Effects of Psychological Stress from a National License Examination on the Urine 8-Hydroxy-Deoxyguanosine Levels in Young Female Students, Taking into Account the Menstrual Cycle

Abstract

Objective: Urine 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (U8-OHdG) was a marker of oxidative stress-induced DNA damage; it was increased by psychological stress. Since the menstrual cycle may confound or modify the association between psychological stress and U8-OHdG. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of psychological stress from a national license examination on levels of U8-OHdG, which is a biomarker of oxidative stress. And the effects of women's menstrual cycles, which should be considered in mental and physical assessments, on U8-OHdG, were evaluated. Methods: The subjects were 18 female university students at a medical university in whom Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores, and U8-OHdG levels were measured in 3 phases of the menstrual cycle, the follicular phase, ovulatory phase, and luteal phase. The mean values were taken for the group during a time of classroom learning. The same measurements were also made one week before and the day after a national license examination and the measurements were compared among the three periods. Results and Conclusion: State anxiety and U8-OHdG levels were significantly higher in those with a week before the national license examination than in those with classroom lecture (State anxiety: p = 0.002, U8-OHdG levels: p = 0.007).The menstrual cycle did not show a significant correlation with U8-OHdG le- vels. This study demonstrated that levels of the oxidative stress biomarker U8-OHdG are not affected by changes in the menstrual cycle. It also showed that U8-OHdG levels increased with the psychological stress of a national license examination.

Effects of Psychological and Physical Stress on Oxidative Stress, Serotonin, and Fatigue in Young Females Induced by Objective Structured Clinical Examination: Pilot Study of u-8-OHdG, u-5HT, and s-HHV-6

“…Psychological stress is reported to induce ROS increases, 9 - 11 while it has also been shown that u-8-OHdG levels rise together with increased oxidative stress in the body. 28 We found a significant correlation between self-rated depression scale (SDS) and u-8-OHdG, 29 suggested that young females with depressive symptoms are in a state of increased oxidative stress. Shimanoe et al 55 reported a weak positive association between perceived stress and urinary excretion of u-8-OHdG, and detected high levels of u-8-OHdG in participants with high levels of perceived (psychological) stress.…”

“…The school timetable of a Japanese university typically varies according to the day of the week, thus the internal consistency between physical and psychological stress as part of the daily rhythm, such as wake-up and class times, was considered. In addition, the 1 week after period was set in consideration of previous reports showing that a higher level of u-8-OHdG occurs on the day after the national exam 28 as well as in individuals with depression symptoms, 29 and then remains elevated. Also, the 1 week before period was established so as to compare with the value on the day before the OSCE was conducted, the point at which stress was considered to be maximum.…”

“… 31 The u-8-OHdG level may be elevated during the proliferation period, 32 and a significantly low SDS score in the secretory phase and high level of u-8-OHdG in young females with depression symptoms in comparison to those in subjects without depression symptoms have been reported. 28 From the above, the 3 days before the next menstruation (self-reported) were avoided. The SDS contains 20 items and its design is based on the diagnostic criteria for depression.…”

“…The sample size was determined according to the change of u-8-OHdG level by the national license examination using unified power. Based on the results of a prior study conducted by Iida et al 28 on the relationship between before and after the national license examination and after considering M1 = 7.5 (mean u-8-OHdG level of before the national license Examination), SD 1 = 1.95, M2 = 11.4 (mean u-8-OHdG level of after the national license Examination), SD2 = 1.30, correlation coefficient = .36, two-sided α = .05, and power = 95%, the minimum number of participants was determined to be 6, which was increased to 16 to take account for potential attrition. 38 , 39 The effects of psychological stress on subjective stress and stress-related biomarkers were investigated using one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Friedman’s test.…”

Diurnal variation of 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine in continuous time series of two breast cancer survivors

“…Radical oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules produced either endo-or exogenously [1,2]. They are generated during cellular metabolism and due to environmental factors such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco smoke, radiation, and stress [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. If not neutralized, ROS can attack lipids, proteins, and DNA [1,9,10].…”