Nathaniel L Baker1, Brian Neelon2,3, Viswanathan Ramakrishnan2, Kathleen T Brady3,4, Kevin M Gray4, Michael E Saladin4,5, Sudie E Back3,4, Julianne C Flanagan3,4, Constance Guille4, Aimee L McRae-Clark3,4. 1. Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon Street, Suite 303, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA. bakern@musc.edu. 2. Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon Street, Suite 303, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA. 3. Ralph H Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. 5. Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Abstract
RATIONALE: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a critical hormonal system involved in stress response. A number of studies have investigated the HPA axis response of drug-dependent individuals to stressors. Stress-induced vulnerabilities in the HPA axis may differ in response to chronic use of different substances, possibly leading to different target therapies. There has not been a direct comparison of HPA axis and subjective response between individuals with different types of substance use disorders following a laboratory stress intervention. OBJECTIVES: The primary goal of the current study was to compare subjective and neuroendocrine response to the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) across multiple primary types of substance use disorders and investigate differential response between males and females. METHODS: Four hundred participants were drawn from seven studies completed at the Medical University of South Carolina between 2011 and 2021. The TSST was utilized across studies and subjective and neuroendocrine responses measured following completion. Generalized linear mixed effects models and area under the response curve analysis were used to compare both substance type and sex differences. RESULTS: The study groups involving individuals with cocaine use disorder had blunted stress, craving and cortisol response following the TSST as compared to other substance use groups. Females in the cocaine groups reported higher subjective stress but lower cortisol than males. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that there may be differential effects of substances on the HPA axis, with cocaine using individuals exhibiting more blunting of the HPA axis response as compared to users of other substances.
RATIONALE: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a critical hormonal system involved in stress response. A number of studies have investigated the HPA axis response of drug-dependent individuals to stressors. Stress-induced vulnerabilities in the HPA axis may differ in response to chronic use of different substances, possibly leading to different target therapies. There has not been a direct comparison of HPA axis and subjective response between individuals with different types of substance use disorders following a laboratory stress intervention. OBJECTIVES: The primary goal of the current study was to compare subjective and neuroendocrine response to the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) across multiple primary types of substance use disorders and investigate differential response between males and females. METHODS: Four hundred participants were drawn from seven studies completed at the Medical University of South Carolina between 2011 and 2021. The TSST was utilized across studies and subjective and neuroendocrine responses measured following completion. Generalized linear mixed effects models and area under the response curve analysis were used to compare both substance type and sex differences. RESULTS: The study groups involving individuals with cocaine use disorder had blunted stress, craving and cortisol response following the TSST as compared to other substance use groups. Females in the cocaine groups reported higher subjective stress but lower cortisol than males. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that there may be differential effects of substances on the HPA axis, with cocaine using individuals exhibiting more blunting of the HPA axis response as compared to users of other substances.
Authors: B Adinoff; P R Martin; G H Bone; M J Eckardt; L Roehrich; D T George; H B Moss; R Eskay; M Linnoila; P W Gold Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 1990-04
Authors: Sudie E Back; Daniel F Gros; Jenna L McCauley; Julianne C Flanagan; Elizabeth Cox; Kelly S Barth; Kathleen T Brady Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2014-04-12 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Kathleen T Brady; Aimee L McRae; Megan M Moran-Santa Maria; Stacia M DeSantis; Annie N Simpson; Angela E Waldrop; Sudie E Back; Mary Jeanne Kreek Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2009-04
Authors: Sudie E Back; Karen Hartwell; Stacia M DeSantis; Michael Saladin; Aimee L McRae-Clark; Kimber L Price; Megan M Moran-Santa Maria; Nathaniel L Baker; Eve Spratt; Mary Jeanne Kreek; Kathleen T Brady Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2009-09-02 Impact factor: 4.492