Sweat-inducing physiological challenges do not result in acute changes in hair cortisol concentrations

Graß, Juliane; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Miller, Robert; Gao, Wei; Steudte-Schmiedgen, Susann; Stalder, Tobias

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.12.023

Cited by 58 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…This could confirm their validity for the clinical diagnosis of stress-induced hair loss, as well as for the assessment of biological stress-effects in respective studies. However, measurement of stress mediators in blood provides only limited information on local release and function in skin and a correlation of these measurements with locally produced stress mediators need not exist as shown for example by comparison of hair, saliva and blood cortisol [28, 29, 80]. A trichogram can be easily and non-invasively obtained under field conditions and gives evidence of the local stress impact as done in other studies by the assessment of itch perception [81].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hair and stress: A pilot study of hair and cytokine balance alteration in healthy young women under major exam stress

et al. 2017

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Mouse models show that experimental stress mimicking prolonged life-stress exposure enhances neurogenic inflammation, induces adaptive immunity cytokine-imbalance characterized by a shift to Type 1 T-helper cell cytokines and increases apoptosis of epithelial cells. This affects hair growth in otherwise healthy animals. In this study, we investigate whether a prolonged naturalistic life-stress exposure affects cytokine balance and hair parameters in healthy humans. 33 (18 exam, 15 comparison) female medical students with comparable sociobiological status were analyzed during a stressful final examination period, at three points in time (T) 12 weeks apart. T1 was before start of the learning period, T2 between the three-day written exam and an oral examination, and T3 after a 12 week rest and recovery from the stress of the examination period. Assessments included: self-reported distress and coping strategies (Perceived Stress Questionnaire [PSQ], Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress [TICS]), COPE), cytokines in supernatants of stimulated peripheral blood mononucleocytes (PBMCs), and trichogram (hair cycle and pigmentation analysis). Comparison between students participating in the final medical exam at T2 and non-exam students, revealed significantly higher stress perception in exam students. Time-wise comparison revealed that stress level, TH1/TH2 cytokine balance and hair parameters changed significantly from T1 to T2 in the exam group, but not the control. However, no group differences were found for cytokine balance or hair parameters at T2. The study concludes that in humans, naturalistic stress, as perceived during participation in a major medical exam, has the potential to shift the immune response to TH1 and transiently hamper hair growth, but these changes stay within a physiological range. Findings are instructive for patients suffering from hair loss in times of high stress. Replication in larger and more diverse sample populations is required, to assess suitability of trichogram analysis as biological outcome for stress studies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Highly acute stress paradigms were shown to increase salivary- but not hair-cortisol [28] while prolonged distress paradigms have the opposite effect [29]. We therefor expected major stress to more strongly affect hair biology than highly acute stress paradigms.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hair and stress: A pilot study of hair and cytokine balance alteration in healthy young women under major exam stress

et al. 2017

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“…Cortisol has been demonstrated in human sweat, and it has been suggested that increased sweating may increase HCC, which may acutely influence HCC and therefore undermine the validity of HCC as a marker of long-term cortisol exposure (68). However, Stalder et al recently showed that two sweat-inducing interventions (exercise and sauna bathing) do not seem to acutely influence HCC (69).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Hccmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical applications of cortisol measurements in hair

Wester

Rossum

2015

European Journal of Endocrinology

171

142

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Cortisol measurements in blood, saliva and urine are frequently used to examine the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in clinical practice and in research. However, cortisol levels are subject to variations due to acute stress, the diurnal rhythm and pulsatile secretion. Cortisol measurements in body fluids are not always a reflection of long-term cortisol exposure. The analysis of cortisol in scalp hair is a relatively novel method to measure cumulative cortisol exposure over months up to years. Over the past years, hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) have been examined in association with a large number of somatic and mental health conditions. HCC can be used to evaluate disturbances of the HPA axis, including Cushing's syndrome, and to evaluate hydrocortisone treatment. Using HCC, retrospective timelines of cortisol exposure can be created which can be of value in diagnosing cyclic hypercortisolism. HCC have also been shown to increase with psychological stressors, including major life events, as well as physical stressors, such as endurance exercise and shift work. Initial studies show that HCC may be increased in depression, but decreased in general anxiety disorder. In posttraumatic stress disorder, changes in HCC seem to be dependent on the type of traumatic experience and the time since traumatization. Increased hair cortisol is consistently linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Potentially, HCC could form a future marker for cardiovascular risk stratification, as well as serve as a treatment target.

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“…One unexpected finding was the effect of season on HairF. Recent studies approached aspects of this issue by investigating effects of temperature, humidity and sweating on HairF (Boesch et al, 2014;Grass et al, 2015). An inverse correlation with temperature and positive correlation with relative humidity for HairF is reported.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%