Background cortisol versus social anxiety as correlates of HPA‐axis recovery from stress in boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show dysregulation of the expected Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and elevated cortisol responses to stress and response patterns, but little has been reported regarding their recovery from stress in terms of cortisol concentrations. This response was investigated in a sample of 32 young males with ASD aged between 9 and 18 years (M = 14.3 yr, SD = 2.7 yr), using a standardised experimental protocol combined with individualised stressor and non-stressor tasks. Results indicated that about half of the sample demonstrated unexpected HPA axis response patterns, and that recovery from stress cortisol concentrations were significantly associated with a single symptom of Social Phobia and Morning cortisol. These findings suggest that one of the key diagnostic criteria for ASD may be strongly influential in the HPA axis responses of boys with ASD and that training regimesto assist them to form less fearful associations with their non-ASD peers may be central to the academic and social progress of these boys.

A molecular framework for autistic experiences: Mitochondrial allostatic load as a mediator between autism and psychopathology

“…There is a large body of evidence suggesting global disruptions to cortisol signaling in autism (95,(185)(186)(187)(188)(189)(190)(191)(192)(193) and independent studies have reported HPA hyperactivation (185,188,194,195) and increased stress reactivity (186,196) in ASC. A relationship between elevated evening cortisol and psychopathology in ASC has been proposed (194); altered cortisol responses were associated with GAD and social anxiety in boys with ASC (197,198), while the cortisol awakening response was reported to correlate with depression and suicidal ideation in autistic girls (199). Moreover, targeted molecular studies have found disruptions to GR expression in ASC brain tissue (200), while genetic polymorphisms in the GR chaperone were associated with serum cortisol levels (201) and moderated the relationship between autistic traits and social anxiety (202).…”

Stress System Activation in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…On the other hand, core symptoms of ASD, such as sensory deficits, may contribute to stress system dysregulation ( Kushki et al, 2013 ). Moreover, alterations in the regulation of stress system components may account at least partially for several comorbid conditions that often accompany ASD, such as depression and anxiety disorders amongst others ( Hollocks et al, 2014 ; Bitsika et al, 2015 , 2018 ; Sharpley et al, 2016 ; Muscatello et al, 2021 ). In fact, excessive and prolonged activation of the stress system might lead to increased and prolonged production of stress system mediators, such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), cortisol, and catecholamines, which could explain many of the long-term psychopathological complications of chronic stress ( Agorastos et al, 2018 ).…”

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“…• Dysfunction of the thyroid gland and delayed development of a child [2][3][4] • Thyroid function in mothers of children with ASD, with women diagnosed with hypothyroidism giving birth to children who quite often, at the age of 14 months, showed signs of autism with impaired intelligence and delayed cognitive development [5,6] • Imbalance in the level of steroid hormones, especially cortisol, in children with ASD compared with neurotypical children [7] • Imbalance in the levels of testosterone and oxytocin in children with ASD compared to neurotypical children [8] • Comparative studies of cortisol, melatonin, and oxytocin levels in neurotypical children and in children with ASD, confirming the frequent imbalance in the levels of these hormones in children with ASD [9].…”