Pituitary volume, stress reactivity and genetic risk for psychotic disorder

BackgroundHypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity, associated with increased pituitary volume, may mediate observed alterations in stress reactivity in patients with psychotic disorder. We examined the association between pituitary volume, real-life stress reactivity and genetic liability for psychotic disorder.MethodPituitary volumes were derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 20 patients with psychotic disorder, 37 non-psychotic siblings of these patients, and 32 controls. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) was used to measure emotional stress reactivity [changes in negative affect (NA) associated with daily life stress] in the three groups, and biological stress reactivity (changes in cortisol associated with daily life stress) in siblings and controls. Interactions between group, stress and pituitary volume in models of NA and cortisol were examined.ResultsGroups did not differ in pituitary volume. Patients showed significantly higher emotional stress reactivity than siblings and controls. In addition, emotional stress reactivity increased with increasing pituitary volume to a greater degree in patients than in controls and siblings. Siblings had higher cortisol levels than controls but did not show increased cortisol reactivity to stress. There was no interaction between pituitary volume, stress and group in the model of cortisol.ConclusionsHigher pituitary volume was associated with increased emotional stress reactivity in patients with psychotic disorder, siblings and controls. The association was significantly stronger in the patient group, suggesting a process of progressive sensitization mediating clinical outcome.

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A momentary assessment study on emotional and biological stress in adult males and females with autism spectrum disorder

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-93159-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kim van der Linden ◽

Claudia Simons ◽

Wolfgang Viechtbauer ◽

Emmy Ottenheijm ◽

Thérèse van Amelsvoort ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Emotional Stress ◽

Life Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

Biological Stress ◽

Males And Females

AbstractProspective momentary psychological and biological measures of real-time daily life stress experiences have been examined in several psychiatric disorders, but not in adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current electronic self-monitoring study examined associations between momentary daily life stressors and (i) negative affect (NA; emotional stress reactivity) and (ii) cortisol levels (biological stress reactivity) in males and females with ASD (N = 50) and without ASD (N = 51). The Experience Sampling Method, including saliva sampling, was used to measure three types of daily life stress (activity-related, event-related, and social stress), NA, and cortisol. Multilevel regression analyses demonstrated significant interactions between group and stress (i.e., activity-related and event-related stress) in the model of NA, indicating stronger emotional stress reactivity in the ASD than in the control group. In the model of cortisol, none of the group × stress interactions were significant. Male/female sex had no moderating effect on either emotional or biological stress reactivity. In conclusion, adults with ASD showed a stronger emotional stress (but not cortisol) reactivity in response to unpleasant daily life events and activities. The findings highlight the feasibility of electronic self-monitoring in individuals with ASD, which may contribute to the development of more personalized stress-management approaches.

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Hippocampal volume as marker of daily life stress sensitivity in psychosis

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s003329171200219x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (7) ◽

pp. 1377-1387 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

D. Collip ◽

P. Habets ◽

M. Marcelis ◽

E. Gronenschild ◽

T. Lataster ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychotic Disorder ◽

Emotional Stress ◽

Life Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Familial Risk ◽

Hippocampal Volume ◽

Stress Sensitivity ◽

Daily Stress ◽

The Relationship

BackgroundReduced hippocampal size and increased stress sensitivity are associated with psychotic disorder and familial risk for psychosis. However, to what degree the hippocampus is implicated in daily life stress reactivity has not yet been examined. The current study investigated (i) whether familial risk (the contrast between controls, patients and siblings of patients) moderated the relationship between hippocampal volume (HV) and emotional daily stress reactivity and (ii) whether familial risk (the contrast between controls and siblings of patients) moderated the relationship between HV and cortisol daily stress reactivity.MethodT1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were acquired from 20 patients with schizophrenia, 37 healthy siblings with familial risk for schizophrenia and 32 controls. Freesurfer 5.0.0 was used to measure HV. The experience sampling method (ESM), a structured momentary assessment technique, was used to assess emotional stress reactivity, that is the effect of momentary stress on momentary negative affect (NA). In addition, in the control and sibling groups, cortisol stress reactivity was assessed using momentary cortisol levels extracted from saliva.ResultsMultilevel linear regression analyses revealed a significant three-way interaction between group, HV and momentary stress in both the model of NA and the model of cortisol. Increased emotional stress reactivity was associated with smaller left HV in patients and larger total HV in controls. In line with the results in patients, siblings with small HV demonstrated increased emotional and cortisol stress reactivity compared to those with large HV.ConclusionsHV may index risk and possibly disease-related mechanisms underlying daily life stress reactivity in psychotic disorder.

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From Epidemiology to Daily Life: Linking Daily Life Stress Reactivity to Persistence of Psychotic Experiences in a Longitudinal General Population Study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0062688 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. e62688 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Dina Collip ◽

Johanna T. W. Wigman ◽

Inez Myin-Germeys ◽

Nele Jacobs ◽

Catherine Derom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Population Study ◽

Life Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Psychotic Experiences ◽

General Population Study

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Daily life stress reactivity in remitted versus non-remitted depressed individuals

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.02.011 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 441-447 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

M. van Winkel ◽

N.A. Nicolson ◽

M. Wichers ◽

W. Viechtbauer ◽

I. Myin-Germeys ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Stress ◽

Social Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Daily Stressors ◽

Residual Symptoms ◽

State Dependent ◽

Before And After ◽

Remitted Depression ◽

Mood Reactivity

AbstractBackground:Little is known about how daily life mood reactivity to minor stressors (stress reactivity) might change following major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment. We investigate whether (i) mood states and appraisals of daily stressors change after treatment; (ii) stress reactivity to event, activity, or social stress differs; (iii) stress reactivity depends on severity of residual depressive symptoms; and (iv) stress reactivity in individuals with remitted or non-remitted depression differ from that of never-depressed individuals.Methods:Thirty depressed individuals participated in an experience sampling study before and after a treatment period of 18 months; 39 healthy individuals formed a comparison group. Reactivity of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) to daily stressors were measured.Results:More residual symptoms were associated with larger NA responses to stress. Compared to healthy controls, participants with non-remitted MDD showed higher NA-reactivity to all stressors. In contrast, stress reactivity to event and activity stressors was normalized in remitted patients. However, they still showed heightened NA-reactivity to social stress.Conclusions:Greater stress reactivity to event and activity stress appears to be state-dependent. The heightened social stress reactivity in remitted patients suggests that sensitivity to social stress may reflect an underlying vulnerability in MDD.

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Daily cortisol, stress reactivity and psychotic experiences in individuals at above average genetic risk for psychosis

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291711000602 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 41 (11) ◽

pp. 2305-2315 ◽

Cited By ~ 94

Author(s):

D. Collip ◽

N. A. Nicolson ◽

M. Lardinois ◽

T. Lataster ◽

J. van Os ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Psychotic Disorder ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Genetic Risk ◽

Daily Life ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Psychotic Experiences ◽

Cortisol Reactivity ◽

Diurnal Cortisol ◽

Hpa Axis Activity

BackgroundHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis abnormalities have been found in patients with a psychotic disorder and first-degree relatives of patients with a psychotic disorder react with subtle increases in non-clinical psychotic experiences and negative emotions in the face of everyday stress. The current study investigated whether HPA axis functioning is altered in individuals at above average genetic risk for psychotic disorder, examining diurnal cortisol profiles, cortisol reactivity to daily stressors and the association between HPA axis activity and subclinical psychotic experiences.MethodParticipants included siblings of patients with a psychotic disorder (n=60) and a healthy comparison group (n=63). The Experience Sampling Method (a structured diary technique) was employed to assess stress, psychotic experiences, negative affect and salivary cortisol repeatedly in the flow of daily life.ResultsMulti-level analyses revealed higher diurnal cortisol levels and heightened cortisol reactivity to negative daily events in siblings compared with controls. Diurnal cortisol slope did not differ between the two groups, but momentary increases in psychotic experiences and negative affect were associated with increased cortisol in the sibling group.ConclusionsFindings support altered HPA axis activity in individuals at above average genetic risk for psychotic disorder, as evidenced by higher diurnal cortisol levels and increased cortisol reactivity to daily stress. Results also suggest a dynamic association between cortisol secretion and the intensity of psychotic-like experiences and negative emotions in daily life, although the direction of this association remains to be elucidated.

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AGE DIFFERENCES IN CONCORDANCE BETWEEN LAB AND DAILY LIFE STRESS RESPONSES

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2715 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S741-S741

Author(s):

Gloria Luong ◽

Carla M Arredondo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Life Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Age Related ◽

Affect Reactivity ◽

Interpersonal Stressors

Abstract The literature is mixed with respect to how stress reactivity changes with age. Previous studies have overlooked contexts, ignoring whether stressors occurred in the laboratory or in daily life. The Health and Daily Experiences (HEADE) study includes 126 younger and older adults who completed both laboratory stressors and ecological momentary assessments (EMA) of affect and stressor experiences in daily life. We found that the laboratory stressor elicited the greatest levels of negative affect reactivity (i.e., larger increases in negative affect) and positive affect reactivity (i.e., larger reductions in positive affect) compared to the two types of daily life stressors. Interpersonal stressors were associated with greater negative and positive affect reactivity compared to non-interpersonal stressors in daily life. Younger adults exhibited greater stress reactivity than older adults. Together, these findings support age-related reductions in stress reactivity. Implications for understanding stressor-health links are discussed.

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Clinic risk associated with comorbidity of (subclinical) psychosis, anxiety and depressive symptoms: A case for stratified medicine in psychiatry

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.913 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S49-S49 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. van Nierop ◽

I. Myin-Germeys ◽

R. van Winkel

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Social Functioning ◽

Childhood Trauma ◽

Life Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Clinical Severity ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

The Impact

BackgroundMeta-analyses link childhood trauma to depression, mania, anxiety, and psychosis. It is unclear, however, whether these outcomes truly represent distinct disorders following childhood trauma, or that childhood trauma is associated with admixtures of affective, psychotic, anxiety and manic psychopathology throughout life.AimTo investigate the impact of trauma on psychopathological phenotype, functional outcome, and daily life stress reactivity.MethodsWe used data from a representative general population sample (NEMESIS-2; n = 6646), of whom respectively 1577 and 1120 had a lifetime diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder, as well as from a sample of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (GROUP; n = 825). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess whether childhood trauma was more strongly associated with isolated affective/psychotic/anxiety/manic symptoms than with their admixture. Additionally, we examined these groups in terms of social functioning, clinical severity, and quality of life. In a separate sample (n = 621), daily life (emotional and cortisol) stress reactivity was assessed, using ambulatory assessment.ResultsIn all samples, childhood trauma was considerably more strongly associated with an admixture of symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychosis, and mania, rather than with these symptoms in isolation. Individuals exposed to childhood trauma, who also had an admixture of symptoms, had a lower quality of life, more help-seeking behaviour, higher prevalence of substance use disorders, and lower social functioning, compared with individuals not exposed to trauma, without an admixture of symptoms, or neither. Furthermore, trauma-exposed individuals with an admixed psychopathological phenotype show a higher daily emotional stress reactivity.ConclusionChildhood trauma increases the likelihood of a specific admixture of affective, anxiety and psychotic symptoms cutting across traditional diagnostic boundaries. Stratifying according to childhood trauma exposure thus identifies an admixed phenotype, possibly induced by continuous daily life stress reactivity, that has important clinical relevance. Identification of functionally meaningful aetiological subgroups may aid clinical practice.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Life stress and cortisol reactivity: An exploratory analysis of the effects of stress exposure across life on HPA-axis functioning

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579419001779 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ethan S. Young ◽

Jenalee R. Doom ◽

Allison K. Farrell ◽

Elizabeth A. Carlson ◽

Michelle M. Englund ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Life Stress ◽

Social Stress ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Stress Test ◽

Trier Social Stress Test ◽

Stress Exposure ◽

Cortisol Reactivity ◽

Biological Stress

Abstract Stressful experiences affect biological stress systems, such as the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Life stress can potentially alter regulation of the HPA axis and has been associated with poorer physical and mental health. Little, however, is known about the relative influence of stressors that are encountered at different developmental periods on acute stress reactions in adulthood. In this study, we explored three models of the influence of stress exposure on cortisol reactivity to a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) by leveraging 37 years of longitudinal data in a high-risk birth cohort (N = 112). The cumulative stress model suggests that accumulated stress across the lifespan leads to dysregulated reactivity, whereas the biological embedding model implicates early childhood as a critical period. The sensitization model assumes that dysregulation should only occur when stress is high in both early childhood and concurrently. All of the models predicted altered reactivity, but do not anticipate its exact form. We found support for both cumulative and biological embedding effects. However, when pitted against each other, early life stress predicted more blunted cortisol responses at age 37 over and above cumulative life stress. Additional analyses revealed that stress exposure in middle childhood also predicted more blunted cortisol reactivity.

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Sex differences in emotional reactivity to daily life stress in psychosis

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.904 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S46-S46

Author(s):

I. Myin-Germeys ◽

G. Merge

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Life Stress ◽

Emotional Reactivity ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Daily Life ◽

Real Life ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Actual Behavior ◽

Men And Women ◽

Increased Risk

BackgroundA recent study did not find clear-cut sex differences in psychotic symptoms. Studies investigating altered stress reactivity more consistently report differences between the sexes, although the results are contradicting in suggesting either men or women to be more stress-sensitive. We assessed self-reported experiences in the context of real-life to more fully understand the nature of sex differences in psychosis.MethodsWe employed the Experience Sampling Method, a structured diary technique, to investigate in real-life:– symptoms;– behavior in context;– underlying mechanisms in 283 healthy controls, 268 subjects at risk for psychosis and 232 patients with psychotic disorder.ResultsMultilevel regression analyses revealed no differences in symptom expression between the sexes. Similarly, men and women did not differ in their level of social interaction and overall activity. However, men at increased risk of psychosis were more often alone and were less involved in goal-directed activities compared to women. Finally, women reported more emotional reactivity to daily life stress then men but women also reported more positive affect when pleasant events had happened.DiscussionThe data thus suggest only minor differences between men and women in psychotic symptoms and actual behavior. However, whenever differences were apparent, they consistently pointed towards more severe symptoms and more deficiencies in men compared to women. In contrast, increased environmental reactivity in women (to both negative and positive environments) in addition to more social contacts may constitute a protective factor for the development of more severe psychopathology.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Increased stress reactivity: a mechanism specifically associated with the positive symptoms of psychotic disorder

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291712002279 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (7) ◽

pp. 1389-1400 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

T. Lataster ◽

L. Valmaggia ◽

M. Lardinois ◽

J. van Os ◽

I. Myin-Germeys

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

Psychotic Disorder ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Daily Life ◽

Moderating Effect ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Positive Symptoms ◽

As Stress

BackgroundAn increased reactivity to stress in the context of daily life is suggested to be an independent risk factor underlying the positive symptoms of psychotic disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate whether positive symptoms moderate the association between everyday stressful events and negative affect (NA), known as stress reactivity. This hypothesis was put to the test in patients with a diagnosis of psychotic disorder.MethodThe Comprehensive Assessment of Symptoms and History (CASH) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were used to assess positive and negative symptoms. The experience sampling method (ESM), a structured diary technique, was used to measure stress reactivity and psychotic symptoms in daily life.ResultsHigher levels of positive symptoms (CASH: B = 0.14, p = 0.005; PANSS: B = 0.05, p = 0.000; ESM: B = 0.03, p = 0.000) and lower levels of negative symptoms (PANSS: B = − 0.05, p = 0.001) significantly moderate the association between unpleasant events and NA. No significant moderating effect was found for CASH negative symptoms. Moreover, the moderating effect of lifetime and current symptoms on the stress–NA association was significantly larger for those patients with predominantly positive symptoms (CASH: B = 0.09, p = 0.000; PANSS: B = 0.08, p = 0.000; ESM: B = 0.13, p = 0.000).ConclusionsPatients with a ‘psychotic syndrome’ with high levels of positive symptoms and low levels of negative symptoms show increased reactivity to stress in daily life, indicating that stress reactivity is a possible risk factor underlying this syndrome.

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