Biopsychological Changes after Bungee Jumping: β-Endorphin Immunoreactivity as a Mediator of Euphoria?

Abstract

A study on 12 novice bungee jumpers was performed to investigate the influence of acute psychological stress on levels of cortisol in saliva, β-endorphin immunoreactivity as well as the number of leukocytes in peripheral blood. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure as well as ratings on emotional states were recorded. Furthermore, correlations between ratings on mood and biochemical stress markers were computed. As expected, subjective ratings on anxiety were increased prior to the jump and were markedly reduced after the jump. Salivary cortisol was also increased after the jump and decreased to baseline within the next hour. In contrast, ratings on euphoria increased markedly after performing the jump and remained highly elevated for the next 30 min. An increase of more than 200% in β-endorphin immunoreactivity after the jump was observed. In contrast to levels of cortisol, the concentration of β-endorphin recorded immediately after the jump was significantly correlated with ratings on euphoria obtained at subsequent measurements indicating a relationship between β-endorphins and euphoria. Additional increase of the number of blood leukocytes and of heart rate and blood pressure indicate that various systems of the organism are markedly affected by the exceptional eustress of bungee jumping.

Is withdrawal-induced anxiety in alcoholism based on β-endorphin deficiency?

“…In healthy volunteers, increasing bE plasma levels following alcohol intake are accompanied with feelings of euphoria, relaxation and general well being (Lukas and Mendelson 1988). Moreover, also in challenges with stressful events such as bungee jumping, plasma bE rose significantly and correlated highly with ratings of euphoria at subsequent measurements (Hennig et al 1994). However, in anxious subjects, bE plasma levels decreased significantly during a stressful mixed model test, whereas bE plasma levels of non-anxious controls remained unaffected (Gerra et al 1992).…”

Salivary Cortisol Response During Exposure Treatment in Driving Phobics

“…On the other hand, the results from studies of people without clinical phobias under challenge situations have been more consistent. For example, bungee jumping increases both anxiety and salivary cortisol (17). Parachute jumping in inexperienced jumpers elicits a robust cortisol response (18 -20).…”

Impact of Cortisol on Emotions under Stress and Nonstress Conditions: A Pharmacopsychological Approach

“…On the other hand, patients treated with glucocorticoids suffer from sleeplessness associated with arousal and activation [6,7], and also elevated endogenous cortisol levels have been reported to be related to insomnia and arousal [15][16][17]. In stress studies performed in healthy subjects, states of negative emotionality are reported to be associated with increases in endogenous cortisol levels [e.g., [18][19][20], whereas the results with respect to positive emotionality are controversial -positive mood changes reported by Brown et al [18]; no relationships reported by Hennig et al [1] and Clark et al [21].…”