Psychophysiological, Neuroendocrine and Cellular Immune Reactions under Psychological Stress

Schedlowski, Manfred; Jacobs, Robert P.; Alker, James; Pröhl, F.; Stratmann, Gertrud; Richter, Stefan; Hädicke, A.; Wagner, Thomas; Schmidt, Reinhold; Tewes, Uwe

doi:10.1159/000119006

Cited by 54 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(7 reference statements)

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“…Compared with eumenorrheic women, women with FHA display mild indexes of "psychological stress" in the form of dysfunctional attitudes, difficulty coping with daily hassles, higher dependence on interpersonal relationships, and a higher incidence of past psychiatric disorders (4, 17). However, neuroendocrine abnormalities associated with FHA also indicate metabolic stress (21), and these patients exhibit a high incidence of subclinical eating abnormalities (19,33,37). Similarly, reproductive dysfunction occurring in anorexia nervosa was considered to be primarily the result of severe nutritional stress; yet the propensity to exercise intensively adds to the metabolic imbalance, and food restriction itself has a behavioral, seemingly volitional component that reflects altered cognitions that predispose to psychosocial stress.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Synergism between psychosocial and metabolic stressors: impact on reproductive function in cynomolgus monkeys

Williams¹,

Berga²,

Cameron³

2007

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism

143

111

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Williams NI, Berga SL, Cameron JL. Synergism between psychosocial and metabolic stressors: impact on reproductive function in cynomolgus monkeys. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 293: E270-E276, 2007. First published April 3, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00108.2007.-The role of energy imbalance versus psychosocial stress in the pathogenesis of female reproductive dysfunction characterized by anovulation and amenorrhea remains controversial. In women, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea can develop in the absence of significant weight loss, excessive exercise, or profound psychosocial disruption. We posited, therefore, that commonplace, seemingly minor stressors that alone would have minimal impact upon reproductive function might interact synergistically such that combinations of stressors would cause a greater impairment of the reproductive axis than any single stressor alone. We then developed a monkey model to test this hypothesis. Adult female cynomolgus monkeys with normal menstrual cycles were randomized into three experimental groups and studied over four menstrual cycles. The groups were: low-level psychosocial stress (i.e., moving to a new housing environment; Move, n ϭ 8), moderate energy imbalance (Exercise ϩ Diet, n ϭ 9); and all stressors in combination (Move ϩ Exercise ϩ Diet, n ϭ 10). Food intake, body weight, menstrual cyclicity, and reproductive hormones were assessed for two control menstrual cycles followed by two experimental cycles during which the monkeys experienced the stressors. Abnormal cycles were considered to be abnormally long or anovulatory cycles. Few abnormal cycles occurred in the Move group (1 of 8 monkeys) and in the Exercise ϩ Diet group (1 of 9 monkeys). In contrast, 7 of 10 monkeys in the Move ϩ Exercise ϩ Diet group displayed at least one abnormal cycle ( 2 ϭ 9.61, P ϭ 0.008). These findings suggest that infertility due to hypothalamic hypogonadism can result from the combination of commonplace, seemingly minor stressors that often escape clinical attention. exercise; diet; psychosocial stress; reproduction CLINICALLY RECOGNIZED FORMS of stress-induced reproductive dysfunction include functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA), anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and exercise-associated amenorrhea. The proximate cause of these forms of reproductive compromise is a functional and theoretically reversible reduction in central drive to the reproductive axis provided by the hypothalamic neuroendocrine hormone gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The presence of clinical forms of stress-induced reproductive dysfunction heightens the risk for other diseases, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, depression, and other psychiatric conditions as well as infertility (1,15,20,28). Stress exposure during pregnancy can also have a negative impact on fetal development. Potential fetal consequences include preterm labor, poor neurodevelopment, and compromised psychosocial development (26, 31, 35).Although it was previously believed that different forms of stress-induced reproductive dy...

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confidence: 99%

Synergism between psychosocial and metabolic stressors: impact on reproductive function in cynomolgus monkeys

Williams¹,

Berga²,

Cameron³

2007

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism

143

111

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“…Parachute jumping is a well-characterized stress model to study emotional and physical stress in humans (10,11). In the present study, we used this model to determine whether stress in humans affects plasma NGF levels and NGFreceptor (NGF-r) distribution in peripheral blood cells.…”

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confidence: 99%

Emotional stress induced by parachute jumping enhances blood nerve growth factor levels and the distribution of nerve growth factor receptors in lymphocytes.

Aloe

Bracci-Laudiero

Alleva

et al. 1994

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

239

130

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We examined the plasma nerve growth factor (NGF) level and the distribution ofNGF receptors in peripheral lymphocytes of young sodiers (mean age, 20-24 yr) experiencing the thrill of a novice about to make their first parachute jumps. Blood was collected from soldiers who knew they were selected to jump (n = 26), as well as from soldiers who knew they were not selected (a = 17, controls). The former group was sampled the evening before the jump and 20 min after landing.Compared with controls, NGF levels increased 84% in prejump and 107% in postump sampling. Our studies also showed that the increase of NGF levels pr the increase of plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone. No changes in the basneine levels of circulating interleukin 1p or tumor necrosis factor were found, sOggesting that the increased levels of NGF were not correlated with change in these cytokines. Moreover, Immu orescence analysis demonstrated that parachuting stress enhances the distribution oflow-affinity p75LNGFR and h affinity pl40'A NGF receptors in circulating peripheral blood mmnucear cells. These observations suggest that the release of NGF might be Involved in the activation of cells of the immune system and is most probably associated with homeostatic adaptive mechaniss, as previously shown for strewsed rodents.There is accumulating evidence from psychoneuroimmunological studies in both animals and humans that stress results in the concomitant activation of cells from the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems and in the release of diverse biologically active compounds, including glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and neuropeptides (1-4). Results reported from our laboratory indicate that stressful events induce an increase of the specific growth factor nerve growth factor (NGF) into the bloodstream (5) and in defined hypothalamic subareas (5-9) and that the amount of circulating NGF is directly correlated with the number of fighting episodes. Using this model ofstress, we have also shown that mast cells (7) and both cortical and chromaffin adrenal gland cells (8) are receptive to the action of endogenously released NGF. In a subsequent study, we reported that the release of NGF into the bloodstream was not simply associated with the expression of aggressive behavior because sera of mice repeatedly experiencing defeat and submission contained higher NGF levels than those from dominant attacking animals (9). This latter observation suggests that stimuli of a psychological nature, most likely associated with anxiety, also trigger the synthesis and/or release of NGF. Whether stress affects baseline NGF level in mice only or in other species as well is not known. Moreover, there is as yet no evidence indicating that stress causes the release of NGF in the human bloodstream.Parachute jumping is a well-characterized stress model to study emotional and physical stress in humans (10, 11). In the present study, we used this model to determine whether stress in humans affects plasma NGF levels and NGFreceptor (NGF-r) distribution ...

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“…Involvement of catecholamines in response to psycho logical stress has been demonstrated during tandem jumps in parachutists, with a common significant in crease both in epinephrine and in NE [24], More recently other investigators have reported significant increases in NE during both physical and mental stress [25], In con trast, in our experiment the emotional arousal induced a significant increase in epinephrine plasma levels only, without a significant response in NE, in agreement with other studies utilizing attention and memory stressful challenges [26], Also during public speaking a more signif icant increase in epinephrine than in NE has been demon strated with a dissociation between the secretion of epi nephrine by the adrenal medulla and the secretion of NE by the sympathetic nerve endings [27], GH seems to be particularly sensitive to mood changes and showed a significant response during the violent movie: similar effects of psychological stress on GH plas ma levels have been observed also in many other stressful conditions [14, 21.28],…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuroendocrine Responses to Emotional Arousal in Normal Women

et al. 1996

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The neuroendocrine effects of many stressful challenges and experimentally induced emotional states have been investigated in humans, but few data are available concerning the psychobiological correlates of the emotional arousal induced by TV violence, fear and conflictual emotions. In this study we evaluated cardiovascular, hormonal and mood changes induced by the view of a violent or, in random order, neutral movie in 20 healthy young women. The emotional arousal was associated with a significant increase in heart rate, systolic blood pressure and significant changes in self-evaluated mood states, β-Endorphin, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, epinephrine and growth hormone showed a significant increase during emotional arousal, with a significant interaction mood-time. Cortisol increased significantly during the violent movie (areas under curves analysis), but not significant interaction mood-time has been demonstrated. Prolactin and norepinephrine levels did not show a significant change during the emotional stimulus. Our data evidence the existence of neuroendocrine changes associated with the defence mechanism and aroused by movie violence and conflictual situations.

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Psychophysiological, Neuroendocrine and Cellular Immune Reactions under Psychological Stress

Cited by 54 publications

References 7 publications

Synergism between psychosocial and metabolic stressors: impact on reproductive function in cynomolgus monkeys

Synergism between psychosocial and metabolic stressors: impact on reproductive function in cynomolgus monkeys

Emotional stress induced by parachute jumping enhances blood nerve growth factor levels and the distribution of nerve growth factor receptors in lymphocytes.

Neuroendocrine Responses to Emotional Arousal in Normal Women

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