Carlos Ayala-Grosso1, Fátima Torrico2, Margot Ledezma-Ruiz2, Maria Busolo-Pons2. 1. Unit of Cellular Therapy, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Caracas, Venezuela. 2. Unit of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Understanding diurnal secretion of cortisol in association with behavioral attitudes as a result of perception of unsafety environment is a main interest in prospective studies establishing the impact of chronic stress in cognitive processes. Adaptive secretion of cortisol, a biomarker of the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal (HPA) axis, has been correlated with perception of uncertainty in surroundings as a consequence of perseverative cognition and unconscious thoughts. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether diurnal secretion pattern of cortisol was associated with behavioral attitudes indexes generated from answers to standardized questionnaires from Panamerican Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) agencies. METHODS: Saliva cortisol dynamic range was evaluated by immuno-essay. Cortisol awakening response (CAR) and total secreted cortisol was established in a cross-sectional study of four saliva samples per day from volunteers (n = 135) between 19 and 65 years old. RESULTS: Saliva cortisol dynamic range followed a significant decay along the day. Reduction of social interaction and increase of defensive behavioral attitude was associated with older groups of age. In this study, two subgroups of subjects with a steeper cortisol secretion (slope significant non-zero), and flatter cortisol secretion (slope no significant non-zero) were detected. Noticeable, we determined an association between measurements of cortisol secretion from subjects with a flatter cortisol dynamic range and behavioral defensive and inhibition of social interaction indexes. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested chronical dysregulation of HPA axis as a result of perseverative cognitive perception of unsafety environment which may be precedent to cognitive impairment in the population.
BACKGROUND: Understanding diurnal secretion of cortisol in association with behavioral attitudes as a result of perception of unsafety environment is a main interest in prospective studies establishing the impact of chronic stress in cognitive processes. Adaptive secretion of cortisol, a biomarker of the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal (HPA) axis, has been correlated with perception of uncertainty in surroundings as a consequence of perseverative cognition and unconscious thoughts. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether diurnal secretion pattern of cortisol was associated with behavioral attitudes indexes generated from answers to standardized questionnaires from Panamerican Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) agencies. METHODS: Saliva cortisol dynamic range was evaluated by immuno-essay. Cortisol awakening response (CAR) and total secreted cortisol was established in a cross-sectional study of four saliva samples per day from volunteers (n = 135) between 19 and 65 years old. RESULTS: Saliva cortisol dynamic range followed a significant decay along the day. Reduction of social interaction and increase of defensive behavioral attitude was associated with older groups of age. In this study, two subgroups of subjects with a steeper cortisol secretion (slope significant non-zero), and flatter cortisol secretion (slope no significant non-zero) were detected. Noticeable, we determined an association between measurements of cortisol secretion from subjects with a flatter cortisol dynamic range and behavioral defensive and inhibition of social interaction indexes. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested chronical dysregulation of HPA axis as a result of perseverative cognitive perception of unsafety environment which may be precedent to cognitive impairment in the population.
Authors: Robin Ortiz; Joshua J Joseph; Charlie C Branas; John M MacDonald; Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako; Kehinde Oyekanmi; Eugenia C South Journal: Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol Date: 2022-05-28