Emotional stress and stress-regulating systems indicators in children and adolescents from the Joint forces operation zone

Abstract

Objective — to assess indicators of stress-regulating systems in children of school age from the Joint forces operation (JFO) zone, depending on the presence or absence of stress.Materials and methods. 129 children and adolescents of both sexes aged 7 to 17 years from the JFO zone, including 54 migrant peers, have been examined by us. We researched the state of stress-realizing (cortisol, TBA-active products, diene conjugates, adrenaline, noradrenaline) and stress-limiting (serotonin, melatonin, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPO), superoxide dismutase) systems.Results and discussion. In presence of stress there is a verifiable increase of cortisol concentration in children and adolescents from the JFO zone and in migrants, when compared to adolescents without stress. We have identified in adolescent migrants a decrease of GPO activity and an increase of melatonin level in presence of stress. In absence of stress there is in adolescents from the JFO zone a noted decrease in level of urinary excretion of adrenaline. In migrants we have identified a reverse tendency.Conclusions. In children and adolescents from the JFO zone and in migrants we have established differences in nature of changes in stress-regulating systems, which point to pathogenic peculiarities in development of mechanisms of adaptation to undergone stress.