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Cognitive appraisal partially explains differences in cortisol increase after psychosocial stress between women and men
Abstracts / Psychoneuroendocrinology 71S (2016) 1–77
Cognitive appraisal partially explains differences in cortisol increase after psychosocial stress between women and men Franziska Lautenbach 1,∗ , Jana Strahler 2 , Annika Mombartz 3 , Stefanie Elsner 1 , Silvia Achtzehn 4 , Laura Thomas 1 , Uirassu Borges 1 1 Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Germany 2 Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Germany 3 Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Germany 4 Institute of Training Science and Sport Informatics, German Sport University, Germany E-mail address: [email protected] (F. Lautenbach).
Background: It has been shown that cortisol increase is 1.5 to 2 times higher in males as opposed to females after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kudielka and Kirschbaum, 2005), whereas females report to have higher levels of stress after a psychosocial stressor (i.e., TSST; Avero and Calvo, 1999). As previous literature shows that the cognitive appraisal predicts the cortisol increase after a psychosocial stressor in men (Schlotz et al., 2011; Gaab et al., 2003, 2005), this study examines cognitive appraisal of a stressful situation as a mediator of sex-differences in cortisol stress responses. Methods: Forty-one participants (24 females: Mage = 43.1, range 21–58; 17 males: Mage = 37.5, range 20–60) performed the TSST for Groups (von Dawans et al., 2011). Seven saliva samples were collected (i.e., t − 20 t − 5, t + 10, t + 25, t + 30, t + 45, t + 60) for the assessment of cortisol. After the introduction and preparatory phase of the TSST, participants filled out the Primary Appraisal Secondary Appraisal Scale (PASA, Gaab et al., 2003) to examine cognitive appraisal. Results: Cortisol increase is significantly higher in male participants compared to females, p = .026, d = 0.75. In contrast, males evaluated the upcoming stressor as less stressful (p = .006, d = 0.96). Finally, mediation analyzes show that the subjective appraisal of the situation partially mediated the effect of sex on cortisol increase through, b = −37.6046, BCA CI [−101.78, −1.54]. Conclusions: Overall, the results are in line with previous literature, that is higher cortisol increases due to stress but less perceived stress in males. Our preliminary data shows that the differences between men and women are in part due to the cognitive appraisal of the stressor. Potentially, trait-like differences between participants such as emotional intelligence might fully explain sex differences in cortisol changes after psychosocial stress. Whether this discordance between biological and subjective stress responses is of relevance for health needs to be investigated in future studies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.056
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Combined depression and inflammation increases mortality in older men Samantha Lawes ∗ , Panos Demakakos, Andrew Steptoe, Glyn Lewis, Livia Carvalho University College London, United Kingdom E-mail address: [email protected] (S. Lawes). Background: The aim of this study was to examine the combined effect of depression and inflammation on the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Methods: We measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and depressive symptoms in 5328 men and women aged 52–89, from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Depressive symptoms were measured using the eight-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). CRP was analysed from peripheral blood. Mortality risks were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for multiple risk factors. Results: Men with both depression and high CRP had an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 3.89; 95% CI 2.04–7.44) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.40; 95% CI 1.65–3.48). This considerably exceeds the risks associated with high CRP alone (CVD mortality HR 2.43; 95% CI 1.59–3.71, all-cause mortality HR 1.49; 95% CI 1.20–1.84). Depression alone was not significantly associated with mortality risk in men. In women, the combination of depression and high CRP was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.89; 95% CI 1.29–2.76) compared to inflammation or depression alone (HR 1.48; 95% CI 1.6–1.90, HR 1.85 95% CI 1.32–2.59 respectively). However all associations for women became non-significant after adjusting for age. Neither depression or inflammation alone or the combination of both significantly predicted cardiovascular mortality in women. Conclusions: The combination of depression and high inflammation confers a considerable increase in mortality risk for men. Funded by the British Heart Foundation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.057 Context matters: Situational and biological factors shape reconsolidation of memories after psychosocial stress Nida Ali 1,∗ , Jonas P. Nitschke 1 , Cory Cooperman 1 , Jens C. Pruessner 1,2 1
McGill University, Canada Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Canada E-mail address: [email protected] (N. Ali). 2
Background: Emotionally salient or stressful events are remembered better than neutral events. This is believed to be due to increased stress induced noradrenergic and glucocorticoid inputs to the amygdala and hippocampus, resulting in enhanced memories for emotionally salient material. While previous studies have examined how physiological stress responses modulate emotional memory reconsolidation and recall, few have studied the contribution of psychological processes related to stress processing, in the absence of a physiological stress response. Here, we pharmacologically suppressed the physiological stress systems and investigated the effects of the psychological aspects of stress on emotional memory reconsolidation and recall. Methods: 41 healthy men and women received placebo (n = 20) or pharmacological agents (n = 21; 2 mg dexamethasone the night before and 80 mg propranolol one hour before psychosocial stress
Cognitive appraisal partially explains differences in cortisol increase after psychosocial stress between women and men Franziska Lautenbach 1,∗ , Jana Strahler 2 , Annika Mombartz 3 , Stefanie Elsner 1 , Silvia Achtzehn 4 , Laura Thomas 1 , Uirassu Borges 1 1 Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Germany 2 Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Germany 3 Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Germany 4 Institute of Training Science and Sport Informatics, German Sport University, Germany E-mail address: [email protected] (F. Lautenbach).
Background: It has been shown that cortisol increase is 1.5 to 2 times higher in males as opposed to females after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kudielka and Kirschbaum, 2005), whereas females report to have higher levels of stress after a psychosocial stressor (i.e., TSST; Avero and Calvo, 1999). As previous literature shows that the cognitive appraisal predicts the cortisol increase after a psychosocial stressor in men (Schlotz et al., 2011; Gaab et al., 2003, 2005), this study examines cognitive appraisal of a stressful situation as a mediator of sex-differences in cortisol stress responses. Methods: Forty-one participants (24 females: Mage = 43.1, range 21–58; 17 males: Mage = 37.5, range 20–60) performed the TSST for Groups (von Dawans et al., 2011). Seven saliva samples were collected (i.e., t − 20 t − 5, t + 10, t + 25, t + 30, t + 45, t + 60) for the assessment of cortisol. After the introduction and preparatory phase of the TSST, participants filled out the Primary Appraisal Secondary Appraisal Scale (PASA, Gaab et al., 2003) to examine cognitive appraisal. Results: Cortisol increase is significantly higher in male participants compared to females, p = .026, d = 0.75. In contrast, males evaluated the upcoming stressor as less stressful (p = .006, d = 0.96). Finally, mediation analyzes show that the subjective appraisal of the situation partially mediated the effect of sex on cortisol increase through, b = −37.6046, BCA CI [−101.78, −1.54]. Conclusions: Overall, the results are in line with previous literature, that is higher cortisol increases due to stress but less perceived stress in males. Our preliminary data shows that the differences between men and women are in part due to the cognitive appraisal of the stressor. Potentially, trait-like differences between participants such as emotional intelligence might fully explain sex differences in cortisol changes after psychosocial stress. Whether this discordance between biological and subjective stress responses is of relevance for health needs to be investigated in future studies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.056
19
Combined depression and inflammation increases mortality in older men Samantha Lawes ∗ , Panos Demakakos, Andrew Steptoe, Glyn Lewis, Livia Carvalho University College London, United Kingdom E-mail address: [email protected] (S. Lawes). Background: The aim of this study was to examine the combined effect of depression and inflammation on the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Methods: We measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and depressive symptoms in 5328 men and women aged 52–89, from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Depressive symptoms were measured using the eight-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). CRP was analysed from peripheral blood. Mortality risks were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for multiple risk factors. Results: Men with both depression and high CRP had an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 3.89; 95% CI 2.04–7.44) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.40; 95% CI 1.65–3.48). This considerably exceeds the risks associated with high CRP alone (CVD mortality HR 2.43; 95% CI 1.59–3.71, all-cause mortality HR 1.49; 95% CI 1.20–1.84). Depression alone was not significantly associated with mortality risk in men. In women, the combination of depression and high CRP was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.89; 95% CI 1.29–2.76) compared to inflammation or depression alone (HR 1.48; 95% CI 1.6–1.90, HR 1.85 95% CI 1.32–2.59 respectively). However all associations for women became non-significant after adjusting for age. Neither depression or inflammation alone or the combination of both significantly predicted cardiovascular mortality in women. Conclusions: The combination of depression and high inflammation confers a considerable increase in mortality risk for men. Funded by the British Heart Foundation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.057 Context matters: Situational and biological factors shape reconsolidation of memories after psychosocial stress Nida Ali 1,∗ , Jonas P. Nitschke 1 , Cory Cooperman 1 , Jens C. Pruessner 1,2 1
McGill University, Canada Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Canada E-mail address: [email protected] (N. Ali). 2
Background: Emotionally salient or stressful events are remembered better than neutral events. This is believed to be due to increased stress induced noradrenergic and glucocorticoid inputs to the amygdala and hippocampus, resulting in enhanced memories for emotionally salient material. While previous studies have examined how physiological stress responses modulate emotional memory reconsolidation and recall, few have studied the contribution of psychological processes related to stress processing, in the absence of a physiological stress response. Here, we pharmacologically suppressed the physiological stress systems and investigated the effects of the psychological aspects of stress on emotional memory reconsolidation and recall. Methods: 41 healthy men and women received placebo (n = 20) or pharmacological agents (n = 21; 2 mg dexamethasone the night before and 80 mg propranolol one hour before psychosocial stress