Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lisa Haase, Antonia Vehlen, Julia Strojny, Gregor Domes
Summary: This study found no significant changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) over the menstrual cycle, and no significant association with variations in estradiol and progesterone. These results suggest that CAR is largely robust against hormonal variations across the menstrual cycle.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Raphael Hirtz, Lars Libuda, Anke Hinney, Manuel Foecker, Judith Buehlmeier, Jochen Antel, Paul-Martin Holterhus, Alexandra Kulle, Cordula Kiewert, Johannes Hebebrand, Corinna Grasemann
Summary: In adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD), dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is common, but the function of these two axes is only loosely related. This differs from findings in adults and suggests age-related maturational adjustments in the regulation of the HPA and HPT axis.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Hongyuan Zhu, Luming Wu, Tingwei Su, Lei Jiang, Weiwei Zhou, Yiran Jiang, Cui Zhang, Xu Zhong, Weiqing Wang
Summary: This study investigated the association between radiological characteristics of benign adrenocortical tumors and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in 494 patients. It was found that patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) had larger tumor diameter, thinner contralateral adrenal gland, and lower plasma ACTH and serum DHEAS levels compared to those with non-functional adrenocortical tumors (NFAT). ACTH was shown to mediate the effects of MACS on DHEAS and contralateral adrenal gland.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Giada Ostinelli, Anais Scovronec, Sylvain Iceta, Anne-Sophie Ouellette, Simone Lemieux, Laurent Biertho, Catherine Begin, Andreanne Michaud, Andre Tchernof
Summary: The cortisol awakening response (CAR) and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) are reliable markers of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, with HCC showing a significant positive correlation with adiposity. Inconsistencies in cortisol sampling and CAR computation make comparisons between studies difficult, but overall trait measurement of HCC is associated with increased general and abdominal adiposity in humans.
Article
Psychiatry
Agorastos Agorastos, Alexandra Heinig, Anne Sommer, Klaus Wiedemann, Cueneyt Demiralay
Summary: This study examined the levels of several endocrine biomarkers in saliva and plasma to investigate the role of salivary DHEA as a significant biomarker of MDD progression and stress resilience. The results showed that recurrent-episode MDD patients had lower saliva DHEA levels compared to antidepressant-free MDD patients without a history of prior depressive episodes.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Alessio Maria Monteleone, Giulia D'Agostino, Giammarco Cascino, Francesca Marciello, Palmiero Monteleone, Mario Maj
Summary: This study assessed the cortisol awakening response in bipolar patients with or without comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus. The results showed that the cortisol awakening response in patients with bipolar disorder is reduced in terms of overall cortisol production but normal in terms of cortisol reactivity independently from the occurrence of comorbid T2DM. The dampened cortisol awakening response may indicate a tuning down of the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in both euglycemic and diabetic BD patients, potentially making them more vulnerable to stressors that could precipitate affective episodes.
WORLD JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Felipe Borges Almeida, Graziano Pinna, Helena Maria Tannhauser Barros
Summary: This article discusses the role of the HPA axis under stressful conditions and the importance of allopregnanolone in promoting negative feedback mechanisms to restore homeostasis. Chronic, repeated exposure to stress may lead to dysfunction, contributing to the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Nina Smyth, Monica Milani, Lisa Thorn, Maria Flynn, John F. Golding, Phil Evans, Angela Clow
Summary: The study explored the link between the cortisol awakening response (CAR), associated with circadian HPA axis activity, and visual dependency in postural sway for the first time. Results showed that participants with smaller CARs experienced greater deterioration in postural sway when presented with moving visual stimuli, indicating an association between CAR and visual dependency in postural control.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sebastian-Edgar Baumeister, Stefan Lars Reckelkamm, Hans-Joergen Grabe, Matthias Nauck, Johanna Klinger-Koenig, Henry Voelzke, Thomas Kocher, Nele Friedrich, Birte Holtfreter
Summary: In this study, we examined the association between cortisol levels and periodontitis using both observational and Mendelian randomization analyses. We found that spot cortisol levels were associated with periodontal markers in the observational study, but long-term cortisol levels, as determined by genetic proxies, were not associated with periodontitis.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Allergy
Wisdom Alemya Akurugu, Carel Jacobus Van Heerden, Nicola Mulder, Ekkehard Werner Zollner
Summary: This study found that some SNPs of the CRHR1 and NR3C1 genes are associated with HPAS in asthmatic children, with the C allele of rs41423247 potentially having a protective effect on HPAS, and the CC genotype being associated with the highest PMTP ACTH response.
PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Manxiu Ma, Alyssa A. Brunal, Kareem C. Clark, Carleigh Studtmann, Katelyn Stebbins, Shin-ichi Higashijima, Y. Albert Pan
Summary: The expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalamus plays a critical role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is involved in the stress response. Through studying zebrafish, researchers identified dscaml1 as an important factor in CRH neuron development and HPA axis function. Mutations in dscaml1 led to increased CRH expression and cell number in hypothalamic CRH neurons, as well as altered stress hormone levels and response to stressors. These findings suggest a role for dscaml1 in stress axis development and its potential contribution to neuropsychiatric disorders.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Psychiatry
Felim Murphy, Anurag Nasa, Dearbhla Cullinane, Kesidha Raajakesary, Areej Gazzaz, Vitallia Sooknarine, Madeline Haines, Elena Roman, Linda Kelly, Aisling O'Neill, Mary Cannon, Darren William Roddy
Summary: Studies show that early life stress impacts developmental trajectories and can create vulnerability to psychological and psychiatric issues later in life. The mechanisms affecting the developing brain in children and the incorporation of adverse environmental stimuli into the adult brain are important areas of research focus.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jody A. Rusch, Brian T. Layden, Lara R. Dugas
Summary: Cognitive function in humans relies on the complex interplay between multiple body systems, including the HPA axis. The gut microbiota, which outnumbers human cells and has a greater genetic potential, plays a crucial role through the MGB axis, a bidirectional communication pathway. Stress can affect the MGB axis through the HPA axis and other pathways, and animal research has contributed to a paradigm shift in understanding the influence of microbiota on human health and disease. Preclinical and human trials are currently investigating the applicability of these findings in humans.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
William A. Thompson, Mathilakath M. Vijayan
Summary: The ubiquitous use of antidepressants, such as venlafaxine, has led to increased concentrations of these pharmaceuticals in waterways, impacting neural development in zebrafish embryos. Early developmental exposure to venlafaxine disrupts the functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis in zebrafish, affecting cortisol levels and responses to stress across multiple generations. This study suggests that venlafaxine is an endocrine disruptor with potential long-term and generational consequences on stress axis activity.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jia Luo, Zheng Yan, Yao Shen, Denong Liu, Mingli Su, Jie Yang, Jiarong Xie, Hui Gao, Julin Yang, Aiming Liu
Summary: This study found that chronic low-intensity noise exposure exacerbated NAFLD in mice on a high-fat diet, affecting lipid metabolism and inflammation levels in the liver. Activation of the HPA axis played a critical role in the development of NAFLD, while depression played an intermediate role in exacerbating the condition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Psychology, Applied
Teresa Montoliu, Matias M. Pulopulos, Sara Puig-Perez, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador
Summary: In healthy older adults, perceived stress plays a mediating role in the negative association between neuroticism and global cognition, while the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis also acts as a mediator in men. These findings suggest that stress and HPA-axis dysregulation may underlie the relationship between neuroticism and cognitive decline, particularly in older men.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Leander van der Meij, Matias M. Pulopulos, Vanesa Hidalgo, Mercedes Almela, Marisol Lila, James R. Roney, Alicia Salvador
Summary: The study found that male IPV perpetrators do not exhibit larger increases in testosterone and cortisol levels after brief social contact with women, in contrast to young male students. This suggests that hormone reactivity to social encounters may vary across subject populations.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Vanesa Perez, Ruth Garrido-Chaves, Mariola Zapater-Fajari, Matias M. Pulopulos, Fernando Barbosa, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador
Summary: This study found that older adults with SMCs showed slower and less accurate performance in a facial emotion processing task compared to controls. Additionally, men with SMCs had longer N170 latency, while no differences were observed in P300 and LPP latencies or amplitudes between groups. These results suggest that older people with SMCs may have deficits in facial emotion processing.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Isabel Crespo-Sanmiguel, Mariola Zapater-Fajari, Ruth Garrido-Chaves, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador
Summary: Loneliness is a complex and uncomfortable feeling that is accentuated with aging. It is related to health indicators and is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the relationship between loneliness, subjective health, and cortisol in a mixed-sex sample, and found a relationship between loneliness and psychological health in males.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Sara Puig-Perez, Irene Cano-Lopez, Paula Martinez, Malgorzata W. Kozusznik, Adrian Alacreu-Crespo, Matias M. Pulopulos, Aranzazu Duque, Mercedes Almela, Marta Alino, Maria J. Garcia-Rubio, Anita Pollak, Barbara Kozusznik
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of perceived stress and Covid-19-related stress anticipation in the relationship between optimism and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The results showed that optimism is related to less psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Social
Mariola Zapater-Fajari, Isabel Crespo-Sanmiguel, Vanesa Perez, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of anxiety and positivity in SMCs in different age periods and found differences in the relationship between SMCs and the HPA axis between younger and older adults.
PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Tania Llana, Marta Mendez, Sara Garces-Arilla, Vanesa Hidalgo, Magdalena Mendez-Lopez, M. -Carmen Juan
Summary: This study aimed to explore the association between reported olfactory dysfunction and subjective and objective cognitive performance in long-COVID patients, as well as the relationship between emotional symptoms and cognition. The results showed that acute olfactory dysfunction was related to cognitive deficits in objective tests, and mood disturbances were associated with self-reported and objective memory. These findings contribute to understanding the neuropsychological and emotional aspects of long-COVID.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Experimental
Linde De Wandel, Stefanie De Smet, Matias M. Pulopulos, Gilbert M. D. Lemmens, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador, Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt, Jens Pruessner, Chris Baeken
Summary: Research suggests that stress impacts the capacity to mentally simulate specific episodic future events, possibly through the effects of cortisol on brain regions supporting this cognitive function. This study investigates the underlying mechanisms by using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The results show a link between higher cortisol levels and less specific episodic future thoughts, while tDCS enhances episodic future thinking regardless of cortisol levels.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Teresa Montoliu, Mariola Zapater-Fajari, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador
Summary: Openness to experience is consistently associated with better cognitive functioning in older people, but its association with cognitive decline is less clear. This study aimed to analyze the potential mediating role of cognitive reserve in the association between openness and cognitive functioning and decline in healthy older people.
Article
Neurosciences
Sara Garces-Arilla, Camino Fidalgo, Magdalena Mendez-Lopez, Jorge Osma, Teresa Peiro, Alicia Salvador, Vanesa Hidalgo
Summary: This study found that women with high neuroticism and moderate extraversion are more susceptible to psychological stress during real-life examinations, exhibiting higher levels of perceived stress, emotional dysregulation, and negative affect. Compared to other women, they also experience higher levels of state anxiety two days before and shortly after the examination. However, their cortisol response is similar to that of other women.
ANXIETY STRESS AND COPING
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Daniela Batallas, Valerie Rodriguez-Hernandez, Vanesa Hidalgo, Alicia Salvador
Summary: This study examined the effects of post-lockdown social restrictions on psychological, biological, and cognitive dimensions, with a focus on perceived loneliness and living situation. The findings indicated that participants who experienced significant family changes and international relocation reported fewer face-to-face interactions, higher hair cortisol levels, and worse working and prospective memory performance compared to those who maintained their nuclear family and did not move from their home country. The study highlights the complex relationships between loneliness, cortisol, and memory.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Ines Ferrer-Cairols, Teresa Montoliu, Isabel Crespo-Sanmiguel, Matias M. Pulopulos, Vanesa Hidalgo, Enriqueta Gomez, Rogelio Lopez-Cuevas, Ana Cuevas, Nuria Martin, Miguel Baquero, Alicia Salvador
Summary: Patients with depression and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at greater risk of developing dementia, and individuals with lower Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathology are more likely to experience suicidal ideation in the early stages of the disease.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shanshan Xiao, Natalie C. Ebner, Amirhossein Manzouri, Tie-Qiang Li, Diana S. Cortes, Kristoffer N. T. Mansson, Hakan Fischer
Summary: The mechanisms through which intranasal oxytocin affects the brain are not fully understood, but recent research suggests that brain regions with a higher density of oxytocin receptors may play a key role. This study used resting-state fMRI to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on connectivity between these receptor-enriched regions and other regions in the brain, and found that the effects varied depending on the age of the participants.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lisa Haase, Antonia Vehlen, Julia Strojny, Gregor Domes
Summary: This study found no significant changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) over the menstrual cycle, and no significant association with variations in estradiol and progesterone. These results suggest that CAR is largely robust against hormonal variations across the menstrual cycle.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Derek Schaeuble, Tyler Wallace, Sebastian A. Pace, Shane T. Hentges, Brent Myers
Summary: Depression and cardiovascular disease are influenced by daily life stress, but the biological mechanisms behind this connection are not well understood. This study shows that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a role in regulating stress responses and behavior, with sex-specific effects. In males, the vmPFC-PH circuitry promotes positive motivation and reduces stress responses, while in females it elevates stress responses. This suggests that cortical regulation of stress reactivity and behavior is mediated by projections to the hypothalamus in a sex-specific manner.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jose M. Guzman, Montana H. Boone, Gabriela L. Suarez, Colter Mitchell, Christopher S. Monk, Luke W. Hyde, Nestor L. Lopez-Duran
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased life stress and internalizing disorders, with a disproportionate impact on women. This study focused on the neuroendocrinology of stress-related disorders and found that women have lower cortisol responses and higher DHEA responses to stress. However, lower cortisol and higher DHEA are associated with internalizing disorders in women, while the opposite is true in men. The study also examined the relationship between COVID-related stress and internalizing symptoms and found gender differences in the association between DHEA and cortisol and internalizing outcomes. These findings suggest distinct neuroendocrine pathways for stress-related disorders in young men and women.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Meriah L. Dejoseph, Keira B. Leneman, Alyssa R. Palmer, Emily R. Padrutt, Otiti A. Mayo, Daniel Berry
Summary: Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for the development of the stress response system. This study found a modest positive relation between the adrenocortical and sympathetic systems, as well as between the adrenocortical and parasympathetic systems. The strength of these associations varied based on methodological and sociodemographic characteristics.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Qiong Xiang, Jia-Sheng Tao, Shuai Dong, Xiao-Lin Liu, Liang Yang, Li-Ni Liu, Jing Deng, Xian-Hui Li
Summary: Chronic hyperglycemia accelerates the pathological process of cognitive dysfunction, but the heterogeneity of hippocampal cells under long-term high glucose conditions is not well known. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on diabetic mice, and distinct cell sub-clusters and important genes involved in neuroplasticity regulation were identified.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Roger Mcintosh, Hannah Hoogerwoerd, Salman S. Ahmad, Cassandra Michel, Kaitlyn Dillon, Mahendra Kumar, Gail Ironson
Summary: The study found that a 4-session guided written emotional disclosure intervention led to significant reductions in total output and concentration of epinephrine in urine for up to 6 months in individuals living with HIV. This effect was especially pronounced in women. However, there were no significant changes in norepinephrine output in urine.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Meredith Gruhn, Adam Bryant Miller, Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul, Sophia Martin, Matthew G. Clayton, Matteo Giletta, Paul D. Hastings, Matthew K. Nock, Karen D. Rudolph, George M. Slavich, Mitchell J. Prinstein, Margaret A. Sheridan
Summary: This study investigates how early life adversity characterized by threat impacts the association between neural activity and cortisol production during emotion processing. The results suggest that threat exposure may moderate the relationship between neural activation and cortisol response.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
