Hair Cortisol Research Articles

Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites and Hair Cortisone/Cortisol Measurements in Domestic Pigs Exposed to Road Transportation and Dexamethasone Treatment.

Pig homeostasis is challenged by stressful production practices, like road transportation. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are mediators of reactive homeostasis, and their concentrations are frequently used as a stress indicator. The adrenocortical activity of fattening female and castrated male pigs was monitored over a 5-day longitudinal study. A bi-factorial experimental design was applied on day 2; 18 pigs in pen 1 were transported for 3 h (T; 1.2 m2/pig), and 18 pigs were kept in pen 2 (NT). Ten pigs from each pen were treated with dexamethasone (T-D or NT-D), and eight with saline solution (T-SS or NT-SS). Adrenocortical activity was assessed by measuring the levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) and hair cortisol and cortisone. In T-SS pigs, the level of FGMs was higher after transportation than in NT-SS pigs. The level of FGMs of T-D pigs initially increased but then reached similar levels to those of NT-SS sooner than T-SS. In contrast, hair cortisol and cortisone did not respond to the treatments. Nevertheless, the hair cortisone/cortisol ratio increased due to transport and decreased after dexamethasone administration. Daily faecal sampling proved still more reliable than 60-day hair sampling for assessing adrenocortical activity. Transported pigs recovered their adrenocortical baseline levels within 24 h. Dexamethasone attenuated the response to transport.

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.

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.

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 < 0.05). Platelet, monocyte counts, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin tended to be greater in low BCS cows (0.05 < 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.

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.

Primary and secondary allostatic processes in the context of high-stress work: A multigroup moderation from the English longitudinal study of ageing

Evidence suggests that chronic cortisol excess may precede the development of an allostatic load, and that this association may be influenced by the level of work stress. This study aims to investigate the associations between hair cortisol concentration and the development of systemic allostatic load cross-sectionally and at a lag of four years, stratified by level of effort-reward imbalance.The sample consisted of respondents from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) who were in employment with hair cortisol measurements at baseline (wave 6), and allostatic load markers at baseline and follow-up (wave 8; n=411; 64 % female). Hair cortisol was used as a measure of total cortisol expression over the preceding two months. Allostatic load was modelled as a count-based index using nine markers; three per system, across the immune, metabolic and cardiovascular systems. This model was then grouped by a median-cut effort reward-imbalance scale (0.83) and regression pathways were compared between groups using a series of Chi-Squared tests of difference.Results provide evidence that higher hair cortisol concentrations predict an increase in immune and cardiovascular allostatic load cross-sectionally, and a metabolic allostatic load at a lag of four years. These pathways were found in the high effort-reward imbalance group, but not in the low effort-reward imbalance group. There were also significant differences found between groups for hair cortisol concentration as a predictor of concurrent immune and cardiovascular allostatic loadFindings may indicate a novel temporality to the accumulation of an allostatic load, and that the “tipping point” between allostasis and allostatic load may lie within the ability of the HPA axis to regulate the cardiovascular system concurrently, with longitudinal consequences for metabolic syndrome indicators.

A comparative study on hair cortisol concentration among generalized anxiety disorder patients with and without alcohol dependence syndrome presenting to a tertiary care center: A pilot study

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects up to 6% of the population, which if not detected early and adequately treated will continue as a hidden impairment resulting in disability. Aim: The primary objective of the study is to assess the hair cortisol levels (HairF) in persons with GAD with and without alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS), and the secondary objective is to assess whether HairF can be used as a biomarker for assessment of GAD. Materials and Methods: This comparative study was done on 94 subjects (68 persons with GAD with or without ADS and 26 healthy controls) who were divided into three groups. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ4) were also used to assess severity of anxiety symptoms. These scores were compared with HairF. Diagnostic accuracy of the HairF analysis test was done. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Results: The study found higher levels of HairF in persons with GAD (mean 189.4 ± 33.1) and GAD with ADS (164.2 ± 47.6) compared to healthy controls (mean 45.34 ± 40.7), which were statistically significant. Correlation of HAM-A and PHQ4 scores and HairF also showed positive correlation. The receiver operating characteristic curve suggested the best cutoff point at 88.4 pg/mg with a sensitivity of 98.5% and a specificity of 92.5%, clearly differentiating GAD from healthy controls. Conclusion: HairF were found to be higher in patients with GAD irrespective of ADS as comorbidity. The study supports the possibility of the HairF as a possible biomarker to detect GAD and play a complementary role in a multidimensional approach for management of chronic stress and anxiety.

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.

Patients with severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions have extremely high hair cortisol concentrations that do not correlate with the presence of depression

Patients with severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions have extremely high hair cortisol concentrations that do not correlate with the presence of depression

Associations of hair cortisol levels with violence, poor mental health, and harmful alcohol and other substance use among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya

Violence, poor mental health, and harmful substance use are commonly experienced by female sex workers (FSWs) in sub-Saharan Africa, all of which are associated with increased HIV susceptibility. We aimed to investigate the associations between violence, poor mental health and harmful alcohol/substance use with hair cortisol concentration (HCC) levels as a potential biological pathway linking the experiences of these stressors and HIV vulnerability. We used the baseline data of the Maisha Fiti study of FSWs in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants reported recent violence, poor mental health, and harmful alcohol/substance use. Hair samples proximal to the scalp were collected to measure cortisol levels determined by ELISA. We analysed the data of 425 HIV-negative respondents who provided at least 2 cm of hair sample. The prevalence of recent violence was 89.3% (physical 54.6%; sexual 49.4%; emotional 77.0% and financial 66.5%), and 29.1% had been arrested due to sex work. 23.7% of participants reported moderate/severe depression, 11.6% moderate/severe anxiety, 13.5% PTSD and 10.8% recent suicidal thoughts and/or attempts. About half of the participants (48.8%) reported recent harmful alcohol and/or other substance use. In multivariable linear regression analyses, both physical and/or sexual violence (adjusted geometric mean ratio (aGMR) = 1.28; 95% CI 1.01–1.62) and harmful alcohol and/or other substance use (aGMR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.03–1.65) were positively and independently associated with increased HCC levels. Findings suggest a role of violence and substance use in elevated HCC levels, which could increase HIV risk due to cortisol-related T cell activation. However, longitudinal and mechanistic studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Characteristics of the oral microbiome in youth exposed to caregiving adversity

Caregiving adversity (CA) exposure is robustly linked to increased risk for poor oral, physical, and mental health outcomes. Increasingly, the gut microbiome has garnered interest as a contributor to risk for and resilience to such health outcomes in CA-exposed individuals. Though often overlooked, the oral microbiome of CA-exposed individuals may be just as important a contributor to health outcomes as the gut microbiome. Indeed, outside the context of CA, the oral microbiome is well-documented as a regulator of both oral and systemic health, and preliminary data suggest its association with mental health. However, research examining the association between CA and the oral microbiome is extremely sparse, especially in childhood, when the community composition of such organisms is still stabilizing. To address that sparsity, in the current study, we examined composition and differential abundance metrics of the oral microbiome in 152 youth aged 6–16 years, who had either been exposed to significant caregiving adversity (significant separation from or maltreatment by a caregiver; N = 66, CA) or who had always remained with their biological/birth families (N = 86, Comparison). We identified a significant negative association between hair cortisol and oral microbiome richness in the Comparison group that was significantly blunted in the CA group. Additionally, youth in the CA group had altered oral microbiome composition and elevated abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria relative to youth in the Comparison group. Questionnaire measures of fatigue, somatic complaints, and internalizing symptoms had limited associations with oral microbiome features that were altered in CA. Although we found differences in the oral microbiomes of CA-exposed youth, further research is required to elucidate the implications of those differences for health and well-being.

Hair glucocorticoid levels decrease after multimodal inpatient treatment and predict therapy outcome in burnout-related depressive disorders

Objectives Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) indicates chronic stress exposure, which is a risk factor in the pathogenesis of burnout and depression. However, findings on HCC are inconsistent. Similarly, intervention studies show mixed effects on HCC. The present study aimed to shed light on these inconsistencies, by additionally considering also hair cortisone. Methods Twenty-five patients with a burnout-related depressive disorder receiving a multimodal inpatient treatment for clinical burnout and 17 matched healthy controls participated in this study. All participants provided 1 cm long hair samples at the beginning and end of the treatment. HCC and hair cortisone levels (HCNC) were determined. Meteorological data and duration of sick leave were considered as potential covariates. Burnout and depression were assessed with self-ratings, the latter also with examiner ratings. Results There were no significant group differences in glucocorticoid levels. Treatment led to a decrease in both depression severity and hair glucocorticoid concentration in inpatients, while lower HCNC in particular predicted a greater reduction in depression severity. Moreover, meteorological data and the duration of sick leave were also found to have an effect on hair glucocorticoid concentrations. Conclusions These results suggest that multimodal inpatient treatment of clinical burnout considerably reduced stress on both a psychological and biological level. In parallel, hair glucocorticoids appear to be sensitive biomarkers for the evaluation of treatment success and prediction. Examining both HCC and HCNC in intervention studies may provide clearer results than the usual examination of HCC alone.

Chemical and non-chemical stressors in a postpartum cohort through wristband and self report data: Links between increased chemical burden, economic, and racial stress

Multiple external stressors are known to have adverse impacts on health and development. Certain groups are more vulnerable and/or more likely to be exposed toenvironmental, psychological, and social stressors simultaneously. Yet, few studies have examined combined exposure to environmental toxicants and psychosocial stress. Here, we integrated environmental chemical exposure data collected using silicone wristbands and self-report social stressor data within the Brain and Early Experience (BEE) perinatal cohort to understand co-exposure to environmental chemicals and social stress. Silicone wristbands were worn for one week by mothers throughout central North Carolina who were 6 months postpartum (n = 97). Exposure to 110 environmental chemicals across eight chemical classes was quantified on silicone wristbands using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Social stress was evaluated using eight established self-report questionnaires (e.g., Brief Symptom Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale), quantifying experiences such as race-related stress, economic strain, and relationship conflict. Hair cortisol levels were measured as an additional metric of stress. The chemical exposure landscape and associations among chemical exposure, demographic characteristics, and social stress were characterized through individual variable analyses, cluster and data reduction, and compiled scoring approaches to comprehensively evaluate chemical and social stress burdens. We found that chemicals contain co-occurring patterns largely based on chemical class, with phthalates representing the chemical class with highest exposure and polychlorinated biphenyls the lowest. Chemicals showed differential exposure across racial groups, with diethyl phthalate, triphenyl phosphate, and tris(3,5-dimethyl phenyl) phosphate at higher levels in Black participants compared with White participants. Integrating social stressor profiling with chemical exposure data identified one particularly vulnerable subset of participants in which high chemical exposure burden coincided with high experiences of racism and economic stress. These findings demonstrate co-occurring chemical and social stress, warranting further investigation to better understand how these combined stressors may contribute to disparities in maternal and child health.

Hair cortisol concentrations are associated with greater adiposity in late adolescence amongst non-Hispanic White individuals.

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a biomarker of long-term stress. Higher HCC is associated with higher adiposity in adults; however, associations are not well characterized in adolescents. To examine cross-sectional associations of HCC with adiposity in late adolescence. Amongst 336 non-Hispanic White participants (48.5% female, mean 17.7 years) in Project Viva, we used multivariable linear regression models, overall and sex-stratified, to estimate associations of HCC with body mass index (BMI), bioelectric impedance (BIA) percent body fat, waist circumference (WC) and dual X-ray absorptiometry-measured percent and total fat or trunk fat mass. We adjusted models for age and known predictors of adiposity. Median (interquartile range) HCC was 2.1 pm/mg (1.0-4.5) and mean (SD) BMI was 23.1 kg/m2 (3.9), BIA %body fat 20.2% (9.9) and WC 80.6 cm (10.9). In adjusted models, higher HCC (per doubling) was associated with higher BMI (β = 0.19 kg/m2; 95%CI 0.00, 0.37) and BIA percent body fat (β = 0.41%; 95%CI 0.04, 0.77). We observed no evidence of effect modification by sex. Higher HCC was associated with greater adiposity in late adolescence. Further research is needed to disentangle the relationship between HCC and adolescent adiposity, including the temporal direction of the relationship and sex-specific associations.

Association between parental well-being and preschooler stress measured as hair cortisol concentration: A prospective cohort study.

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a valuable biomarker for evaluating chronic stress in preschoolers. However, few studies have explored early life HCC and its associated factors. This prospective cohort study analysed the HCC in children aged 6-48months and its associations with parental HCC as well as positive and negative parental mental health outcomes. We used data from the ongoing Longitudinal Examination Across Prenatal and Postpartum Health in Taiwan (LEAPP-HIT) project, conducted in Taipei between 2020 and 2024. Hair samples were collected from both parents and children in 177 families (91 samples obtained during pregnancy and 86 during the postpartum period). The parents also completed self-reported questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was conducted to analyse the data. We observed a significant positive correlation between parents' and preschoolers' HCC. Furthermore, maternal depression (adjusted beta coefficient [aβ]=0.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.02, 0.16) and perceived stress (aβ=0.15, 95% CI=0.02, 0.26) were positively associated with preschoolers' HCC. By contrast, higher maternal eudaimonia was associated with lower HCC in preschoolers (aβ=-0.11, 95% CI=-0.20, -0.01). For parents, maternal depression, anxiety, and perceived stress were independently associated with an increased HCC during the postnatal period, whereas maternal eudaimonia was negatively associated with HCC. Our results indicate that both mothers and fathers affect children's responses to stress. Assessment of cortisol stress hormone concentrations through hair samples can be a key means of detecting preschoolers' stress levels and enabling early intervention.

Association between hair cortisol and acute myocardial infarction in adults

Association between hair cortisol and acute myocardial infarction in adults

Comparison of human hair cortisol concentration stability for 1-year and 2-year test-retest intervals.

Human hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has previously been found to be highly stable for a 1-year interval (r=0.73) in terms of a product-moment correlation. The present study aimed to replicate this finding and compare HCC stability regarding 1-year and 2-year test-retest intervals. Female university students (N=39) provided hair strands twice (t1 and t2) at intervals of 1 (n=21) or 2years (n=18). Multiple regression analysis predicting HCC at t2 revealed a significant interaction term (HCC at t1 × time interval condition). It was determined that HCCs were substantially related for the 1-year interval but unrelated for the 2-year interval. The findings were not attributable to potential influences, such as hair treatment. The product-moment correlation showed nearly identical consistency with previous research regarding the 1-year test-retest interval. There was no significant product-moment correlation for the 2-year interval. Overall, these findings indicate that within a temporal framework of 1year, HCCs may be stable predictors in correlational studies where the focus is on the rank orders of measured values.

Hair cortisol is a physiological indicator of training stress for female footballers.

Chronic physical stress in female athletes can reduce mental health and athletic performance. Therefore, a chronic physical stress assessment method is required. This study examined whether hair cortisol concentration (HCC) predicted chronic physical stress changes in female university football players. We took measurements in August and December, just before the Japan college national tournament. Self-reported training load was significantly positively correlated with HCC. Self-reported training load had no significant relationship with fatigue as measured by the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition or with the stressors from the Stressor Scale for College Students. HCC was negatively correlated with reaction time in the spatial Stroop task, although the repeated correlation analysis showed no significant relationship. These results suggest that the chronic physical stress experienced by female footballers cannot be predicted by psychological indicators; however, they can be predicted by HCC, which could be used to prevent overtraining in these athletes.