 2006 and carry out a follow up until 2015 in order to explore the chronicity associated to the territory.MethodsSample: 949 persons experiencing homelessness in Girona, according to official records. Procedure: prospective longitudinal study of the total population of homeless people in Girona. In 2006, a list was made of all the homeless people detected by both specialised and nonspecialised teams, which have been followed until the present day. Instruments: data bases of different official teams. Statistical analysis: measures of central tendency and dispersion and contingency tables were used for the comparison of qualitative variables.ResultsOverall, 64.8% of the population of Girona are immigrants (n = 614), principally from the Maghreb, (χ2 = 36.9, df = 4, P < .001) and 333 (36.3%) are autochthonous. The percentage of homeless immigrants in relation to the total immigrant population was 4.4%. Comparing the homeless autochthonous population with the total of the autochthonous population, homelessness among autochthonous population was 0.4%.ConclusionsThe results suggest that homelessness was more incidental in the immigrant group than in the autochthonous group. The percentage of immigrants who still live in homeless conditions suggests that immigration is a risk factor in the chronicity of the problem.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Cortisol, life events and cognition in non-demented subjects: A population-based study

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.021 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S77-S78

Author(s):

S. Ouanes ◽

E. Castelao ◽

A. Von Gunten ◽

M. Preisig ◽

J. Popp

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Salivary Cortisol ◽

Neuropsychological Test ◽

Area Under The Curve ◽

Population Based ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Clinical Dementia Rating ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Competing Interest

BackgroundOlder people are particularly exposed to stressful events, known to activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Many studies highlighted the possible deleterious effects of elevated cortisol on cognition, assuming a likely role of stressful events. Yet, very few studies actually examined these assumed links between life events, cortisol and cognition.ObjectiveTo examine associations between salivary cortisol, cognition and life events in a population of non-demented old individuals.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from Colaus/PsyColaus, a longitudinal population-based study involving 6733 Lausanne residents. Salivary cortisol samples (upon waking, 30 minutes after waking, at 11 am and at 8 pm) were obtained from 799 non-demented participants aged at least 60.Life events, activities of daily life along with depressive symptoms were assessed using a standardized questionnaire. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was used to determine the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR).For multiple comparisons, P values were adjusted (P′) according to Holm-Bonferroni's method.ResultsCortisol at 11 am and cortisol area under the curve (AUC) were positively correlated with CDR sum of boxes (CDRSOB) scores (P′ = 0.035; Rho = 0.097 and P′ = 0.024; Rho = 0.110, respectively). The association between cortisol AUC and CDRSOB remained significant after controlling for age, sex, body mass index, education, smoking and depression (P = 0.001; β = 0.001; R2 change = 0.016).The number and the total impact of life events were associated neither with cortisol nor with CDRSOB.ConclusionsElevated cortisol was associated with poorer cognitive functioning yet independently of life events. This suggests that the increased cortisol associated with poorer cognition might be not a mere reflection of stressful events but rather explained by other factors, yet to be elucidated.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Effects of dark chocolate consumption on the prothrombotic response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1160/th14-05-0450 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 112 (12) ◽

pp. 1151-1158 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Roland von Känel ◽

Rebecca Meister ◽

Monika Stutz ◽

Petra Kummer ◽

Angela Arpagaus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasma Levels ◽

Psychosocial Stress ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Mental Arithmetic ◽

Dark Chocolate ◽

Clotting Factor ◽

Significant Group ◽

Healthy Men ◽

D Dimer

SummaryFlavanoid-rich dark chocolate consumption benefits cardiovascular health, but underlying mechanisms are elusive. We investigated the acute effect of dark chocolate on the reactivity of prothrombotic measures to psychosocial stress. Healthy men aged 20–50 years (mean ± SD: 35.7 ± 8.8) were assigned to a single serving of either 50 g of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate (n=31) or 50 g of optically identical flavonoid-free placebo chocolate (n=34). Two hours after chocolate consumption, both groups underwent an acute standardised psychosocial stress task combining public speaking and mental arithmetic. We determined plasma levels of four stress-responsive prothrombotic measures (i. e., fibrinogen, clotting factor VIII activity, von Willebrand Factor antigen, fibrin D-dimer) prior to chocolate consumption, immediately before and after stress, and at 10 minutes and 20 minutes after stress cessation. We also measured the flavonoid epicatechin, and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma. The dark chocolate group showed a significantly attenuated stress reactivity of the hypercoagulability marker D-dimer (F=3.87, p=0.017) relative to the placebo chocolate group. Moreover, the blunted D-dimer stress reactivity related to higher plasma levels of the flavonoid epicatechin assessed before stress (F=3.32, p = 0.031) but not to stress-induced changes in catecholamines (p’s=0.35). There were no significant group differences in the other coagulation measures (p’s≥0.87). Adjustments for covariates did not alter these findings. In conclusion, our findings indicate that a single consumption of flavonoid- rich dark chocolate blunted the acute prothrombotic response to psychosocial stress, thereby perhaps mitigating the risk of acute coronary syndromes triggered by emotional stress.

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