AIMS Longitudinal and experimental studies have shown that chronic stress contributes to the onset and progression of different diseases. Although it is not possible to eliminate stress completely, people can learn to manage it by participating in different kinds of stress management interventions. This study examined the effectiveness of stress management interventions on neuroendocrine respon...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of low-dose combined oral contraception (COC) on basal and stimulated (1 microg ACTH test) levels of serum and salivary cortisol (F), cortisone and on basal serum cortisol binding globulin (CBG), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), dehydroepiadrosterone (DHEA) and calculated free cortisol in healthy young women. Three-month administratio...

BACKGROUND Reported findings are inconsistent whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) signaling becomes hyperactive with increasing age, resulting in increasing levels of cortisol. Our previous research strongly suggests that offspring from long-lived families are biologically younger. In this study we assessed whether these offspring have a lower HPA axis activity, as measured by lower le...

A screening evaluation for the possibility of Cushing’s syndrome should be considered in any patient with signs and symptoms of excessive cortisol secretion. Abnormal weight gain, particularly in the central location accompanied by hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia should always signal the possibility of Cushing’s syndrome. Many patients with this disorder will also have facial rounding...

This study investigated anticipatory cortisol and pre-competitive anxiety of swimmers before competition. Fifteen university volunteered to participate in the study. Salivary Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R) were collected six days (6d) two hours (2h) Results revealed higher somatic 2h compared 6d prior No differences observed cortisol, cognitive anxiety, self-confidence. Thus, i...

Aims: Hormones' response to competition and their relation to sport matches have been extensively investigated in male and less widely in female athletes. Stress is an irresistible part of every sport match which is mostly caused by competition. In the present study, female volleyball players were examined for changes in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and salivary cortisol in response to competi...

BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder with limited knowledge about the normal function and effects of non-pharmacological therapies on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of the study was to analyse the basal diurnal and total secretion of salivary cortisol in short- and long-term aspects of tactile massage (TM). METHODS DESIGN Prosp...

Studies investigating cortisol responses to trauma-related stressors in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have yielded inconsistent results, demonstrating that cortisol responses were enhanced or unaffected when confronted with trauma reminders. This study investigated the effect of the type of trauma experienced on both salivary and plasma cortisol responses during confrontati...

BACKGROUND Differences in cortisol secretion may differentiate individuals at high compared to low genetic risk for bipolar disorder (BD) and predict the onset or recurrence of mood episodes. The objectives of this study were to determine if salivary cortisol measures are: (1) different in high-risk offspring of parents with BD (HR) compared to control offspring of unaffected parents (C), (2) s...

The measurement of cortisol and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) in saliva has become a reliable tool for both the scientist and the clinician for studying adrenal cortical function in the adult and the older child. We have now established in parallel normative data for salivary cortisol and 17-OHP levels in healthy neonates. We have asked whether or not there is a circadian rhythm of cortisol a...