Adult skin acute stress responses to short‐term environmental and internal aggression from exposome factors

Stress belongs to the most frequent negative feelings people are confronted with in daily life. Strategies against acute stress include, e.g., relaxation techniques or medications, but it is also known that placebos can successfully reduce negative emotional stress. While it is widely held that placebos require deception to provoke a response, recent studies demonstrate intriguing evidence that placebos may work even without concealment (e.g., against anxiety or pain). Most of these studies are based on self-report questionnaires and do not include physiological measures. Here we report results of a study examining whether placebos without deception reduce acute stress. A total of 53 healthy individuals received either placebos without deception or no pills before participating in a laboratory stress test (Maastricht Acute Stress Test, MAST). We recorded self-report stress measures and cortisol responses before and after the MAST. Results showed no significant differences between the placebo and the control group, but when comparing participants with high relative to low beliefs in the power of placebos we found significant lower anxiety and cortisol responses for the placebo believers. These results show that non-deceptive placebos may successfully reduce acute anxiety and stress, but only in participants who had a strong belief in placebos. We discuss the results by suggesting that open-label placebos might be a possible treatment to reduce stress at least for some individuals.

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Acute cold stress in rheumatoid arthritis inadequately activates stress responses and induces an increase of interleukin 6

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/ard.2008.089458 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 572-578 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

R H Straub ◽

G Pongratz ◽

H Hirvonen ◽

T Pohjolainen ◽

M Mikkelsson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Stress Response ◽

Cold Stress ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Plasma Levels ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Whole Body ◽

Cold Therapy ◽

Before And After ◽

Sympathetic Stress

Objective:Acute stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should stimulate a strong stress response. After cryotherapy, we expected to observe an increase of hormones of the adrenal gland and the sympathetic nervous system.Methods:A total of 55 patients with RA were recruited for whole-body cryotherapy at −110°C and −60°C, and local cold therapy between −20°C and −30°C for 7 days. We measured plasma levels of steroid hormones, neuropeptide Y (sympathetic marker), and interleukin (IL)6 daily before and after cryotherapy.Results:In both therapy groups with/without glucocorticoids (GC), hormone and IL6 levels at baseline and 5 h after cold stress did not change over 7 days of cryotherapy. In patients without GC, plasma levels of cortisol and androstenedione were highest after −110°C cold stress followed by −60°C or local cold stress. The opposite was found in patients under GC therapy, in whom, unexpectedly, −110°C cold stress elicited the smallest responses. In patients without GC, adrenal cortisol production increased relative to other adrenal steroids, and again the opposite was seen under GC therapy with a loss of cortisol and an increase of dehydroepiandrosterone. Importantly, there was no sympathetic stress response in both groups. Patients without GC and −110°C cold stress demonstrated higher plasma IL6 compared to the other treatment groups (not observed under GC), but they showed the best clinical response.Conclusions:We detected an inadequate stress response in patients with GC. It is further shown that the sympathetic stress response was inadequate in patients with/without GC. Paradoxically, plasma levels of IL6 increased under strong cold stress in patients without GC. These findings confirm dysfunctional stress axes in RA.

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The Effect of Extensive Human Presence at an Early Age on Stress Responses and Reactivity of Juvenile Ostriches towards Humans

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani8100175 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 175 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pfunzo Muvhali ◽

Maud Bonato ◽

Anel Engelbrecht ◽

Irek Malecki ◽

Denise Hough ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Stress Sensitivity ◽

Physical Contact ◽

Early Age ◽

Human Presence ◽

Human Voice ◽

Sexual Display

The effect of extensive human presence and regular gentle handling performed at an early age (0–3 months old) on stress responses and reactivity of juvenile ostriches towards humans was investigated. A total of 416 ostrich chicks over two years were exposed to one of three treatments for three months after hatching; namely, Human Presence 1 (HP1, N = 144): extensive/prolonged human presence with physical contact (touch, stroking), gentle human voice, and visual stimuli; Human Presence 2 (HP2, N = 136): extensive/prolonged human presence without physical contact, but with gentle human voice and visual stimuli; and the Standard treatment (S, N = 136): human presence limited to routine feed and water supply as a control. At 7.5 months of age, the plasma heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio was measured before and 72 h after feather harvesting and feather clipping to determine acute stress responses, while chronic stress was measured by quantification of corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in the floss feathers of the birds. Birds’ behavioural response towards a familiar or an unfamiliar handler was evaluated at 12 months using docility and fear tests, and through behavioural observations conducted on random days between the ages of 8–13 months. Willingness to approach, and to allow touch interactions, aggressiveness, and exhibition of sexual display towards the handler, was recorded. No difference in the H/L ratios before and after feather harvesting and clipping was observed in HP1 birds, whereas H/L ratios showed a significant increase 72 h post feather harvesting and clipping in HP2 and S birds (p < 0.05). Birds from the S treatment exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) higher feather CORT concentration compared with HP1 birds, while HP2 birds had intermediate responses. Birds’ reactivity towards humans and temperament as evaluated using behavioural observations, docility, and fear tests was not affected by treatment (p > 0.05). However, HP1 and HP2 birds were more inclined (p < 0.05) to approach a familiar rather than an unfamiliar handler during the behavioural observations, indicating an ability to distinguish between a familiar and an unfamiliar handler. Overall, the results indicate that early gentle human interactions with ostrich chicks can be beneficial in reducing physiological stress sensitivity later in life and facilitate the ability of ostriches to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar handlers.

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Acute stress responses: A review and synthesis of ASD, ASR, and CSR.

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry ◽

10.1037/a0014304 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 78 (4) ◽

pp. 423-429 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Leanna Isserlin ◽

Gadi Zerach ◽

Zahava Solomon

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Acute Stress

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Estimation of resting blood pressure using facial thermal images by separating acute stress variations

Artificial Life and Robotics ◽

10.1007/s10015-021-00705-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuki Iwashita ◽

Kent Nagumo ◽

Kosuke Oiwa ◽

Akio Nozawa

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Medical Condition ◽

Blood Pressure Monitoring ◽

Estimation Method ◽

Short Term ◽

Thermal Images ◽

Resting Blood Pressure ◽

Blood Pressure Estimation ◽

Stress Variations

AbstractThe increasing number of people with hypertension worldwide has become a matter of grave concern. Blood pressure monitoring using a non-contact measurement technique is expected to detect and control this medical condition. Previous studies have estimated blood pressure variations following an acute stress response based on facial thermal images obtained from infrared thermography devices. However, a non-contact resting blood pressure estimation method is required because blood pressure is generally measured in the resting state without inducing acute stress. Day-long blood pressure variations include short-term variations due to acute stress and long-term variations in circadian rhythms. The aim of this study is to estimate resting blood pressure from facial thermal images by separating and excluding short-term variations related to acute stress. To achieve this, short-term blood pressure variations components related to acute stress on facial thermal images were separated using independent component analysis. Resting blood pressure was estimated with the extracted independent components excluding the short-term components using multiple regression analysis. The results show that the proposed approach can accurately estimate resting blood pressure from facial thermal images, with a 9.90 mmHg root mean square error. In addition, features related to resting blood pressure were represented in the nose, lip, and cheek regions.

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Behavioural Stress Propagation in Benthic Invertebrates Caused by Acute pH Drop-Induced Metabolites

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.773870 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Lauric Feugere ◽

Lauren Angell ◽

James Fagents ◽

Rebecca Nightingale ◽

Kirsty Rowland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Communication ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Interspecific Interactions ◽

Hermit Crabs ◽

Sea Bream ◽

Short Term ◽

Marine Animals ◽

Regular Control ◽

Stress Metabolites

Studies on pH stress in marine animals typically focus on direct or species-specific aspects. We here test the hypothesis that a drop to pH = 7.6 indirectly affects the intra- and interspecific interactions of benthic invertebrates by means of chemical communication. We recorded fitness-relevant behaviours of small hermit crabs Diogenes pugilator, green shore crabs Carcinus maenas, and harbour ragworms Hediste diversicolor in response to short-term pH drop, and to putative stress metabolites released by conspecifics or gilt-head sea bream Sparus aurata during 30 min of acute pH drop. Not only did acute pH drop itself impair time to find a food cue in small hermit crabs and burrowing in harbour ragworms, but similar effects were observed under exposure to pH drop-induced stress metabolites. Stress metabolites from S. aurata, but not its regular control metabolites, also induced avoidance responses in all recipient species. Here, we confirm that a short-term abrupt pH drop, an abiotic stressor, has the capacity to trigger the release of metabolites which induce behavioural responses in conspecific and heterospecific individuals, which can be interpreted as a behavioural cost. Our findings that stress responses can be indirectly propagated through means of chemical communication warrant further research to confirm the effect size of the behavioural impairments caused by stress metabolites and to characterise their chemical nature.

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Stress and Substance Misuse

Substance Use Disorders ◽

10.1093/med/9780190920197.003.0006 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 101-118

Author(s):

James M. Bjork ◽

Nicholas D. Thomson

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Stress Response ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Solution Space ◽

Chronic Administration ◽

Behavioral Repertoire ◽

Physiological Stress Response ◽

Response Systems

Stress is both a critical contributor and consequence of substance use disorder (SUD). First, exaggerated subjective stress responses are characteristic of affective symptomatology such as depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (sometimes stemming from histories of abuse) that have been prognostic of development of addiction in longitudinal studies. Substance use is negatively reinforced in many at-risk and addicted individuals because it may acutely alleviate stress. Second, chronic administration of commonly abused substances alters physiological stress response systems, especially during acute withdrawal. Third, acute stress responses blunt the addicted individual’s frontocortically mediated behavioral repertoire (solution space) in favor of reflexive behavioral biases toward relief-based substance use. Therefore, acute stress responses are a strong trigger for relapse to substance use during extended recovery. These findings have collectively led to approaches to SUD relapse prevention that pharmacologically blunt components of the stress response, but these agents have not reliably shown success in human clinical trials. This chapter reviews these different relationships between stress and addiction and offers future avenues for additional research.

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The effect of mindfulness meditation training on biological acute stress responses in generalized anxiety disorder

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.006 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 262 ◽

pp. 328-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Elizabeth A. Hoge ◽

Eric Bui ◽

Sophie A. Palitz ◽

Noah R. Schwarz ◽

Maryann E. Owens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Mindfulness Meditation ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Generalized Anxiety

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CReP mediates selective translation initiation at the endoplasmic reticulum

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.aba0745 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (23) ◽

pp. eaba0745 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jonathan P. Kastan ◽

Elena Y. Dobrikova ◽

Jeffrey D. Bryant ◽

Matthias Gromeier

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Protein Synthesis ◽

Translation Initiation ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Spatial Organization ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Cell Fractionation ◽

Local Protein Synthesis ◽

Eif2α Phosphorylation ◽

Selective Translation

Eukaryotic protein synthesis control at multiple levels allows for dynamic, selective responses to diverse conditions, but spatial organization of translation initiation machinery as a regulatory principle has remained largely unexplored. Here we report on a role of constitutive repressor of eIF2α phosphorylation (CReP) in translation of poliovirus and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–resident chaperone binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) at the ER. Functional, proximity-dependent labeling and cell fractionation studies revealed that CReP, through binding eIF2α, anchors translation initiation machinery at the ER and enables local protein synthesis in this compartment. This ER site was protected from the suppression of cytoplasmic protein synthesis by acute stress responses, e.g., phosphorylation of eIF2α(S51) or mTOR blockade. We propose that partitioning of translation initiation machinery at the ER enables cells to maintain active translation during stress conditions associated with global protein synthesis suppression.

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Plant growth under suboptimal water conditions: early responses and methods to study them

Journal of Experimental Botany ◽

10.1093/jxb/eraa037 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 1706-1722 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Marieke Dubois ◽

Dirk Inzé

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Osmotic Stress ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Soil Drought ◽

Growth Media ◽

Plant Responses ◽

Short Term ◽

Environmental Constraint ◽

Early Stress ◽

Different Types

Abstract Drought stress forms a major environmental constraint during the life cycle of plants, often decreasing plant yield and in extreme cases threatening survival. The molecular and physiological responses induced by drought have been the topic of extensive research during the past decades. Because soil-based approaches to studying drought responses are often challenging due to low throughput and insufficient control of the conditions, osmotic stress assays in plates were developed to mimic drought. Addition of compounds such as polyethylene glycol, mannitol, sorbitol, or NaCl to controlled growth media has become increasingly popular since it offers the advantage of accurate control of stress level and onset. These osmotic stress assays enabled the discovery of very early stress responses, occurring within seconds or minutes following osmotic stress exposure. In this review, we construct a detailed timeline of early responses to osmotic stress, with a focus on how they initiate plant growth arrest. We further discuss the specific responses triggered by different types and severities of osmotic stress. Finally, we compare short-term plant responses under osmotic stress versus in-soil drought and discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and future of these plate-based proxies for drought.

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