- Email: [email protected]
Body mass index is related to blunted cardiovascular stress reactivity in healthy young men
Abstracts / Psychoneuroendocrinology 71S (2016) 1–77
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cortex (t = 4.57, p = 0.005, uncorrected, k = 12), with a positive linear relationship with perceived stress management skills (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Whereas participants with lower perceived stress management skills showed a stress-related reduction in brain activity within the right posterior insular cortex, participants with higher perceived stress management skills showed an increase in stressrelated activity of this brain region. Conclusions: Our results indicate a specific stress-induced neural correlate of perceived stress management skills within the right posterior insular cortex. This suggests a central mechanism for stress protection with elevated perception of stress management skills.
the groups, such that participants who were bullied after age 12 experienced lower heart rate in response to the TSST, t(74) = 1.55, p = .10. Conclusions: The present study bolsters previous findings that early adverse experiences, particularly peer aggression in the form of bullying, is associated with blunted cortisol reactivity to stress (Knack et al., 2011; Hamilton et al., 2008; Ouellet et al., 2011). However, these results point to the importance of age of onset as a moderator in altered stress reactivity, and highlights the need for the assessment of the timing of trauma onset in future studies.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.093
Body mass index is related to blunted cardiovascular stress reactivity in healthy young men
Age is not just a number: the impact of bullying onset on acute stress reactivity Olivia Ann Martin-Pinon 1,∗ , Ellie Shuo Jin 2 , Yvon Delville 2 , Leslie Karen Rice 2 , Robert Alan Josephs 2 1
Southwestern University, USA 2 University of Texas at Austin, USA E-mail address: [email protected] (O.A. Martin-Pinon). Background: Extensive literature demonstrate that early adverse experiences have profound negative impact on emotional, physical and psychological development, and confers significant risk for both internalizing and externalizing disorders (Nansel et al., 2003; Sullivan et al., 2006). Numerous survey findings suggest that bullying may be one of the most universal forms of early adversities, impacting up to 80% of children and adolescents (Juvonen and Graham, 2001). Despite the inherent complexities associated with social aggression, existing studies tend to dichotomize samples into “bullied” versus “not-bullied”—not taking into account the impact of moderating variables such as age of bullying onset on subsequent stress responsivity. Early adolescence (between ages 11 and 13) is associated with an increase in social and academic stressors, as well as relationships becoming less adult-focused and more peerfocused (Elias et al., 1985; Lynch and Cicchetti, 1997). Given that increased attention to peer relationships make individuals more vulnerable to social rejection, it is hypothesized that individuals who were bullied after age 12 would exhibit greater negative alterations in their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, in particular, demonstrating a less effectual, and more blunted cortisol response to acute stress (Knack et al., 2011; Hamilton et al., 2008; Ouellet et al., 2011). Methods: Seventy-six students who reported at least 1 instance of bullying before age 18 were recruited from The University of Texas at Austin and underwent the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993), in which they were instructed to give a 5-min speech and perform mental arithmetic in front of an impassive panel of mix-sex judges. All participants completed the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (Olweus, 1994) to assess bullying severity and age of onset. Of the sample, 63 participants reported being bullied before age 12 and 13 participants reported being bullied after age 12. Pulse and salivary cortisol levels were collected throughout the study corresponding to baseline, pre-stressor, post-stressor and recovery. Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, results showed that compared to individuals who were bullied before age 12, individuals who were bullied after age 12 experienced significantly lower (i.e., blunted) cortisol reactivity, t(53) = 1.97, p = .05. In addition, there was also marginal difference in cardio reactivity between
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.094
Roberto La Marca ∗ , Niclà Lozza, Christian Lekic, Fabienne Kuehne, Aline Rutishauser, Firouzeh Farahmand, Ulrike Ehlert University of Zurich, Switzerland E-mail address: [email protected] (R. La Marca). The prevalence of obesity is increasing in western countries, and obese individuals are at elevated risk for developing various diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes). This increased risk might be explained by altered stress system (re-)activity in obese individuals. Therefore, the present study aimed at examining the association between BMI and HPA as well as autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity at baseline and in response to stress. Healthy young men (N = 153; aged 18–38 years) with BMI scores ranging from normal weight to obese (mean BMI: 26.7; BMI range: 18.7–42.3) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Before and after the TSST, mood was assessed using the Multidimensional Mood questionnaire (MMQ; subscales ‘mood’ and ‘nervousness’), while saliva was repeatedly collected to determine cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels. Cardiovascular (re-)activity was assessed by continuous monitoring of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (SBP, DBP) using a Finometer. The TSST resulted in a significant worsening in mood, and an increase in nervousness, cortisol, sAA, HR, SBP, and DBP (all p < .001). Significant correlations were found between higher BMI and elevated cardiovascular baseline activity (HR, SBP, DBP; r = −.21 to −.32) as well as reduced cardiovascular stress reactivity (HR, SBP, DBP; r = −.18 to −.32) after controlling for covariates. Additionally, higher BMI was related to a smaller increase in nervousness in response to the TSST (r = −.18). No significant correlations were found between BMI and cortisol or sAA (re-)activity. The present study provides evidence that higher BMI is related to blunted cardiovascular stress reactivity, but higher baseline activity. Therefore, the increased risk for various diseases in obese individuals seems to derive from increased resting cardiovascular activity. This project was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.095
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cortex (t = 4.57, p = 0.005, uncorrected, k = 12), with a positive linear relationship with perceived stress management skills (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Whereas participants with lower perceived stress management skills showed a stress-related reduction in brain activity within the right posterior insular cortex, participants with higher perceived stress management skills showed an increase in stressrelated activity of this brain region. Conclusions: Our results indicate a specific stress-induced neural correlate of perceived stress management skills within the right posterior insular cortex. This suggests a central mechanism for stress protection with elevated perception of stress management skills.
the groups, such that participants who were bullied after age 12 experienced lower heart rate in response to the TSST, t(74) = 1.55, p = .10. Conclusions: The present study bolsters previous findings that early adverse experiences, particularly peer aggression in the form of bullying, is associated with blunted cortisol reactivity to stress (Knack et al., 2011; Hamilton et al., 2008; Ouellet et al., 2011). However, these results point to the importance of age of onset as a moderator in altered stress reactivity, and highlights the need for the assessment of the timing of trauma onset in future studies.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.093
Body mass index is related to blunted cardiovascular stress reactivity in healthy young men
Age is not just a number: the impact of bullying onset on acute stress reactivity Olivia Ann Martin-Pinon 1,∗ , Ellie Shuo Jin 2 , Yvon Delville 2 , Leslie Karen Rice 2 , Robert Alan Josephs 2 1
Southwestern University, USA 2 University of Texas at Austin, USA E-mail address: [email protected] (O.A. Martin-Pinon). Background: Extensive literature demonstrate that early adverse experiences have profound negative impact on emotional, physical and psychological development, and confers significant risk for both internalizing and externalizing disorders (Nansel et al., 2003; Sullivan et al., 2006). Numerous survey findings suggest that bullying may be one of the most universal forms of early adversities, impacting up to 80% of children and adolescents (Juvonen and Graham, 2001). Despite the inherent complexities associated with social aggression, existing studies tend to dichotomize samples into “bullied” versus “not-bullied”—not taking into account the impact of moderating variables such as age of bullying onset on subsequent stress responsivity. Early adolescence (between ages 11 and 13) is associated with an increase in social and academic stressors, as well as relationships becoming less adult-focused and more peerfocused (Elias et al., 1985; Lynch and Cicchetti, 1997). Given that increased attention to peer relationships make individuals more vulnerable to social rejection, it is hypothesized that individuals who were bullied after age 12 would exhibit greater negative alterations in their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, in particular, demonstrating a less effectual, and more blunted cortisol response to acute stress (Knack et al., 2011; Hamilton et al., 2008; Ouellet et al., 2011). Methods: Seventy-six students who reported at least 1 instance of bullying before age 18 were recruited from The University of Texas at Austin and underwent the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993), in which they were instructed to give a 5-min speech and perform mental arithmetic in front of an impassive panel of mix-sex judges. All participants completed the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (Olweus, 1994) to assess bullying severity and age of onset. Of the sample, 63 participants reported being bullied before age 12 and 13 participants reported being bullied after age 12. Pulse and salivary cortisol levels were collected throughout the study corresponding to baseline, pre-stressor, post-stressor and recovery. Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, results showed that compared to individuals who were bullied before age 12, individuals who were bullied after age 12 experienced significantly lower (i.e., blunted) cortisol reactivity, t(53) = 1.97, p = .05. In addition, there was also marginal difference in cardio reactivity between
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.094
Roberto La Marca ∗ , Niclà Lozza, Christian Lekic, Fabienne Kuehne, Aline Rutishauser, Firouzeh Farahmand, Ulrike Ehlert University of Zurich, Switzerland E-mail address: [email protected] (R. La Marca). The prevalence of obesity is increasing in western countries, and obese individuals are at elevated risk for developing various diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes). This increased risk might be explained by altered stress system (re-)activity in obese individuals. Therefore, the present study aimed at examining the association between BMI and HPA as well as autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity at baseline and in response to stress. Healthy young men (N = 153; aged 18–38 years) with BMI scores ranging from normal weight to obese (mean BMI: 26.7; BMI range: 18.7–42.3) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Before and after the TSST, mood was assessed using the Multidimensional Mood questionnaire (MMQ; subscales ‘mood’ and ‘nervousness’), while saliva was repeatedly collected to determine cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels. Cardiovascular (re-)activity was assessed by continuous monitoring of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (SBP, DBP) using a Finometer. The TSST resulted in a significant worsening in mood, and an increase in nervousness, cortisol, sAA, HR, SBP, and DBP (all p < .001). Significant correlations were found between higher BMI and elevated cardiovascular baseline activity (HR, SBP, DBP; r = −.21 to −.32) as well as reduced cardiovascular stress reactivity (HR, SBP, DBP; r = −.18 to −.32) after controlling for covariates. Additionally, higher BMI was related to a smaller increase in nervousness in response to the TSST (r = −.18). No significant correlations were found between BMI and cortisol or sAA (re-)activity. The present study provides evidence that higher BMI is related to blunted cardiovascular stress reactivity, but higher baseline activity. Therefore, the increased risk for various diseases in obese individuals seems to derive from increased resting cardiovascular activity. This project was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.095