Borderline hypertensives produce exaggerated adrenocortical responses to mental stress.

Abstract

Serum cortisol concentrations were compared in 18 borderline hypertensive (BH) and 20 normotensive (NT) men before and after mental stress. Two levels of demand, intermittent reaction time with brief rests and reaction time alternating continuously with mental arithmetic, were used in two consecutive protocols on different days in the laboratory. Continuous, but not intermittent, mental stress produced significant elevations in cortisol levels only in the BH subjects (p < .001). The continuous challenge produced slightly more self-reported distress in both groups than the intermittent condition, and performance on the mental arithmetic task was more strongly correlated with the cortisol response than was performance on the reaction time task, suggesting that the mental arithmetic task was a key contributor to the cortisol response. Therefore, adrenocortical activity appears sensitive to appropriate stressors in BH subjects. These results indicate the importance of including measures of adrenocortical function in studies of reactivity in subjects at high risk for hypertension.

Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenocortical responses to psychological stress and risk for smoking relapse

“…Distressing situations that are characterized by threat, lack of control, and anticipation of aversive events, are associated with an increase of cortisol release (Lundberg and Frankenhaeuser, 1980;Lovallo et al, 1990). We have shown greater increases in cortisol response to behavioral tasks that are characterized by novelty, uncertainty, and negative affect (al'Absi et al, 1997(al'Absi et al, , 1994al'Absi and Lovallo, 1993;al'Absi and Petersen, 2003).…”

Adrenocortical stress responses and altered working memory performance

“…In contrast, cortisol output is not increased by engagement in nonaversive tasks or those with appetitive incentives~Lovallo, Pincomb, Brackett, & Wilson, 1990;Lundberg & Frankenhaeuser, 1980!. There are wide individual differences in cortisol reactivity to stressful tasks~al'Absi, Lovallo, McKey, & Pincomb, 1994;Lovallo et al, 1990!, and these differences may be accompanied by changes in cognition during and after the stressful event.…”

Psychological Stress and Neuroendocrine Function in Humans: The Last Two Decades of Research

“…Plasma cortisol levels were not significantly affected by any of the two stress protocols. However, since endocrine response was assessed by means of a single post-task blood sample collected 15 min after the end of the task period, it cannot be excluded that a significant cortisol response to mental arithmetics occurred at a later time [15]. …”