scholarly journals Pubertal stress recalibration reverses the effects of early life stress in postinstitutionalized children

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (48) ◽  
pp. 23984-23988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan R. Gunnar ◽  
Carrie E. DePasquale ◽  
Brie M. Reid ◽  
Bonny Donzella ◽  
Bradley S. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Sensitive Period ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Window Of Opportunity ◽  
Pubertal Stage ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Substantial Impact

Nonhuman animal models reveal that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis calibrates to the harshness of the environment during a sensitive period in infancy. Humans exposed to depriving institutional care in infancy show reduced HPA axis responsivity, even years after they are placed in supportive, well-resourced families. This study examined whether puberty opens a window of opportunity to recalibrate the HPA axis toward more typical reactivity when children shift from harsh deprived conditions in infancy into supportive conditions in childhood and adolescence. Participants (n = 129 postinstitutionalized, 68.2% female; n = 170 comparison, 52.4% female) completed 3 annual sessions beginning at ages 7 to 15 (M = 11.28, SD = 2.31). Each session assessed pubertal stage via nurse examination and cortisol reactivity to the Trier social stress test for children. The linear mixed-effects model controlling for sex and between-individual differences in pubertal stage showed a significant group by pubertal stage interaction: within-individual increases in pubertal stage were associated with increases in cortisol stress reactivity for postinstitutionalized youth but not nonadopted comparison youth. This study indicates that pubertal development reopens a window of opportunity for the HPA axis to recalibrate based on significant improvements in the supportiveness of the environment relative to that in infancy. The peripubertal period may be an important time in development where the caregiving environment has a substantial impact on the HPA axis and, perhaps, other stress-mediating systems. Future research is needed to examine the mechanisms of recalibration and whether HPA recalibration impacts physical and psychological health.

Stress system dysfunction revealed by integrating reactivity of stress pathways to psychological stress in lean and overweight/obese men

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisitha Udara Jayasinghe ◽  
Sarah Janet Hall ◽  
Susan Jane Torres ◽  
Anne Isabella Turner
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Blood Pressure Response ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Stress System

While the patterns of response within the sympatho-adrenal medullary (SAM) system and hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis are interesting and important in their own accord, the overall response to acute psychological stress involves reactivity of both pathways We tested the hypothesis that consideration of the integrated response of these pathways may reveal dysregulation of the stress systems that is not evident when considering either system alone. Age matched lean and overweight/obese men were subjected to a Trier Social Stress Test and reactivity of the SAM system (salivary alpha amylase, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) and the HPA axis (salivary cortisol) were measured. Relative reactivity of SAM system and HPA axis was calculated as the ratio between the measures from each pathway. While analysis of reactivity of individual stress pathways showed no evidence of dysfunction in overweight/obese compared with lean men, analysis of HPA/SAM reactivity revealed significantly lower cortisol over systolic blood pressure (CoSBP) and cortisol over diastolic blood pressure (CoDBP) reactivity in overweight/obese compared with lean men. Other measures of HPA/SAM reactivity and all measures of SAM/HPA reactivity were unaltered in overweight/obese compared with lean men. These findings suggest that the cortisol response per unit of blood pressure response is blunted in men with elevated adiposity. Further, these findings support a notion of a coordinated overall approach to activation of the stress pathways with the degree of activation in one pathway being related to the degree of activation of the other.

Asymmetry of salivary cortisol and α-amylase responses to psychosocial stress in anorexia nervosa but not in bulimia nervosa

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1963-1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Monteleone ◽  
P. Scognamiglio ◽  
B. Canestrelli ◽  
I. Serino ◽  
A. M. Monteleone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Bulimia Nervosa ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
First Time

BackgroundThe stress response involves the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). As a role for stress in determining of the onset and the natural course of eating disorders (EDs) has been proposed, the study of the psychobiology of the stress response in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) should be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders. The two neurobiological components of the stress response can be easily explored in humans by the measurement of salivary cortisol and α-amylase response to a stressor. Therefore, we assessed salivary cortisol and α-amylase responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in symptomatic patients with AN and BN compared to healthy controls.MethodSeven AN women, eight BN women and eight age-matched healthy females underwent the TSST between 1530 and 1700 h. Salivary cortisol and α-amylase levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsCompared to healthy women, AN patients showed a normal cortisol response to the TSST, although this occurred at significantly increased hormone levels, and an almost complete absence of response of α-amylase. BN women, however, exhibited enhanced pre-stress levels of salivary α-amylase but a normal response of the enzyme and cortisol to the TSST.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate, for the first time, the occurrence of an asymmetry between the HPA axis and SNS components of the stress response in the acute phase of AN but not in BN. The pathophysiological significance of this asymmetry remains to be determined.

Childhood Trauma and Cortisol Response to the Trier Social Stress Test in Symptomatic Patients with Eating Disorders

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S91-S91
Author(s):  
F. Marciello ◽  
V.-M. Buonomenna ◽  
V. Caivano ◽  
G. Cascino ◽  
G. D’Agostino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of

IntroductionChildhood trauma exposure is associated with the risk of eating disorders (EDs) in adulthood. The biological basis of this link may involve a persistent dysregulation of the endogenous stress response system, in particular the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as a consequence of early life maltreatment.ObjectiveAdult patients with EDs and history of childhood trauma may have a dysregulation of the HPA axis that could be different from EDs patients without childhood trauma exposure.AimsIn order to assess the effects of childhood trauma experiences on HPA-axis activity in EDs, we compared the salivary cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) of adult patients with EDs according to their history of childhood trauma.MethodTwenty-seven EDs patients and 13 healthy women participated in the study. Salivary cortisol responses during exposure to the TSST was measured. Participants also completed the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) and eating-related psychopathological rating scales.ResultsAccording to CTQ, 15 individuals with EDs reported childhood maltreatment whereas 12 EDs patients and all the healthy women did not experience childhood maltreatment. Compared with the control group, non-maltreated EDs patient group exhibited a slightly enhanced cortisol response to TSST, whereas the group of non-maltreated EDs patients showed a normal cortisol response. Moreover, EDs patients with childhood maltreatment exhibited statistically significant blunting of cortisol compared to non-maltreated ones.ConclusionsThe present findings support the evidence that, in patients with EDs, there is a dysregulation of HPA-axis activity and that childhood trauma exposure may contribute to this dysregulation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Perceived Control and Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test in Healthy Young Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Liu ◽  
Jianhui Wu ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Xiaofang Sun ◽  
Qing Guan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Control Level ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal

Psychological factors can modulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity toward stressors. Animal studies demonstrated that uncontrollability was one critical factor associated with HPA axis stress response, but the results in human studies were inconsistent. The current study adopted a standardized laboratory stress induction procedure, the Trier Social Stress Test (the TSST), as the stressor to regulate the objective controllability level, and young adult participants were asked to rate their subjectively perceived control level toward the stressor and measured their cortisol stress responses (N=54; 19 females and 35 males) to address this concern. Results showed that participants’ perceived control on the TSST was related to the cortisol stress response. In other words, under the stress of a certain objective controllability level, the lower the subjectively perceived control level, the greater the HPA axis response. This finding suggested that, in addition to objective controllability, subjectively perceived control is a psychological factor that regulates activation of the HPA axis in young adults.

scholarly journals Acute Response of Stress System in Multiple Sclerosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmadreza Askari Ashtiani ◽  
Vahid Shaygannejad ◽  
Foad Ghobadi ◽  
Roozbeh Bathaie ◽  
Shima Shahyad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Stress System ◽  
Rate Variation ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Related Disorder

Background: It has long been suspected that exposure to stress is a major factor that can increase the risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and exacerbate it, as a stress-related disorder. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic-adrenal-medullar (SAM) system to acute social stress. Methods: A total of 46 MS patients and 23 age-sex-matched healthy controls were recruited in the study. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was used to induce acute psychosocial stress. We measured salivary cortisol (SC) to evaluate the HPA axis. In addition, electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded to evaluate the SAM system based on the linear and non-linear features of Heart Rate Variation (HRV). Then, SC and HRV were measured before and after the stress exposure. We also used the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and Emotional Visual Analog Scale (EVAS) to conduct the psychometric assessment and evaluate the perceived stress level, respectively. Results: The mean age of the MS group was 35.38 ± 15 years, with a mean disease duration of 7.4 ± 60. Besides, the HC group's mean age was 35.8 ± 9 years. There were no significant differences in demographic features and DASS scores between the two groups. In response to TSST, both MS and healthy individuals showed a significant increase in the SC levels and EVAS scores, as well as changes in the HRV indices. Notably, significant differences were also found between the two groups regarding the basic and post-stress SC levels, EVAS score, and HRV indices. Unlike the HC group, the SC level returned to its baseline after recovery in the MS group, and the sympathetic tone was more sensitive. Conclusions: Our results indicated that both MS and healthy individuals respond to acute stress regarding neuroendocrine assessment; however, patients with multiple sclerosis show some impairments in this response.

Impact of vulnerability to stress in the development and course of first psychotic episode

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S585-S585
Author(s):  
L. Rossini Gajsak ◽  
M. Celic Ruzic ◽  
M. Rojnic Kuzman
Keyword(s):  
Psychotic Disorder ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Clinical Status ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Psychotic Episode ◽  
Psychiatric Interview ◽  
First Psychotic Episode

IntroductionThe stress diathesis hypothesis is one of the leading models of etiology of psychotic disorders. Cortisol is one of the most researched stress hormone; yet its role in first psychotic episode is currently subject of many researches. Psychotic disorder occurs when “enough” stress attacks vulnerable personality. Stress response activates HPA axis that results in cascade effects on several body systems (immune, neuroendocrine and inflammatory). Dysregulation of the HPA axis and increased cortisol levels have been implicated in psychotic as well as in other psychiatric disorders.ObjectiveTo follow treatment response through changes in clinical status and stress biomarkers evaluation in longitudinal 18 months research in drug naive FEP.AimTo assess endocrine and autonomic responses to acute psychosocial stress, their associations with onset of the first psychotic episode and their subsequent remission.MethodsWe studied 17 subjects with FEP and age and gender matched controls who were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test. Other materials have explored clinical status through standardized clinical psychiatric interview and validated psychiatry scales as well as measured laboratory biomarkers (cortisol, prolactin, insulin).ResultsOur preliminary findings on a sample of 40 participants indicate a differences between patients and controls in terms of response to stress measured by TSST.ConclusionIn our continued longitudinal research, we plan to further explore the role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity in onset and course of psychotic disorder and its relation with other biomarkers.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Personal Growth and Psychobiological Stress Responsiveness to the Trier Social Stress Test in Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4497
Author(s):  
Kengo Mihara ◽  
Hisayoshi Okamura ◽  
Yoshihisa Shoji ◽  
Kyoko Tashiro ◽  
Yukie Kinoshita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Parasympathetic Nervous System ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Significant Group

The current study aimed to examine the effects of personal growth (PG) on psychobiological responses at baseline and responsiveness to laboratory acute stress in students. Twenty-four healthy students were recruited as participants. Participants were screened from 203 candidates according to levels of PG using Ryff’s scale and classified into high and low PG groups. During the laboratory session, 13 high and 11 low PG participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. Heart rate and high-frequency (HF) heart rate variability were monitored throughout the experiment. Salivary free-3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (MHPG) and perceived stress were measured at baseline, immediately after tasks and after a recovery period. Baseline and recovery perceived stress (tense arousal) were significantly lower in the high PG group compared with the low PG group. Free-MHPG and HF component returned to baseline levels during recovery significantly more rapidly in the high PG group compared with the low PG group. There were no significant group differences in heart rate. The results showed that high PG students have lower noradrenaline and higher parasympathetic nervous system activity before and after acute stress. These findings suggest a protective psychobiological pathway linking PG with better psychosomatic health in students.

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

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Cumulative effects of prenatal substance exposure and early adversity on foster children’s HPA-axis reactivity during a psychosocial stressor

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip A. Fisher ◽  
Hyoun K. Kim ◽  
Jacqueline Bruce ◽  
Katherine C. Pears
Keyword(s):  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Early Adversity ◽  
Psychosocial Stressor ◽  
Prenatal Substance Exposure ◽  
Substance Exposure

Dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis stress response has been reported among individuals with prenatal substance exposure and those with early adversity exposure. However, few researchers have examined the combined effects of these risk factors. Patterns of HPA reactivity among maltreated foster children with and without prenatal substance exposure ( N = 53; ages 9–12 years) were examined using the Trier Social Stress Test for Children. Area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCI) analyses revealed that prenatal substance exposure or physical abuse significantly increased the likelihood of a negative AUCI (i.e., little or no HPA reactivity). Among children with prenatal substance exposure and physical abuse, 85% exhibited a negative AUCI. The results underscore the importance of addressing this combined risk.

Associations between stress reactivity and behavior problems for previously institutionalized youth across puberty

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 1854-1863
Author(s):  
Nicole B. Perry ◽  
Carrie E. DePasquale ◽  
Bonny Donzella ◽  
Megan R. Gunnar
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Externalizing Symptoms ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Pubertal Stage ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Bidirectional Associations

AbstractMegan Gunnar's pubertal stress recalibration hypothesis was supported in a recent study of previously institutionalized (PI) youth such that increases in pubertal stage were associated with increases in cortisol stress reactivity. This work provides evidence that puberty may open up a window of recalibration for PI youth, resulting in a shift from a blunted to a more typical cortisol stress response. Using the same sample (N = 132), the current study aimed to elucidate whether increases in cortisol are associated with increases in adaptive functioning or whether they further underlie potential links to developmental psychopathology. Specifically, we examined the bidirectional associations between cortisol stress reactivity and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms across three timepoints during the pubertal period. Youth reported on their own internalizing symptoms and parents reported on youths’ externalizing symptoms. Cortisol reactivity was assessed during the Trier social stress test. Analyses revealed no associations between cortisol reactivity and externalizing symptoms across puberty for PI youth. However, longitudinal bidirectional associations did emerge for internalizing symptoms such that increases in cortisol reactivity predicted increases in internalizing symptoms and increases in internalizing symptoms predicted increases in cortisol reactivity. Findings suggest that recalibrating to more normative levels of cortisol reactivity may not always be associated with adaptive outcomes for PI youth.

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