The interactive association of proximal life stress and cumulative HPA axis functioning with depressive symptoms

Abstract

Background: Stress is consistently implicated in depression. Using a vulnerabilitystress framework, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may be one factor affecting the stress-depression association. However, the interactive influence of recent life stress and HPA axis functioning on depressive symptoms remains unclear.It is particularly important to understand the synergistic association during adolescence, as this is a developmental period associated with a high risk for depression.Methods: A community sample of 58 adolescents (67% female, 59% Caucasian; mean age, 15.07 years) participated. Adolescents completed a well-validated measure of depressive symptoms and a structured life events interview to assess recent life stress. Hair cortisol concentration was obtained to measure cumulative exposure to HPA axis functioning.Results: Recent life stress and cumulative HPA axis exposure measured through hair cortisol were directly associated with higher depressive symptoms. Further, cumulative HPA axis exposure moderated the relationship between recent life stress and depressive symptoms. The recent life stress-depression association occurred for adolescents who experienced average and high, but not low, levels of cumulative HPA axis exposure. Conclusions:The current study builds on prior work and finds both a direct and interactive association of recent life stress and cumulative HPA axis functioning with depressive symptoms during adolescence. Identifying youth who experience high levels of HPA axis exposure is important to prevent the onset of depression.

Examining the Relationship Between Hair Cortisol With Stress-Related and Transdiagnostic Subclinical Measures

“…This has been mostly studied in adolescent samples, and mixed results have been found. Shapero and colleagues ( 26 ) did not find any association between HCC and number of life events, whereas Xu's ( 27 ) and Karlén's ( 61 ) studies reported a positive association and Sierau's ( 31 ) a negative one. Finally, Cullen and colleagues ( 62 ) reviewed the literature examining the concordance between naturally-occurring psychosocial stressors, both distal (trauma) and proximal (perceived stress and life events), with cortisol across clinical and at-risk psychosis populations.…”

“…Results regarding stress-related symptoms in non-clinical populations are scant and have yielded mixed findings. HCC in adolescents ( 26 , 27 ) or adult workers ( 28 ) have been positively associated with depressive symptoms, but lower HCC ( 29 ) or no association ( 30 , 31 ) have also been reported. Studies examining the relationship between hair cortisol and anxiety in non-clinical participants did not find any significant association ( 29 , 31 ).…”

Effects of Ginseng on Neurological Disorders

“…HPA axis is the biological system responsible for stress response. When stress occurs, the hypothalamic releases the adrenocorticotropic releasing hormone and arginine vasopressin to the pituitary gland to produce the adrenocorticotropic hormone, which stimulates the adrenal gland to produce cortisol or corticosterone (Lee and Rhee, 2017;Shapero et al, 2019; Figure 2). Cortisol plays an important role in learning, memory, and emotion (Sapolsky et al, 2000).…”

“…Cortisol plays an important role in learning, memory, and emotion (Sapolsky et al, 2000). However, excessive cortisol produced by stress can alter the function of the brain associated with depression, like the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and the amygdala (McEwen, 2008;Shapero et al, 2019). Rg1 alleviated anhedonia, hopelessness and improved sleep disruption through the modulation levels of corticosterone, testosterone, androgen receptor (AR), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the chronic-unpredictable-mildstress model and the gonadectomized model (Mou et al, 2017).…”

The Frailty of the Invincible

“…cortisol and cholesterol levels, blood pressure and inflammation, eventually increasing the risk of mental and physical health conditions. [52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62]. Thus, chronic stress and insufficient recovery from stress are an increasing public health concern because of their long-term effects on health [63].…”