CHAPTER 2 Diurnal Cortisol Patterns and Stress Reactivity in Child Holocaust Survivors

Late-life implications of early traumatic stress for the adreno-cortical system were examined in a sample of 133 child survivors of the Holocaust,who were subjected to Nazi persecution during infancy. Method: In a non-convenience sample of child survivors, born between 1935-1944, basal circadian cortisol release and cortisol reactivity to a stressor were assessed. Results: Age, parental loss during the Holocaust, current depression, PTSD and physical illness were not associated with differences in basal diurnal cortical levels. Neuro-endocrine effects, however, were found in stress reactivity through elevated cortical levels in male respondents in the youngest age group (born 1941-1945), and in male respondents suffering from PTSD-related functional impairment. Conclusion: The youngest survivors of Nazi persecution show late-life effects of traumatic stress during early childhood, evidenced by the early onset of differential neuro-endocrine pathways to stressregulating strategies. Chapter 2. Diurnal cortisol patterns 33