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It is suggested that the exposure to a life-threatening experience in childhood/adolescence increases the endocrine response to stress, and that the presence of depressive symptoms is associated with an elevation of plasma cortisol levels. A better knowledge of these mechanisms is important given that the dysregulations of the stress responses may cause psychological vulnerability.

IntroductionLong-term implications of cancer in childhood are well documented regarding medical conditions. Sequelae on mental health and on response to stress are yet not well understood.ObjectivesThis study analyzes the association between stress responses and the experience of cancer in childhood, through biological and subjective measures of stress observed during a psychosocial experimental stress (TSST - Trier Social Stress Test)AimWe expected that:(1) the clinical group shows an accentuation of both biological and subjective stress responses;(2) the response among the childhood cancer subjects would differ according to presence/absence of depressive symptoms; and finally to find a correlation between the disease severity/treatment intensity and the response to stress.Methods53 subjects, 18 to 48 y.o (n = 25 survivors of childhood cancer, n = 28 controls) submitted to the TSST. Subjects provided before and after the TSST repeated evaluations of perceived stress and blood samples.ResultsThe clinical group showed a higher plasma cortisol level and a higher amplitude in the response to the TSST. The differences were amplified when depression symptoms were present. The subjective perception of stress and the plasma cortisol were only marginally correlated in both groups. The severity of the oncological disease predicted a higher endocrine response.ConclusionThe presence of avoidant coping is suggested in cancer survivors, accounting for the lack of correspondence between psychological perception of stress and cortisol response. A better knowledge of the dysregulations of the stress responses is important since they have been associated to psychological vulnerability.

Les biotechnologies liées à l’assistance médicale à la procréation (AMP) mettent en lumière des enjeux anthropologiques insoupçonnés qui dépassent les champs biologique et médical. L’analyse du discours des personnes ayant recours aux techniques de l’AMP révèle la création d’objets nouveaux, parmi lesquels l’embryon cryoconservé tient une place formidable. La définition de cet objet, ses facultés, les liens qu’il engendre sont discutés. Le besoin d’une identification à un modèle de filiation connu amène les couples à comparer avec l’adoption, liée comme l’AMP à la double problématique de l’abandon et de la récupération. Lorsque, en parallèle au traitement, les couples entreprennent les démarches en vue d’une adoption, la conception de l’enfant né par AMP est comme marquée de l’empreinte de l’adoption projetée. Le modèle de l’adoption s’avère insuffisant et un modèle de filiation reconfiguré est créé : un nouvel arbre généalogique, constitué des différents tiers intervenant en AMP.