Psychoneuroendocrinology
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Psychoneuroendocrinology · Sep 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialReduction in salivary α-amylase levels following a mind-body intervention in cancer survivors--an exploratory study.
The main aim of this exploratory study was to assess whether salivary α-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol levels would be positively modulated by sleep-focused mind-body interventions in female and male cancer survivors. ⋯ In this exploratory study, sleep focused mind-body intervention (MBB) attenuated Waking sAA levels, suggesting positive influences of a mind-body intervention on sympathetic activity in cancer survivors with sleep disturbance.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology · Sep 2013
ReviewThe three-hit concept of vulnerability and resilience: toward understanding adaptation to early-life adversity outcome.
Stressful experiences during early-life can modulate the genetic programming of specific brain circuits underlying emotional and cognitive aspects of behavioral adaptation to stressful experiences later in life. Although this programming effect exerted by experience-related factors is an important determinant of mental health, its outcome depends on cognitive inputs and hence the valence an individual assigns to a given environmental context. From this perspective we will highlight, with studies in rodents, non-human primates and humans, the three-hit concept of vulnerability and resilience to stress-related mental disorders, which is based on gene-environment interactions during critical phases of perinatal and juvenile brain development. ⋯ Alternatively, the concept also points to the individual's predictive adaptive capacity, which underlies the stress inoculation and match/mismatch hypotheses. The latter hypotheses propose that the experience of relatively mild early-life adversity prepares for the future and promotes resilience to similar challenges in later-life; when a mismatch occurs between early and later-life experience, coping is compromised and vulnerability is enhanced. The three-hit concept is fundamental for understanding how individuals can either be prepared for coping with life to come and remain resilient or are unable to do so and succumb to a stress-related mental disorder, under seemingly identical circumstances.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology · Sep 2013
Sleep and biomarkers in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: associations with C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and hemoglobin.
Sleep duration and quality are associated with adverse physical health outcomes. The mechanisms are not well understood, and little is known about associations with biomarkers in older population cohorts. This study assessed cross-sectional associations between self-reported sleep measures and biomarkers in a representative sample of British people aged 50 years and above. ⋯ I. 1.02-2.46), but there was no relationship between sleep disturbance or duration with other biomarkers. This study suggests that self-reported sleep duration and disturbance are related to biological risk factors in community-dwelling older adults, with different associations being present in men and women. A better understanding of these relationships using longitudinal cohort studies will broaden our understanding of the mechanisms relating sleep indices and ill health in advancing age.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology · Sep 2013
Salivary α-amylase response to endotoxin administration in humans.
Salivary α-amylase (sAA) is a digestive enzyme that plays also an important role in mucosal immunity. Secretion of the sAA is largely under the control of the autonomic nervous system and increases in sAA activity have repeatedly been observed in response to various stressors. The present study aimed at investigating whether and to what extent sAA activity levels are affected during systemic inflammation. ⋯ The immune changes were accompanied by a transient increase in sAA activity, elevations in salivary cortisol and plasma NE concentrations, as well as increases in heart rate and state anxiety. Although sAA and plasma NE responses showed distinct time courses, a significant positive correlation over the total observation period was found. Whether the observed sAA response is driven by an increase in sympathetic activity or more generally reflects inflammation induced changes in sympathetic-parasympathetic balance remains to be elucidated.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology · Sep 2013
Comparative StudyDelays of 5-15 min between awakening and the start of saliva sampling matter in assessment of the cortisol awakening response.
Linking psychosocial measures to the cortisol awakening response (CAR) demands accurate saliva sampling times. Monitoring adherence to the saliva sampling protocol requires electronic monitoring of both awakening and sampling times since self-reported times are inaccurate. Delays greater than 15 min between awakening and commencement of saliva sampling reduce CAR magnitude. ⋯ The absence of this latent period in calculations leads to overestimation of the CAR magnitude on moderately non-adherent sampling days. These findings, if more universally generalizable, will further theoretical understanding of the physiology of the CAR, but are methodologically challenging for researchers since self-reported awakening times are not accurate enough to override the concerns raised. However accurate electronic measurement of adherence to protocol would enable sampling delays to be taken into account in computing CAR estimates.