Though postawakening cortisol is considered to be altered under chronic stress prospective studies proving this assumption is missing, so far. Furthermore, there is some uncertainty which aspects of postawakening cortisol alterations are strongest related to stress. The present study thus analyzed the cortisol concentration at awakening itself (0 min), the cortisol awakening response (CAR; i.e....

OBJECTIVE In this case study, we describe the effects of a particular individual's concentration/meditation technique on autonomic nervous system activity and the innate immune response. The study participant holds several world records with regard to tolerating extreme cold and claims that he can influence his autonomic nervous system and thereby his innate immune response. METHODS The indiv...

Background: Melatonin is a neurotransmitter involved in physiological regulation; it is thought that melatonin has a role in male reproductive physiology through effect on neuroendocrine axis. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin on plasma levels of Prolactin and Cortisol (ηg/ml). Methods: Five adult male rhesus monkeys were used for the purpose. Monkeys were maint...

OBJECTIVES Although it is widely accepted that academic examinations are accompanied by a cortisol increase, some recent studies reported either no effect or even a decline of the cortisol level. To reevaluate these discrepancies, we investigated whether personality traits predict the cortisol response upon academic examinations. SETTING AND DESIGN Nineteen male and female adolescent pupils (...

Maternally-derived hormones in oocytes, such as glucocorticoids (GCs), play a crucial role in embryo development in oviparous taxa. In fishes, maternal stressor exposure increases circulating and egg cortisol levels, the primary GC in fishes, as well as induces oxidative stress. Elevated egg cortisol levels modify offspring traits but whether maternal oxidative stress correlates with circulatin...

Dogs with spontaneous disorders of glucocorticoid production often have marked disturbances in calcium homeostasis. For example, hypercalcaemia is frequently observed in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism and secondary hyperparathyroidism is a common feature of canine hyperadrenocorticism. The mechanism(s) by which glucocorticoids modulate calcium homeostasis in dogs remains ill-defined. The hypothe...

BACKGROUND The effect of etomidate administration on the adrenal cortex in obese patients is still unclear. The objective of the study was to determine the influence of a single dose of etomidate on cortisol secretion in the morbidly obese. METHODS 127 healthy patients were enrolled into the study. Data from 82 patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic surgery were analyzed. 62 of them wer...

Twelve male, sedentary volunteers (22.0 +/-) were submitted to three weeks of a bicycle ergometer training, consisting of 45 min exercise (at 70% VO2max), 4 times in the first week and 3 times in the next 2 weeks. They performed four incremental exercise tests with the power output increased by 50 W every 3 min until volitional exhaustion: two before training (C1 and C2), and after one (T1) and...

Recently, during critical illness, cortisol metabolism was found to be reduced. We hypothesize that such reduced cortisol breakdown may suppress pulsatile ACTH and cortisol secretion via feedback inhibition. To test this hypothesis, nocturnal ACTH and cortisol secretory profiles were constructed by deconvolution analysis from plasma concentration time series in 40 matched critically ill patient...

Cortisol is regenerated from cortisone by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11HSD1), amplifying glucocorticoid action in adipose tissue and liver. 11HSD1 inhibitors are being developed for type 2 diabetes and may be most effective in obesity, where adipose 11HSD1 is increased. However, the magnitude of regeneration of cortisol in different tissues in humans is unknown, hindering under...