Serkan Het1, Silja Vocks2, Jutta M Wolf3, Philipp Hammelstein4, Stephan Herpertz5, Oliver T Wolf6. 1. Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. 2. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Osnabrück University, Germany. 3. Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, USA. 4. Christoph-Dornier Clinic for Psychotherapy, Münster, Germany. 5. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL-University Clinic, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. 6. Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: oliver.t.wolf@rub.de.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Stress is known to influence risk and progression of eating disorders (EDs). However, studies investigating physiological and psychological stress responses under laboratory conditions in patients with Anorexia nervosa or Bulimia nervosa are scarce and often produce conflicting findings. We therefore aimed to compare the neuroendocrine and affective stress response in ED inpatients and healthy controls. METHODS: Twenty-eight female inpatients with Anorexia or Bulimia nervosa and 26 healthy women were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA) levels were assessed before as well as repeatedly after stress exposure, while heart rate and heart rate variability were determined before and during the TSST. Negative affective state was assessed at baseline and post-TSST. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, ED patients showed blunted cortisol stress responses combined with overall attenuated sAA levels. The latter was reflected in generally enhanced parasympathetic activity indicated by lower heart rate and stronger high-frequency heart rate variability throughout the TSST. Although patients reported more negative affect overall, they did not differ in their affective stress response. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, patients suffering from eating disorders show a blunted HPA axis reactivity to stress exposure and a generally reduced sympathetic/exaggerated parasympathetic nervous system activity. This combination may contribute to elevated health risks seen in eating disorder patients, such as enhanced inflammatory activity, and thus provide insight into the underlying stress-related mechanisms.
OBJECTIVE: Stress is known to influence risk and progression of eating disorders (EDs). However, studies investigating physiological and psychological stress responses under laboratory conditions in patients with Anorexia nervosa or Bulimia nervosa are scarce and often produce conflicting findings. We therefore aimed to compare the neuroendocrine and affective stress response in ED inpatients and healthy controls. METHODS: Twenty-eight female inpatients with Anorexia or Bulimia nervosa and 26 healthy women were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA) levels were assessed before as well as repeatedly after stress exposure, while heart rate and heart rate variability were determined before and during the TSST. Negative affective state was assessed at baseline and post-TSST. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, ED patients showed blunted cortisol stress responses combined with overall attenuated sAA levels. The latter was reflected in generally enhanced parasympathetic activity indicated by lower heart rate and stronger high-frequency heart rate variability throughout the TSST. Although patients reported more negative affect overall, they did not differ in their affective stress response. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, patients suffering from eating disorders show a blunted HPA axis reactivity to stress exposure and a generally reduced sympathetic/exaggerated parasympathetic nervous system activity. This combination may contribute to elevated health risks seen in eating disorderpatients, such as enhanced inflammatory activity, and thus provide insight into the underlying stress-related mechanisms.
Authors: Laura A Berner; Tiffany A Brown; Jason M Lavender; Emily Lopez; Christina E Wierenga; Walter H Kaye Journal: Mol Cell Endocrinol Date: 2018-11-02 Impact factor: 4.102
Authors: Rose Seoyoung Chang; Hilâl Cerit; Taryn Hye; E Leighton Durham; Harlyn Aizley; Sarah Boukezzi; Florina Haimovici; Jill M Goldstein; Daniel G Dillon; Diego A Pizzagalli; Laura M Holsen Journal: Appetite Date: 2021-09-22 Impact factor: 3.868