Significant Changes In Cortisol Research Articles

Is cortisol an endogenous mediator of erectile dysfunction in the adult male?

It has been speculated for decades whether there is a significance of the adrenal corticosteroid cortisol in the process of male sexual function, including the control of sexual arousal and penile erection. In order to investigate further the role of the adrenocorticotropic axis in the physiological process of penile erection, we aimed to determine the course of cortisol in the cavernous and systemic blood through different stages of sexual arousal in patients suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) in comparison to a cohort of healthy males. Fifty-four healthy adult males and 45 patients with ED were presented sexually explicit visual material in order to elicit tumescence and (in the healthy males) rigid erection. Blood was collected from the cavernous space (corpus cavernosum penis, CC) and a cubital vein (CV) at different stages of the sexual arousal cycle as indicated by the penile stages flaccidity, tumescence, rigidity (attained only by the healthy males) and detumescence. Cortisol (µg/dL serum) was measured using a radioimmunometric assay (RIA). In healthy males, cortisol decreased in both the cavernous and systemic blood with the beginning of sexual stimulation (CV: 15 to 13, CC: 16 to 13). At detumescence, in the systemic circulation, no alterations in cortisol levels were registered, whereas it decreased further in the CC (to 12). In the ED patients, no significant changes in cortisol were noticed in the systemic and cavernous blood. The findings indicate that cortisol might act as an antagonist of the normal sexual response cycle of the adult male. A dysregulation of the secretion and/or degradation of the hormone might well play a role in the manifestation of ED.

You're stressing me out! Effect of interspecific competition from red deer on roe deer physiological stress response

AbstractCortisol is the main glucocorticoid hormone commonly measured to assess adrenocortical activity in vertebrates in response to potential stressors. Competition and habitat quality may act as chronic stressors leading to an increase in cortisol accumulation. Moreover, chronic cortisol concentrations may seriously hamper the reproductive potential, health status and body condition of a species. Using hair collected from the rump of 88 adult roadkill roe deer Capreolus capreolus in the north‐eastern Italy, we aimed to assess the effect of both ungulate competitor population densities and habitat suitability on the long‐term physiological stress response of roe deer, using hair cortisol as a reference parameter. Our findings revealed that roe deer showed higher cortisol concentrations in response to higher red deer Cervus elaphus population density, most likely as a consequence of direct interspecific competition. No significant cortisol changes were however recorded in response to both wild boar Sus scrofa and roe deer population densities, probably as a result of reduced competition because of abundant feeding resources, different species population densities and spatial/temporal avoidance among species. Moreover, the absence of a significant effect as far as habitat suitability is concerned, suggest that roe deer are well adapted to live even in poor quality habitats most likely as long as they are close to better quality habitats which provide access to food resources and refuge sites. Our results highlight the importance of hair cortisol as a suitable parameter to assess physiological chronic stress response towards different environmental/ecological conditions.

Reactivity of the Oxytocinergic and Neuroendocrine System Following the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System in Men of Recent Fatherhood: Results from an Exploratory Pilot Study with a Cross-Sectional Design.

The attachment representation (AR) of individuals affects emotional and cognitive information processes and is considered an important modulating factor of neuroendocrine stress responses. The neuropeptide oxytocin is studied as one biomolecular component underpinning this modulation. A validated procedure used in attachment-related research is the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP). To date, only a limited number of studies investigated oxytocin and neuroendocrine reactivity in the context of an attachment-related stimulus similar to the APP. In this pilot study, N = 26 men of recent fatherhood were exposed to the AAP to classify AR and to investigate salivary changes in oxytocin, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) after AAP stimulation. We observed increased oxytocin levels in response to AAP exposure, and this increase was more pronounced in fathers with unresolved/disorganized AR. No significant changes in cortisol and DHEA concentrations were observed in response to AAP administration. Interestingly, differences in basal cortisol levels (before the AAP) also depended on AR classification. Here, the group of men with unresolved/disorganized AR showed higher levels of cortisol compared to fathers with organized AR. To conclude, the finding of increased salivary oxytocin levels in response to the AAP further indicates its validity as an instrument to stimulate the attachment system.

Epidural Steroid Injections Acutely Suppress Bone Formation Markers in Postmenopausal Women.

Over 9 million epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are performed annually in the United States. Although these injections effectively treat lumbar radicular pain, they may have adverse consequences, including bone loss. To investigate acute changes in bone turnover following ESI. We focused on postmenopausal women, who may be at greatest risk for adverse skeletal consequences due to the combined effects of ESIs with aging and estrogen deficiency. Single-center prospective observational study. Postmenopausal women undergoing lumbar ESIs and controls with no steroid exposure were included. Outcomes were serum cortisol, markers of bone formation, osteocalcin, and procollagen type-1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), and bone resorption by C-telopeptide (CTX) measured at baseline, 1, 4, 12, 26, and 52 weeks after ESIs. Among ESI-treated women, serum cortisol declined by ~50% 1 week after injection. Bone formation markers significantly decreased 1 week following ESIs: osteocalcin by 21% and P1NP by 22%. Both markers remained suppressed at 4 and 12 weeks, but returned to baseline levels by 26 weeks. There was no significant change in bone resorption measured by CTX. Among controls, there were no significant changes in cortisol or bone turnover markers. These results provide evidence of an early and substantial reduction in bone formation markers following ESIs. This effect persisted for over 12 weeks, suggesting that ESIs may have lasting skeletal consequences. Given the large population of older adults who receive ESIs, further investigation into the long-term skeletal sequelae of these injections is warranted.

Growth Hormone And Cortisol Alterations After Inhibition/stimulation Of Hpa Axis In Healthy Adults.

PURPOSE: To examine serum growth hormone (GH) and cortisol (COR) responses to a selected aerobic exercise protocol performed under inhibition or stimulation of the HPA axis in healthy male and female volunteers. METHODS: Twelve healthy volunteers (8 males, 4 females, age: 30.6 ± 4.4 yrs, body mass: 77.3 ± 12.3 kg, height: 1.77 ± 0.07 m), performed a single bout of 30 min aerobic exercise at 70%VO2 max on a treadmill, on three different conditions [control (C), HPA axis inhibition (HPA-I, induced by glucocorticoid administration), HPA axis stimulation (HPA-S, induced by ACTH administration)], following standard diet. Blood samples were collected before (t0), at the end of the exercise bout (t30), and 30 min later (t60) and serum GH and COR were measured. Two-way ANOVA was used for statistics. Data is presented as mean ± SE. RESULTS: In C condition, GH significantly increased (p < 0.001) after exercise and decreased again 30 min after exercise without reaching pre-exercise levels (0.2 ± 0.1; 5.5 ± 1.1; 1.7 ± 0.7 ng/mL; at t0, t30 and t60, respectively). COR significantly decreased 30 min after exercise (p < 0.005) (13.9 ± 1.2; 10.3 ± 1.1; 7.1 ± 1.2 μg/dL; at t0, t30 and t60, respectively). In HPA-I, GH significantly increased at the end of exercise (p < 0.05) while 30 min after exercise it decreased reaching pre-exercise levels (1.1 ± 0.3; 3.0 ± 0.6; 1.0 ± 0.2 ng/mL; at t0, t30 and t60, respectively). COR remained unchanged (p > 0.05) (0.627 ± 0.1; 0.632 ± 0.1; 0.639 ± 0.1 μg/dL; at t0, t30 and t60, respectively). Under HPA-S condition, GH significantly increased 30 min after exercise (p < 0.001) (0.3 ± 0.1; 8.9 ± 1.9; 3.1 ± 0.9 ng/mL; at t0, t30 and t60, respectively. COR significantly increased after exercise (p < 0.001) (14.7 ± 1.1; 30.7 ± 1.3; 34.6 ± 3.7 μg/dL; at t0, t30 and t60, respectively). There were no significant changes in COR between the three conditions, while COR was lower in HPA-I compared to C condition at all time points (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between male and female participants. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid increase of GH in response to aerobic exercise is not affected by the modification of HPA axis. The specific aerobic exercise regimen influenced circulating COR yet not under exogenous inhibition of the HPA axis. Further studies will characterize how those responses are regulated by the characteristics of exercise.

The Effects of Group Therapeutic Singing on Cortisol and Motor Symptoms in Persons With Parkinson's Disease.

The inclusion of music into the treatment plan for persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) may be a viable strategy to target multiple motor symptoms. However, potential mechanisms to explain why music has an impact on multiple motor symptoms in persons with PD remain understudied. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of 1 h of group therapeutic singing (GTS) on physiological measures of stress and clinical motor symptoms in persons with PD. We posit that improvement in motor symptoms after GTS may be related to stress reduction. Seventeen participants with PD completed 1 h of GTS and eight participants completed 1 h of a quiet reading (control session). Cortisol was collected via passive drool immediately before and after the singing and control session. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part-III (motor examination) was also video-recorded immediately before and after the singing and control session and scored by two raters masked to time and condition. Secondary outcome measures for quality of life, depression, and mood were collected. Results revealed no significant change in cortisol or motor UPDRS scores, as well as no significant relationship between cortisol and motor UPDRS scores. There was a trend for the singing group to report feeling less sad compared to the control group after the 1-h session (effect size = 0.86), and heart rate increased in the singing group while heart rate decreased in the control group after the 1-h session. These results suggest that an acute session of GTS is not unduly stressful and promotes the use of GTS for persons with PD. Multiple mechanisms may underlie the benefits of GTS for persons with PD. Further exploring potential mechanisms by which singing improves motor symptoms in persons with PD will provide greater insight on the therapeutic use of music for persons with PD.

Does stress run through the leash? An examination of stress transmission between owners and dogs during a walk.

Humans and dogs have co-evolved for over 10,000years. Recent research suggests that, through the domestication process, dogs have become proficient at responding to human commands, attention and emotional states. However, the extent to which a companion dog responds to human emotions, such as stress, remains to be understood. This study examines whether a companion dog's stress, as measured by cortisol levels and heart rate, increases during a familiar outdoor walk in response to its owner's experience of stress. Sixty-eight owner/dog dyads participated in this study. The dyads were randomly assigned to an Experimental or Control group. Owners in the Experimental group were informed the walk would be digitally recorded for subsequent evaluation of their handling skills, whereas those in the Control group were informed the walk would be digitally recorded for archival purposes (no evaluation). This manipulation was implemented to induce a mild stress response in the owners. Salivary cortisol samples were collected from the owner and their dog before and after the walk. The dyad was also fitted with monitoring devices to record heart rate throughout the walk. Finally, personality information regarding the owner and their dog was collected. We found that cortisol production within the dyad showed a marginal inverse correlation. We also found that owners' Openness to Experience and dogs' Fearfulness influenced the heart rate of the other during the first minute of a walk. These results support that although stress may be detected within a dyad, this does not result in an associated significant change in cortisol or heart rate.

Transcranial direct current stimulation for fatigue in patients with Sjogren’s syndrome: A randomized, double-blind pilot study

BackgroundTranscranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) has shown promise to decrease fatigue. However, it has never been examined in primary Sjogren Syndrome (pSS). ObjectiveTo assess the effect of a tDCS protocol on fatigue in patients with pSS. MethodsThis is a parallel, double-blind pilot study (NCT04119128). Women aged 18–65 years, with pSS, on stable pharmacological therapy, with complaints of fatigue for at least three months, and with scores >5 on Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) were included. We randomized 36 participants to receive five consecutive or sham tDCS sessions, with an intensity of 2 mA, for 20 min/day. ResultsAfter five tDCS sessions, fatigue severity assessed by the FSS (primary outcome) demonstrated a mean group difference of −0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI) −1.57, −0.13; effect size 0.80] favouring the active group. The active group presented significantly greater reductions in fatigue as measured by the EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Patient Reported Index after five tDCS sessions [mean group difference: 1.40; 95%CI -2.33, −0.48; effect size 1.04]. Although there were no between-group differences in the secondary outcomes of sleep, mood and anxiety, within-group comparisons evidenced a small but significant difference in the active group for pain and sleep. There were no significant cortisol changes. All reported adverse events were mild and transitory. ConclusiontDCS seems to be safe and reduce fatigue in pSS. A differential effect on pain and sleep may underlie its effects. Further studies are needed to optimise tDCS treatment strategies in pSS.

SAT-218 Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis Responsiveness in Women and Men during 29 Weeks of Basic Military Training

Exercise-associated endocrinopathy in athletes has been attributed to low energy availability (EA). We hypothesized this would be relevant to British Army Officer training, which involves arduous exercise and non-exercise stressors. We aimed to explore changes in LH, FSH and cortisol responsiveness in women and in a smaller cohort of men over 29 weeks of basic military training. We studied fifty-six Officer Cadets (age 24.4 ± 2.5 years, 47 female: combined contraceptive pill users (CCP, n=14), progestogen-only users (PROG, n=16), and non-contraceptive and intrauterine device users (NONE, n=17)) on entering (week (w)1) and completing (w29) training. Body composition was measured by DXA and average monthly hair cortisol by LC-MS. A combined low dose 10µg GnRH and 1.0µg ACTH-(1-24) test was performed with LH, FSH and cortisol measured by LC-MS at baseline, 20, 30 and 60 mins. For cortisol analyses, PROG and NONE groups were considered seperately (as PROG/NONE), due to CCP increasing CBG. Weight increased in both women and men over the training period (mean ±SD, 64.4 ±7.4 kg vs 65.3 ±7.2 kg, p=0.05 and 84.5 ±7.4 kg vs 87.0 ±9.1 kg, p=0.02, respectively), comprising increased fat but not lean mass. Menstrual cyclicity in NONE was unchanged. Training blunted the peak LH- and FSH-foldwise response to GnRH in women (median [IQR] 5.74 [3.23, 19.7] vs 3.44 [2.62, 6.51], p=0.002 and 1.65 [1.37, 2.37] vs 1.39 [1.25, 1.77], p=0.005, respectively) but not men (4.28 [2.92, 4.73] vs 3.29 [2.34, 5.78], p=0.5 and 1.46 [1.30, 1.56] vs 1.34 [1.21, 1.51], p=0.6, respectively). Hair cortisol was higher in women than men over the 3 months before training (median (IQR) 7.71 (3.85, 16.0) pg/mg vs 3.53 (2.95, 5.89) pg/mg, p<0.0001) and remained higher in women in the final 3 months of training (8.18 (3.61, 10.37) vs 3.38 (2.38, 5.79) pg/mg, p=0.001). Basal cortisol tended to be lower among PROG/NONE than males in w1 (177 ± 91.9 vs 313 ±92.9 nmol/l, p=0.08), but increased by w29 in PROG/NONE but not men (to 259 ±103 nmol/l; p=0.003 vs to 246 ±187 nmol/l; p=0.4, respectively). Cortisol response to ACTH was blunted in PROG/NONE (peak foldwise increase 3.83 ±1.5 vs 2.84 ±1.0, p=0.048) but was unchanged in men (2.96 ±0.9 vs 2.46 ±0.9, p=0.3). No significant cortisol changes were seen in CCP.The elevated hair cortisol in women may represent greater anticipatory response than men. Hair and basal plasma cortisol increased in women compared to men in response to training, though LH, FSH and cortisol responsiveness in women was blunted. While our findings are broadly in accord with previous reports of exercise and training-associated pituitary and adrenal suppression, our novel finding is that this was not associated with evidence of low EA in our population. We propose endocrine changes in arduous training reflect complex interactions of sex and stressors with the HPA and HPG axes.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Testosterone and Cortisol Hormone of Blood Serum of Sedentary Male Students

Objectives: The aim of this research was to determine the effect of two months of intermittent aerobic exercise on cortisol and testosterone hormones. Methods: Twenty healthy sedentary volunteer male subjects (age: 22.2 ± 3.2; height: 174.5 ± 4.6 cm) participated in this research. They were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control conditions. Fasting blood sample was drawn prior to the start of the exercise program from both groups. The experimental group participated in 8 consecutive weeks of intermittent aerobic exercise running 4 distances of 200 meter with rest interval between each run. The running distance increased 400 meter weekly. At the end of the program, fasting blood samples was obtained to measure the testosterone and cortisol hormone. Results: The results of analysis indicated that no significant changes occurred in the mean value of serum testosterone of both groups in the experimental and control group (P > 0.05). However, the exercise condition caused a significant change in the mean value of serum cortisol in the exercising group (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The significant change in cortisol was associated with significant weight loss in the exercise group suggesting that this condition caused inflammation in addition to the fat catabolism in the exercised group.

The Effect of Different Intensities of Static Magnetic Field on Stress and Selected Reproductive Indices of the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) During Acute and Subacute Exposure.

The application of equipment and tools that produce a magnetic field is increasing in aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effects of acute (1week) and subacute (3weeks) exposures to different static magnetic fields (SMFs) of 2.5, 5, 7.5mT on stress indices (cortisol and glucose), sex steroid hormones (17β-estradiol and 17-α hydroxy progesterone) and fecundity of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) were investigated. The obtained results showed a significant change in cortisol, glucose, 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17-α hydroxy progesterone (17-OHP) levels by enhancing the intensity and time of exposure to SMFs. In conclusion, the SMFs, especially at higher levels of intensities, showed physiologically harmful effects on the reproductive biology of the zebrafish during acute and subacute exposures.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Testosterone and Cortisol Hormone of Blood Serum of Sedentary Male Students

Objectives: The aim of this research was to determine the effect of two months of intermittent aerobic exercise on cortisol and testosterone hormones. Methods: Twenty healthy sedentary volunteer male subjects (age: 22.2 ± 3.2; height: 174.5 ± 4.6 cm) participated in this research. They were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control conditions. Fasting blood sample was drawn prior to the start of the exercise program from both groups. The experimental group participated in 8 consecutive weeks of intermittent aerobic exercise running 4 distances of 200 meter with rest interval between each run. The running distance increased 400 meter weekly. At the end of the program, fasting blood samples was obtained to measure the testosterone and cortisol hormone. Results: The results of analysis indicated that no significant changes occurred in the mean value of serum testosterone of both groups in the experimental and control group (P &gt; 0.05). However, the exercise condition caused a significant change in the mean value of serum cortisol in the exercising group (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The significant change in cortisol was associated with significant weight loss in the exercise group suggesting that this condition caused inflammation in addition to the fat catabolism in the exercised group.

The impact of an exercise training intervention on cortisol levels and post-traumatic stress disorder in juveniles from an Ugandan refugee settlement: study protocol for a randomized control trial

BackgroundLatest research demonstrates a significant improvement in stress-related symptoms in psychological disorders as a result of exercise training (ET). Controlled clinical trials further validate the significance of ET by demonstrating lower salivary cortisol levels in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after intervention. A significant change in cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels can already be found after an 8–12-week ET program. The proposed study aims to investigate the impact of an 8-week ET on PTSD symptoms and changes in cortisol levels in a juvenile refugee sample from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at an Ugandan refugee settlement. It is the first to implement an ET intervention in a resource-poor, post-conflict setting.Methods/designIn a randomized controlled trial, 198 adolescent participants aged 13–16 years from the DRC who, suffer from PTSD, will be investigated. The participants are based at the Nakivale refugee settlement, an official refugee camp in Uganda, Africa, which is among the largest in the world. The participants will be randomized into an Exercise Training (ET) group with a maximum heart rate (HRmax) of > 60%, an Alternative Intervention (AI) group with low-level exercises, and a Waiting-list Control (WC) group. After the 8-week interventional phase, changes in cortisol awakening response (CAR) and DHEA in the ET group that correspond to an improvement in PTSD symptoms are expected that remain at follow-up after 3 months.DiscussionTo date, there is no controlled and reliable longitudinal study examining the effects of an ET program on symptom severity in individuals with PTSD that can be explained with a harmonization of cortisol secretion. The presented study design introduces an intervention that can be implemented with little expenditure. It aims to provide a promising low-threshold and cost-effective treatment approach for the application in resource-poor settings.Trial registrationGerman Trials Register, ID: DRKS00014280. Registered prospectively on 15 March 2018.

Vasopressin's Role in Stress Response and Glucose Homeostasis in a Pig Model of Endotoxin‐Induced Inflammation

Both acute stress hyperglycemia and uncontrolled hypoglycemia may serve as indices of disease severity in critically ill patients, yet the mechanisms behind altered glucose control in inflammatory diseases such as acute sepsis is poorly understood. Evidence of the ability of vasopressin to mediate central and peripheral glucose regulation via V1b and V1a receptors has mounted over the years, but the role of vasopressin in glucose homeostasis during sepsis, is unclear. We hypothesized that vasopressin is involved in glycemic control in endotoxin‐induced inflammation seen in sepsis but that this role may be overshadowed by vasopressin's primary role of maintaining blood pressure in the face of septic shock. Thus, we used a piglet model of endotoxin‐induced pulmonary hypertension in the absence of systemic shock to better understand the relationship between vasopressin and glucose homeostasis in a hypoxemia‐induced inflammatory state. The intent was to study effects of vasopressin separate from its role in blood pressure regulation.After hemodynamic equilibration following catheterization of anesthetized Yorkshire cross piglets (8 kg body weight), baseline mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and blood gasses were assessed, and blood was obtained for measurement of glucose (BG), vasopressin, cortisol, insulin, glucagon, and cytokine profiles. Liver and pancreatic blood flows were assessed via colored microsphere method. E. coli endotoxin (7,500–50,000 units) was administered intravenously to achieve pulmonary hypertension (evidenced by a pulmonary to systemic vascular resistance ratio increase of 120%), which decreased arterial oxygenation to a PaO2 of 78 ± 5 mm Hg without systemic hypotension(ETX, n=16). Piglets were followed for 11 hours after endotoxin administration. Results were compared against control piglets who did not receive endotoxin (CON, n=7). In CON group, all hemodynamics and biomarkers measured remained constant. Endotoxin caused an increase in pro‐inflammatory markers TNFα, IL‐1ra, and IL‐6. Blood glucose levels were elevated at baseline in both CON (189±11 mg/dL) and ETX (199±9 mg/dL), with corresponding elevated vasopressin levels (106 ± 17 pg/ml; and 78 ± 9 pg/ml in CON and ETX, respectively) likely due to piglet susceptibility to anesthesia induction stress. Both BG and vasopressin levels decreased over the duration of the experiment, with no significant changes in cortisol. Liver blood flow tended to decrease and pancreatic blood flow to increase with time in both CON and ETX. Interestingly, insulin increased 6‐fold with endotoxin and then returned toward baseline by 2 hours after endotoxin administration. Glucagon increased after endotoxin and remained elevated over baseline 11 hours later.Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine relationships between BG and vasopressin, cortisol, insulin, glucagon, TNFα, IL‐1ra, and IL‐6, liver and pancreatic blood flows, hemodynamics, and blood oxygenation. BG was most strongly positively associated with circulating vasopressin, liver blood flow and insulin, and negatively correlated with glucagon (r= 0.72, p&lt;0.001). Our results support an important role of vasopressin as a stress hormone regulator of glucose homeostasis both in control conditions and in the response to endotoxin‐induced stress.Support or Funding InformationThis project was funded by the US Army Medical Command. The views expressed in this abstract are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

The effect of castration on cortisol changes and blood glucose in horses

Behavioral changes in stallion will happen after castration. Usually, behavioral changes are followed by hormonal changes. It seems that removing the testicles has an effect on other endocrine glands including the thyroid gland, hypothalamus, and adrenal glands. Adrenal hormones have an effect on behavior. In this study, cortisol concentration was measured after a surgery in order to determine the relationship between horse’s castration, adrenal gland excretion, and level of stress. Twelve horses were selected for surgical castration. Scrotal incision and closed approach technique were performed for both testicles. Blood was taken before surgery, 10 and 30 days after surgery (castration). Blood glucose was measured by glucose oxidase and then serum and plasma hormones cortisol were measured. Finally, Paired sample t test was performed for statistical analysis using SPSS 16 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). No significant changes in cortisol were found between the horses before, 10 and 30 days after the surgery (p > 0.05). Significant changes were found only between the samples that were taken before surgery and 30 days after surgery in blood glucose concentration (p < 0.05). There were no significant hormonal changes after castration. Castration does not seem to affect cortisol secretion; however, its effect on blood glucose concentration was evident.

Attending a concert reduces glucocorticoids, progesterone and the cortisol/DHEA ratio

We examined the impact of attending a live, public concert on steroid hormone response in 117 participants. Participants provided saliva samples for hormone analysis prior to the concert and again at the interval 60 min later. There were significant changes in cortisol, cortisone, progesterone, cortisol/DHEA ratio and cortisol/cortisone ratio. This is the first evidence that attending a cultural event can have an impact on endocrine activity and down-regulate stress.

No stress after 24-hour on-call shifts?

Irregular sleep patterns can adversely affect physiological functions and have been associated with increased physiological and psychological stress. Nocturnal work of physicians during 24-hour on-call shifts (OCS) disrupts the sleep/wake cycle. Chronic exposure to distress has been shown to affect cardiovascular homeostasis and to impair performance in neurocognitive and simulated clinical tasks. In a prospective cohort study, biochemical and physiological stress parameters were assessed in 11 female and 9 male physicians (median age: 32 years, range 26-42 years) before a normal working day and after a 24-hour OCS in internal medicine. In addition, various tests of attentional performance (TAP) were conducted. The levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were significantly higher after a 24- hour OCS, while there were no significant changes in cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels. Heart rate variability and skin resistance increased following an OCS, although the differences were not statistically significant. Intrinsic alertness was comparable, while phasic alertness was significantly improved following a 24-hour OCS. Focused attention tended to be better following a night shift. There was no correlation with age or medical working experience; however, men experienced more stress than women. Following a 24-hour OCS, (i) TSH may be an early and sensitive biochemical predictor of stress; (ii) other classical biochemical stress parameters do not depict the psychological stress perceived by physicians; (iii) there may be a mismatch between experienced and objective stress levels; (iv) neurocognitive functions are not impaired, while performance may even be improved; and (v) men might be more sensitive to distress.

Relationship Between Cortisol and Free Testosterone in Response to Exhaustive Endurance Exercise

Research has shown intensive exercise to induce significant changes in cortisol (C) and testosterone (T). Typically, increases in C are witnessed concurrently to decreases in T. To determine whether there was the existence of a relationship between the changes observed in these two hormones, we measured the change scores (Δ) for 12 healthy, endurance trained males (X±SD: age 22.8±3.1y; VO2max 66.3±4.8 mL/kg/min) in response to an exhaustive exercise session (EES) (96.9±10.8 min at 74.7±4.6% of VO2max). The change scores were determined for basal levels of C and free T from pre to post EES (Δ0), post to +24h (Δ24), +48h (Δ48) and +72h (Δ72) into recovery. All basal hormonal levels were within acceptable clinical ranges for these subjects. The EES induced highly significant C increases (pre: 326.5±29.3nmol/L, post: 700.8±177.7nmol/L; p&lt;0.001) and free T decreases (pre: 162.3±23.6pmol/L, post: 106.1±38.6 pmol/L; p&lt;0.001) at Δ0. A significant negative correlation existed between C (Δ 374.3 nmol/L) and free T (Δ ‐56.2 pmol/L) at Δ0 (p=0.028, rs = ‐0.629; Spearman rho). No additional significant changes were detected into recovery. Cumming et al (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 57:671, 1983) illustrated the phenomenon of C induced T reduction via pharmaceutical intervention. This study indicates a single bout of EES will induce similar effects endogenously, i.e., with elevated levels of C being associated with suppressed free T, perhaps through mechanisms directly associated with T production inhibition.

Hormonal response of Arctic fox females to short- and long-term stress

The aim of this study was to determine the extent of the hormonal response of Arctic fox females exposed to two types of stress: short-term and long-term, combined with adaptation to new environmental con - ditions. Short-term stress (20 min) was investigated in 34 females on farm A in the Wielkopolska province. The testing procedure involved capturing of the animals, their immobilisation, phenotype evaluation, and placing in target cages. Blood for laboratory examinations was collected from the vena cephalica antebrachii three times: on the day of the test, directly after the procedure and after three days. Long-term stress (8 h), combined with adaptation to new environmental conditions, was examined in 30 females which were purchased from a farm in the Lodzkie province (farm B). The testing procedure involved selection and capture of the animals, immobilisa - tion and transfer from the pavilion, blood collection and placing of animals in a transport cage. Transport of the animals to the target farm (farm A) lasted approximately 8 h. Blood was collected five times in total, i.e. before transport (on farm B), after the transport to farm A, and then after three days, whereas the last two samplings were conducted at a 5- and 15-day interval from the third blood collection. The control group consisted of 20 randomly selected females from farm A. Blood from these animals was collected twice - at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Changes in hormone concentrations (cortisol and testosterone) were adopted as a measure of sensitivity to a stressor. Blood hormones were analysed using a radio-immunological method. The course of stress reaction was affected by exposure time and stressor intensity, and significant changes in cortisol ( P ≤ 0.01) and testosterone ( P ≤ 0.05) concentrations were noted among individuals subjected to both short-term and long-term stress. Increased cortisol concentrations were maintained for a longer time in the group of Arctic fox females exposed to a long-term stress. In conclusion, the course of a stress reaction is affected by the duration of exposure and intensity of the stressor, and the strong stress reaction to zootechnical treatments and transport confirms the lack of complete domestication of this species.

Reductions in cortisol associated with primary care brief mindfulness program for veterans with PTSD.

Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have significant medical morbidity, which may be mediated by hypothalamic pituitary axis (HPA) dysfunction and reflected in cortisol output. Many veterans with PTSD are hesitant to engage in trauma-focused exposure treatments; therefore briefer, non-exposure-based treatments are needed; one such promising approach is an abbreviated Primary Care brief Mindfulness Program (PCbMP). This study investigated the relationship between dose-response to participation in a veterans PCbMP program and diurnal cortisol. Cortisol reflects HPA function and PTSD is associated with HPA dysregulation. Veterans with PTSD were identified in PC and randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU, n=21) or participation in brief 4-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (n=19). Veterans (n=40) (mean age, 48±16 y; 90% men) with PTSD referred through their VA PC provider and randomly assigned to PCbMP or TAU. As an objective indicator of HPA function, salivary diurnal cortisol was measured from samples collected across 2 consecutive days at baseline and follow-up. Analyses revealed that significant changes in cortisol were associated with PCbMP treatment engagement and dosing (number of mindfulness program sessions completed). Veterans completing 4 mindfulness-based meditation sessions significantly reduced their cortisol awakening response (P≤0.05); and had significant changes in cortisol area under the curve increase compared with TAU participants (P≤0.05). Results indicate that PCbMP has a beneficial physiological impact on veterans with PTSD with a minimum of 4 weeks of practice.