Laura Espin1, Irene García2, Maria Del Pino Sánchez2, Francisco Román2, Alicia Salvador3. 1. Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: lespin@um.es. 2. Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain. 3. Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Research on stress and dyslexia has mainly focused on chronic and contextual stress caused by the school environment. Our goal was to test individual differences in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity of dyslexic and non-dyslexic children and the related emotional manifestations associated with exposure to a psychosocial stressor. METHODS:Eighty-one children (11-14 years old; 38 dyslexic) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test adapted to children or to a control condition. The salivary cortisol response, anxiety, and mood were measured before and after the stress. RESULTS: Dyslexic children did not show the expected cortisol response, as the highest percentage of children who were non-reactive to stress was found in this group. Cortisol reactivity to stress was related to higher levels of anxiety and lower positive affect in the non-dyslexic children. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a pattern of hypo-activation of the HPA axis to psychosocial stress in children with dyslexia.
RCT Entities:
INTRODUCTION: Research on stress and dyslexia has mainly focused on chronic and contextual stress caused by the school environment. Our goal was to test individual differences in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity of dyslexic and non-dyslexicchildren and the related emotional manifestations associated with exposure to a psychosocial stressor. METHODS: Eighty-one children (11-14 years old; 38 dyslexic) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test adapted to children or to a control condition. The salivary cortisol response, anxiety, and mood were measured before and after the stress. RESULTS: Dyslexic children did not show the expected cortisol response, as the highest percentage of children who were non-reactive to stress was found in this group. Cortisol reactivity to stress was related to higher levels of anxiety and lower positive affect in the non-dyslexic children. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a pattern of hypo-activation of the HPA axis to psychosocial stress in children with dyslexia.