Hair Cortisol Concentrations Research Articles

Chronic stress is gradually accumulated and peaks prior the occurrence of Takotsubo Syndrome: preliminary results based on hair cortisol concentration

Abstract Background Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is frequently triggered by stressful events suggesting that increased sympathetic activity has a role in its pathophysiology. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a promising biomarker of excess chronic stress by measuring cortisol secreted into hairs over several weeks. Purpose We explored whether premorbid ongoing stress over several weeks assessed by HCC at 2 weeks intervals is associated with the occurrence of TTS. Methods A case-control prospective study was performed by recruiting 18 consecutive TTS patients and 36 age- and sex-matched individuals free from cardiovascular or psychiatric disease. Hair samples were collected from participants vertex. Provided that 1 cm of hair represents cortisol levels over ~1 month period, 2.5 cm of hair samples, with many strands each, were cut in equal parts of 0.5 cm, representing cortisol levels in time intervals of 0-15, 15-30, 30-45, 45-60 and 60-75 days prior to hair collection. Results All TTS patients were women with a mean age of 71.8±11.2 years. HCC was significantly higher in TTS group versus controls starting from 45 days prior to the event (Figure 1A). Based on the linear mixed effects model, HCC was higher in the TTS group compared to controls at any time point and increased over time starting from 75 days prior to the event, while the rate of increase was significantly higher in TTS versus controls (beta of interaction = 0.48; 95%CI: 0.36 – 0.60; p < 0.001). The model explained a high percentage of the variance (conditional R2 = 0.885). The plot of the predicted HCC over time by diagnosis group is shown in Figure 1B. Conclusions Our preliminary data suggest that accumulation of chronic stressful events may cause hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation and hyperactivity leading to HCC increase, and this might be implicated in the pathophysiology of TTS.Figure 1.Plot of observed and predicted HCC

Hair cortisol concentration, a biomarker of stress, is gradually increased in patients with acute myocardial infarction before the acute episode

Abstract Background/Introduction Chronic stress is considered to be an important element of residual cardiovascular risk and modern guidelines recommend its systematic assessment and treatment. Its pathophysiologic contribution, however, in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was not, until recently, easy to elucidate. This arises from difficulties in objectively quantifying stress levels using conventional research methods, like questionnaires. Purpose The purpose of our study was to measure stress levels at the days preceding an acute myocardial infarction using a solid biomarker, Hair Cortisol Concentration (HCC). Methods 102 consecutive patients with AMI (71 patients with ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction [STEMI] and 31 with Non ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction) from our institution were recruited for this study. We took hair samples from them to precisely measure HCC, which reflects cumulative cortisol levels for the time period preceding the acute event. We also did full clinical, biochemical and psychological evaluation. HCC levels were then compared with 50 age-matched healthy controls. Results To assess the temporal trend of HCC in hair segments, corresponding to specific time periods, we fitted linear mixed models. The mixed effects linear model including the main effects of time and group (AMI versus controls) and their interaction showed that cortisol concentration in hair increased over time with higher rate of increase in AMI patients versus controls (beta of interaction = 3.57; 95%CI: 1.74, 5.40; p < 0.001) The model explained a high percentage of the variance (conditional R2=0.940). No other baseline variable had a significant effect when added to the basic model. There was no significant difference between STEMI and NSTEMI (beta of interaction = 1.15; 95%CI: -1.330, 3.59; p = 0.358) Conclusions Hair cortisol levels, presumably reflecting stress levels, were gradually increasing before an acute myocardial infarction with higher rate of increase in patients compared to healthy controls. There was no significant difference between STEMI and NSTEMI patients. Picture 1. Predicted hair concentrations of cortisol over time prior to the event, based on linear mixed models.

No effect of infant nursery rearing on laboratory rhesus monkey dams’ social behavior or long-term cortisol profiles

While the behavioral and physiological impacts of nursery rearing in laboratory-housed infant monkeys have been well characterized, to date no studies have examined the impact on nonhuman primate dams of their infants being removed for rearing in the nursery. Despite the lack of evidence on the topic, anti-animal research groups often cite mother-infant separation and infant nursery rearing (NR) as a welfare concern for laboratory monkey mothers. As such, important policy decisions regarding research activities may result without adequate evidence. Therefore, we designed this study to examine behavioral and hormonal responses in laboratory monkey dams, who were part of independent long-term longitudinal studies, in response to their infants being NR or mother-peer-reared (MPR). We assessed social, self-care, environmental exploration, and abnormal behaviors for 30 days before and 30 days after parturition in rhesus monkey dams (Macaca mulatta, N=49). Infants were randomly assigned to be either NR (N = 27) or MPR (N = 22). We also analyzed hair samples for cortisol concentrations three times across the study period (Pregnancy, Neonatal Period, Peak Lactation). Dams of NR infants showed no gross behavioral differences relative to dams of MPR infants (all p’s>0.05). Dams of MPR infants showed expected increases in social grooming and social contact, and concomitant decreases in foraging and locomotion, in the 30 days post-partum compared to the 30 days pre-partum (p<0.01). Dams whose infants were NR or MPR showed no differences in hair cortisol concentrations across the study period (p>0.05). We conclude that, with respect to the behavioral and endocrine measures we assessed, nursery rearing of their infants is not detrimental to the welfare of laboratory-housed macaque dams.

Higher hair cortisol levels associated with previous cardiovascular events and cardiovascular risks in a large cross-sectional population study

BackgroundStress is today a common feature of patients seeking medical care and a growing public health issue in society. A method has been developed to measure biological chronic stress by Hair Cortisol Concentrations (HCC). This biomarker, for chronic stress, captures information about cumulative cortisol levels over the course of several months. Long-term stress might be one of the factors contributing to the onset of cardiovascular conditions and also affecting different risk factors. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between Hair Cortisol Concentrations and previous cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factors.MethodsThe method of measuring chronic stress by Hair Cortisol Concentration was applied in a large Swedish national observational cross-sectional study. A population-based random sample of N = 4,821 Swedish middle-aged men and women was analysed for hair cortisol levels in relation to diagnosed previous cardiovascular diseases and biologically measured cardiovascular risk factors.ResultsLong-term stress, measured by hair cortisol, was significantly associated with the classical cardiovascular risk factors hypertension and high cholesterol, but not smoking. Those with elevated HCC levels also had a significantly increased pre-history of myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation and by-pass surgery, but not regarding stroke, angina pectoris or sleep apnoea. Higher HCC was significantly associated (p < 0.001) with Body mass index and waist circumference, but only for females. HCC was also associated with the risk markers leukocytes, and high-sensitivity CRP, indicating a possible linkage between HCC and inflammation and hypothetically also the bodily immune defense. No association was found between perceived stress and HCC.ConclusionsAn overall conclusion of our results is that health care should put more emphasis on patients reporting that they have been exposed to long term stress. Altogether, these analyses of Hair cortisol levels in a large middle-aged population show that chronically elevated cortisol levels represent a relevant and significant factor associated with cardiovascular diseases and classical cardiovascular risk factors.

Body mass index across development and adolescent hair cortisol: the role of persistence, variability, and timing of exposure.

Research suggests a putative role of the glucocorticoid stress hormone cortisol in the accumulation of adiposity. However, obesity and weight fluctuations may also wear and tear physiological systems promoting adaptation, affecting cortisol secretion. This possibility remains scarcely investigated in longitudinal research. This study tests whether trajectories of body mass index (BMI) across the first 15 years of life are associated with hair cortisol concentration (HCC) measured two years later and whether variability in BMI and timing matter. BMI (kg/m2) was prospectively measured at twelve occasions between age 5 months and 15 years. Hair was sampled at age 17 in 565 participants. Sex, family socioeconomic status, and BMI measured concurrently to HCC were considered as control variables. Latent class analyses identified three BMI trajectories: "low-stable" (59.2%, n = 946), "moderate" (32.6%, n = 507), and "high-rising" (8.2%, n = 128). BMI variability was computed by dividing the standard deviation of an individual's BMI measurements by the mean of these measurements. Findings revealed linear effects, such that higher HCC was noted for participants with moderate BMI trajectories in comparison to low-stable youth (β = 0.10, p = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.02-0.40]); however, this association was not detected in the high-rising BMI youth (β = -0.02, p = 0.71, 95% CI = [-0.47-0.32]). Higher BMI variability across development predicted higher cortisol (β = 0.17, p = 0.003, 95% CI = [0.10-4.91]), additively to the contribution of BMI trajectories. BMI variability in childhood was responsible for that finding, possibly suggesting a timing effect. This study strengthens empirical support for BMI-HCC association and suggests that more attention should be devoted to BMI fluctuations in addition to persistent trajectories of BMI.

Hair cortisol concentrations across pregnancy and maternal postpartum depressive symptoms - The ELFE cohort.

Postpartum depression and depressive symptoms have a major impact on maternal and infant health and well-being, yet to date their aetiology remains unclear. One hypothesis suggests a link between these symptoms and variations in prenatal cortisol levels, but existing evidence is limited and inconclusive. This study aims to provide additional evidence to disentangle the relationship between prenatal cortisol concentrations and subsequent occurrence of postpartum depressive symptoms. Cortisol for all three trimesters of pregnancy was extracted from the hair of 775 women participating in the French ELFE cohort. Depressive symptomatology at two months postpartum was assessed through the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Associations between prenatal cortisol levels and EPDS scores were tested using propensity-score weighted logistic regression models to control for confounders. An increase in mean cortisol concentrations was observed from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy. No significant differences in hair cortisol concentrations were found during the first and second trimesters between women who experienced postpartum depressive symptoms and those who did not. However, an association was observed between third trimester hair cortisol concentrations and depressive symptoms at two months postpartum. Women whose cortisol concentrations fell within the second quartile had a higher risk of subsequent PPDS (aOR=2.67, 95%CI [1.01, 7.08]). Using a large sample from the general population, we observed an association between hair cortisol levels during the third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, our results suggest that future studies could benefit from investigating other biomarkers of the reactivity of the corticotropic axis.

Hair cortisol sampling as a measure of physiological stress in youth with acute musculoskeletal pain

Stress physiology contributes to health outcomes. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is an objective measure of cumulative cortisol secretion associated with health, including pain. The aim of the current study was to describe associations between pre-injury stress physiology (as measured by HCC), acute pain characteristics and relevant demographic factors (i.e., BMI, age, sex, days since injury) in youth with an acute musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. Participants were 58 youth aged 11 to 17 with acute MSK pain. Participants completed self-report measures assessing pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and pain interference. Hair was collected within 1 month after injury using hair cortisol collection procedures adapted from published research protocols. Correlations examining associations among HCC values and clinical/demographic factors revealed that higher HCC was associated with lower body mass index (BMI) and male sex. HCC was not associated with pain variables or age. Additional research is needed to clarify the relation between HCC and psychosocial variables to aid researchers in studying the role of pre-injury stress in acute MSK injury and pain recovery in youth.

Relationship between chronic diseases, hair cortisol concentration and welfare of housed dairy goats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between seroprevalence of chronic diseases, hair cortisol concentration (HCC), and welfare of dairy goats housed throughout a productive cycle. Sixty multiparous dairy goats, over four years old, were selected. An animal welfare assessment was conducted using health indicators for goats, according to the AWIN protocol. Blood samples were also collected for haematology and determination of seroprevalence of chronic diseases, hair samples for determination of HCC, milk samples for chemical composition and somatic cell counts, and faecal samples for parasite load. Small Ruminant Lentivirus (SRLv) had a prevalence of 71.66%, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) of 5%, Leptospira interrogans of 40% and Ovine Gammaherpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2) of 50%. The percentages of goats that tested positive for one, two or three diseases were 31.67%, 50% and 11.66%respectively. Haematological alterations included hyperproteinaemia (84.94 ± 1.58 g/L) and hyperfibrinogenaemia (6.11± 0.65 g/L) for those with one or two diseases, with significant differences being found (P &lt; 0.05). The welfare indicatorsrelated to health and the number of diseases were poor body condition, poor coat, poor udder conformation, andmucosal lesions (P &lt; 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed between HCC and the number of chronicdiseases in dairy goats (P &gt; 0.05). Higher concentrations of cortisol in hair were found at 150 days of lactation (16.65 ± 1.39pg/mg) compared to the mating season (9.55 ± 0.04 pg/mg) (P &lt; 0.05). No associations were found (P &gt; 0.05) betweenthe production, composition, and somatic cell counts in milk and cortisol concentrations and diseases. It was concludedthat the presence of chronic diseases in goats did not influence hair cortisol concentrations, possibly due to an effect ofadaptive tolerance to diseases, as occurs in other domestic species; however, there was an effect of the productive stage.

Echoes of conflict and displacement in maternal health: Life-course violence, timing, and maternal stress after childbirth at the northern Thailand-Myanmar border

Armed conflict, displacement, and related violence is escalating globally, concentrated among civilians and migrants in border areas, and poses grave harms to women and children. The current study investigates how women’s life-course experiences of conflict and displacement are linked to maternal stress and health outcomes after childbirth at the Thailand-Myanmar border, specifically stress, mental health, and cardiometabolic outcomes. Analyses are based on a cross-sectional population-based maternal and child health survey of 701 mothers, collected in 2017–18 in northern Thailand along the Myanmar border, including in camps, worksites, and residential homes. Results suggest that how conflict violence shapes contemporary stress and health depends on the outcome, level and timing of conflict violence exposure, and subsequent contextual threats and deprivation in displacement contexts. Past conflict violence was associated with symptoms of perceived stress (PS) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) but not depression. It was also associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity (hair cortisol concentration) and adiposity (waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio). Additionally, past conflict violence that began in childhood was particularly salient for PS, GAD, and adiposity; and level and timing of violence were salient jointly for HPA activity. Post-displacement factors also independently predicted higher blood pressure and played a potentially partial mediating role in the association between conflict exposure and both PS and GAD symptoms.

Hair cortisol concentrations in clipped and combed hair and associations with characteristics, health status and stress in domestic cats

Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) are measured to assess long-term HPA-axis activity and may represent a valuable non-invasive tool to evaluate chronic stress in cats. This study investigated combing as a novel, low-stress method for HCC assessment, as well as possible associations between HCC and cat characteristics in 167 owned cats. Hair was sampled at veterinary clinics through clipping and/or combing the cat, or at home by the owner combing the cat. A questionnaire was sent to cat owners, including inquiries about the cat’s sex, health status, and exposure to stress. HCC was quantified using a commercial cortisol assay kit. Despite variations within and between sampling methods, Spearman’s correlation and Bland–Altman plots revealed a moderate correlation between clipped and combed samples (rs = 0.61, LOA -5.51 ± 22.54). In multiple linear regression, variations in HCC were observed based on sex, health status and cat group size. No associations were found between HCC and stress as assessed by owners. Despite study limitations and remaining uncertainty regarding factors influencing HCC, combing presents a convenient approach for evaluating long-term HPA-axis activity in clinical settings. The association between health and HCC suggests alterations in cortisol levels that are related to disease processes and stress-inducing events associated with the disease.

Links between ethnic discrimination, mental health, protective factors, and hair cortisol concentrations in asylum seekers living in Germany

ABSTRACT Objective: Asylum seekers often experience ethnic discrimination on the flight or in the host country, which may be associated with chronic stress and impaired mental health. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, a known physiological correlate of chronic stress, can be assessed using hair cortisol concentrations (HCC). The present study aimed to investigate how different forms of perceived ethnic discrimination are associated with mental health outcomes, HCC, and protective factors in asylum seekers living in Germany. Methods: Somatic symptoms (PHQ-15), symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PDS), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), different forms of ethnic discrimination (active harm, passive harm, institutional discrimination), and protective factors (in-group identification, social support) were assessed cross-sectionally in 144 asylum seekers (average age 32 years, average duration of stay in Germany nine months; 67% men). HCC were obtained from 68 participants. Multiple regression analyses were conducted and social support and in-group identification were tested as potential moderators. Results: Active ethnic discrimination was positively associated with all assessed mental health outcomes, and all forms of ethnic discrimination positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Ethnic discrimination was not associated with HCC. When controlling for other possible influences (e.g. age, gender, traumatic events), passive harm was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (β = −0.17, p = .033) and active harm was positively associated (β = 0.28, p = .022) with somatic symptoms. After the inclusion of the protective factors, the associations were no longer significant. Lower social support was associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = −0.35, p < .001), posttraumatic stress (β = −0.77, p < .001), and somatic symptoms (β = −0.32, p < .001), but did not moderate the associations between ethnic discrimination and the mental health outcomes. Conclusions: Perceived ethnic discrimination may negatively influence asylum seekers’ mental health but does not seem to be associated with HCC. Social support was associated with psychological symptom severity, but did not buffer the effects of ethnic discrimination on mental health.

The impact of maternal vulnerability on stress biomarkers and first-trimester growth: the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort (Predict Study)

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Is the degree of maternal vulnerability positively associated with stress biomarkers (stress hormones, C-reactive protein, tryptophan metabolites, and one-carbon metabolites), and does long-term exposure to stress hormones reduce first-trimester growth? SUMMARY ANSWER The maternal vulnerability risk score is positively associated with concentrations of hair cortisol and cortisone and negatively with tryptophan, while higher hair cortisol concentrations are associated with reduced first-trimester growth without mediation of tryptophan. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY A high degree of maternal vulnerability during the periconception period is associated with impaired first-trimester growth and pregnancy complications, with consequences for long-term health of the child and future life course. However, due to the challenges of early identification of vulnerable women, the uptake of periconception care is low in this target group. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Between June 2022 and June 2023, this study was conducted in a sub-cohort of 160 pregnant women participating in the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort (Predict Study), an ongoing prospective tertiary hospital-based cohort. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS One hundred and thirty-two women with ongoing pregnancies and available stress biomarker data were included in the analysis. Data on periconceptional social, lifestyle, and medical risk factors were collected via self-administered questionnaires, and these factors were used for the development of a composite maternal vulnerability risk score. Stress biomarkers, including stress hormones (hair cortisol and cortisone) and inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers (C-reactive protein, total homocysteine, and tryptophan metabolites) were determined in the first trimester of pregnancy. First-trimester growth was assessed by crown–rump length (CRL) and embryonic volume (EV) measurements at 7, 9, and 11 weeks gestation by making use of an artificial intelligence algorithm and virtual reality techniques using 3D ultrasound data sets. The associations between the maternal vulnerability risk score and stress biomarkers were identified using linear regression models, and between stress hormones and CRL- and EV-trajectories using mixed models. A mediation analysis was performed to assess the contribution of tryptophan. All associations were adjusted for potential confounders, which were identified using a data-driven approach. Several sensitivity analyses were performed to check the robustness of the findings. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The maternal vulnerability risk score was positively associated with concentrations of hair cortisol and cortisone (pg/mg) (β = 0.366, 95% CI = 0.010–0.722; β = 0.897, 95% CI = 0.102–1.691, respectively), and negatively with tryptophan concentrations (µmol/L) (β = –1.637, 95% CI = –2.693 to –0.582). No associations revealed for C-reactive protein and total homocysteine. Higher hair cortisol concentrations were associated with reduced EV-trajectories (3√EV: β = –0.010, 95% CI = –0.017 to –0.002), while no associations were found with CRL-trajectories. Mediation by tryptophan was not shown. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Residual confounding cannot be ruled out, and the external validity may be limited due to the study’s single-center observational design in a tertiary hospital. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS There is mounting evidence that a high degree of maternal vulnerability negatively affects maternal and perinatal health, and that of the future life course. The results of our study emphasize the need to identify highly vulnerable women as early as possible, at least before conception. Our findings suggest that the chronic stress response and alterations of the maternal tryptophan metabolism are involved in maternal vulnerability, affecting first-trimester growth, with potential impact on the long-term health of the offspring. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was funded by the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Clinical Chemistry of the Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and the Junior Award granted by the De Snoo—van ’t Hoogerhuijs Foundation in March 2022. There are no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.

Caring for a child with cancer: Parental competence, distress, and cortisol levels

Parents of children facing cancer are subject to psychological distress. In this study, we explored whether the time that had passed since a child’s cancer diagnosis was associated with parents’ distress levels and whether parental sense of competence (PSOC) moderated this association. Forty-four parents of children with cancer who were hospitalized during 2022 participated. Parents completed questionnaires and provided hair samples for the examination of hair cortisol concentration (HCC). Correlations indicated no significant association between time since diagnosis and distress indices. Yet, linear regression analysis revealed that PSOC moderated the association between time since diagnosis and parental HCC ( β = −0.36, p &lt; 0.05). For parents with low PSOC, time since diagnosis did not predict parental HCC. For parents with high PSOC, a longer time since diagnosis was associated with lower levels of parental HCC. Our results provide support for the clinical significance of PSOC as a target for intervention.

Longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and cell deformability: do glucocorticoids play a role?

AbstractCell deformability of all major blood cell types is increased in depressive disorders (DD). Furthermore, impaired glucocorticoid secretion is associated with DD, as well as depressive symptoms in general and known to alter cell mechanical properties. Nevertheless, there are no longitudinal studies examining accumulated glucocorticoid output and depressive symptoms regarding cell deformability. The aim of the present study was to investigate, whether depressive symptoms predict cell deformability one year later and whether accumulated hair glucocorticoids mediate this relationship. In 136 individuals (nfemale = 100; Mage = 46.72, SD = 11.28; age range = 20–65), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) and hair glucocorticoids (cortisol and cortisone) were measured at time point one (T1), while one year later (T2) both depressive symptoms and hair glucocorticoids were reassessed. Additionally, cell deformability of peripheral blood cells was assessed at T2. Depression severity at T1 predicted higher cell deformability in monocytes and lymphocytes at T2. Accumulated hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations from T1 and T2 were not associated with higher cell deformability and further did not mediate the relationship between depressive symptoms and cell deformability. Elevated depressive symptomatology in a population based sample is longitudinally associated with higher immune cell deformability, while long-term integrated glucocorticoid levels seem not to be implicated in the underlying mechanism.

262 Why are some cows skinny? An evaluation of stress and immune factors

Abstract For the mature cow with low body condition scores (BCS), being too thin can accompany health issues, reduced pregnancy rates, more days to rebreeding, and decreased milk production resulting in lighter calves at weaning. In addition, reduced fat insulation in low BCS cows during the winter equates to additional feed requirements for warmth. The hypothesis of this study was that stress and immune factors contribute to low BCS in mature cows. The objective of this study was to determine whether there were differences in hematology parameters, hair cortisol concentrations, and plasma cytokine concentrations among animals with low body condition (BCS ≤ 4). Over a 3 yr study, we collected 62 pairs of cows which included cows with a BCS ≤ 4, and a matched control animal born in the same year with the same or similar breed composition from the same population of animals with a BCS of 5 or higher. Hematology parameters, cytokine concentration, and cortisol concentrations were analyzed using a model with BCS classification and sample year as fixed effects and age in years as a covariate. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell and mean platelet volume were all less among the low BCS cows, and neutrophil count was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Platelet, monocyte counts, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin tended to be greater in low BCS cows (0.05 &amp;lt; P ≤ 0.1), and lymphocyte count tended to be less. Hair cortisol concentrations, a longer-term measure of cortisol, tended to be greater in low BCS cows (P = 0.09). None of the 15 cytokines tested differed with BCS. The combination of reduced RBC parameters with greater neutrophils suggests that low BCS cows were responding to or were the reflection of some type of chronic stressor, such as a subclinical disease state or a physiologic stressor. This was also supported by the tendency for greater cortisol concentrations in low BCS cows. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

336 Effects of feeding an immunomodulatory feed additive (NutraGen) on metabolite concentrations and cortisol production in calves following exposure to a combination bovine respiratory disease challenge

Abstract Two 89-d experiments (Exp 1 and Exp 2) evaluated the effects of feeding an immunomodulatory feed additive (NutraGen; NG) in calves following exposure to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) on d -3 and Mannheimia haemolytica (MH) infection on d 0. For each experiment, steers [body weight (BW) = 251 ± 38.2 kg)] were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments. Treatments included a placebo (CON; Exp 1 n = 5; Exp 2 n = 5), a placebo fed from d -18 to d -3 followed by NG fed from d -3 to d 28 (CHLG; Exp 1 n = 5; Exp 2 n = 6), and NG fed from d -18 to d 28 (PREC; Exp 1 n = 6; Exp 2 n = 5). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS Version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.). Animal served as the experimental unit and time served as a repeated measure. Treatment, time, and the treatment × time interaction served as fixed effects. Block was included as a random effect. Multiple treatment × time interactions and time effects occurred for serum glucose, lactate, blood urea nitrogen, and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations (P ≤ 0.003) in both experiments. There was a general trend for serum glucose to decrease over time post-challenge, suggesting increased cellular utilization of glucose in response to the challenge. In Exp 1, treatment effects occurred for serum glucose (P ≤ 0.001) and serum lactate (P ≤ 0.01), where calves assigned to the CHLG treatment displayed the greatest concentrations of the metabolites. Blood urea nitrogen concentrations peaked at h 48 in Exp 1 and h 6 in Exp 2. There were no treatment effects or treatment × time interactions for serum cortisol, hair cortisol, or fecal corticosterone concentrations in either experiment (P ≥ 0.17). There were, however, multiple time effects for serum cortisol, hair cortisol, and fecal corticosterone concentrations in both experiments (P ≤ 0.02), indicating that the challenge directly impacted cortisol and corticosterone production. Serum cortisol steadily increased from h 96 to h 168 in both experiments. Trends in cortisol and corticosterone production were similar in both experiments; however, peak concentration times for these variables occurred later in Exp 2. These data suggest that feeding NG to calves may alter glucose availability and nutrient utilization in response to infection resulting from a bovine respiratory disease challenge.

Prosocial reputation and stress among contemporary hunter-gatherers: the Hadza case

It has been suggested that having a reputation for being prosocial is a critical part of social status across all human societies. It has also been argued that prosocial behavior confers benefits, whether physiological, such as stress reduction, or social, such as building allies or becoming more popular. Here, we investigate the relationship between helping reputation (being named as someone others would go to for help), and hair-derived chronic stress (hair cortisol concentration). In a sample of 77 women and 62 men, we found that perceived helping reputation was not related to chronic stress. Overall, the results of our study suggest that, in an egalitarian society with fluid camp membership and widely practiced generosity such as the Hadza, helping reputation does not necessarily boost stress-related health benefits through prestige-signaling mechanisms observed in hierarchical, large-scale societies.

Hair cortisol and psychiatric symptomatology in children; outcomes of group CBT

The associations between hair cortisol concentration (HCC), a biomarker of chronic stress, and behavior and sleep disturbance symptoms have not been studied in children with psychiatric disorders. While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven effective in treating psychiatric symptoms in children, its potential biological implications as determined by HCC have not been investigated. We explored associations between HCC, behavior and sleep disturbance symptoms, and different diagnostic groupings (depression/anxiety, ADHD, or other types of psychiatric disorders) in clinician-diagnosed 6-12-year-old children (n = 100) with mixed psychiatric disorders and comorbidities. In addition, we examined whether group CBT led to changes in HCC, behavior symptoms, and sleep disturbance symptoms and whether any fluctuations in HCC levels were associated with potential symptom change. We collected data on HCC, internalizing and externalizing symptoms (The Spence Children's Anxiety Self-Report, Child Behavior Checklist, and Teacher Report Form), and sleep disturbance symptoms (The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children) at three time points (baseline, post-treatment, and seven-month follow-up). Baseline HCC was not associated with behavior or sleep disturbance symptoms, whereas behavior and sleep disturbance symptoms were mutually correlated. No changes in HCC levels were observed with group CBT. Moreover, potential variations in HCC levels over the course of the study did not appear to be associated with behavior symptom relief after group CBT. Our findings suggest that HCC may not be a methodologically relevant biomarker of behavior or sleep disturbance symptoms in children with diverse psychiatric disorders.

Age and Hair Cortisol Levels as Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Chronic psychosocial stress is known to adversely impact immune function. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, occupational stress among workers in healthcare was at an unprecedented level due to risks of infection and work demands. We performed a nested case-control study to investigate the associations between chronic stress and the risks of contracting SARS-CoV-2. We collected 3 cm of hair from employees at an academic medical center who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (N = 49) and controls who tested negative (N = 49), matched for age, race, and sex. The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 was based on polymerase chain reaction or antibody tests. As a proxy for chronic stress, we segmented hair into 1 cm sections each representing one month and measured cortisol levels using a cortisol enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For cases, we used cortisol concentrations measured in hair segments from the month prior to a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, and for controls, we used time-matched hair segments. We fitted conditional logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, race, body mass index, and healthcare worker status, and stratified models by older vs. younger age (cutoff = 41 years). African Americans had higher hair cortisol levels relative to participants of other races and ethnicities. In adjusted models, higher hair cortisol concentrations were associated with an increased odds of infection with SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 1.84; CI: 1.10-3.07) among older, but not younger, participants. The results suggest that psychosocial stress may be a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection; stress management may be an important part of a comprehensive approach to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Relationship of Inflammatory Mediators (Interleukin and Cortisol Concentrations) with Corneal Epithelial Quantifiable Metrics

PurposeTo investigate the relationship of inflammatory biomarkers with corneal epithelial quantifiable metrics in patients with keratoconus and in healthy eyes. DesignProspective observational comparative study. ParticipantsThis study included 100 eyes of 100 patients, 48 eyes of 48 patients with KC, and 52 healthy eyes of 52 healthy controls. MethodsThe concentrations of tear cytokines were investigated in both groups: interleukin (IL) 1B, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12p70 and TNFα were obtained by capillary flow and measured using flow cytometer. Cortisol concentrations were determined in both groups from the most proximal hair segment as an index of cumulative secretion and measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Epithelial variables were obtained with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Pearson correlation (r) was used to measure linear dependence between two different variables. Main Outcome MeasuresInvestigating the existence, strength, and significance of any correlation between inflammatory biomarkers (IL1B, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12p70, TNFα and hair cortisol concentration) and OCT corneal epithelial quantifiable variables such as minimum and maximum epithelial thickness of the map, difference between the minimum and maximum (Epithelial Min-Max) and standard deviation of the epithelial thickness of the map (Epithelial Std Dev) and average epithelial thickness of the superior and inferior regions of the map. ResultsEyes with keratoconus presented statistically significantly higher levels of IL1b (p=0.02), IL6 (p <0.0001), IL8 (p <0.0001), and TNFα (p <0.0001) and hair cortisol concentration (p=0.01) compared to healthy controls.There was a significant correlation between IL6 and measurement Epithelium Min-Max [Pearson= -0.59 (-0.69, -0.47); p<0.0001] and Epithelial standard deviation (Std Dev) [Pearson= +0.56 (0.44, 0.67); p<0.0001]. There was a significant correlation between hair cortisol concentration and Epithelium Min-Max [Pearson=-0.27 (-0.42, -0.1); p<0.0001] and Epithelium Std Dev groups [Pearson= +0.2 (0.03, 0.36); p=0.021]. There was also a significant correlation between TNFα and Epithelial Max. [Pearson= -0.37 (-0.55, 0.17); p<0.0001]. We found no significant correlation between the concentration of IL1b, IL8, IL10 and IL2p70 with any epithelium parameters. ConclusionsThe higher concentration of inflammatory markers (IL6 and hair cortisol) in eyes with keratoconus present a significant correlation with OCT metrics identifying epithelial variability, such as Epithelial Min-Max and Std Dev. These findings demonstrate the role of chronic inflammation in eyes with keratoconus, and that these epithelial changes detectable with OCT are sensitive to this inflammatory process.