Biomedical subjects

C Kirschbaum

Publications and source records attributed to C Kirschbaum.

75 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Job strain and anger expression predict early morning elevations in salivary cortisol.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to test the hypothesis that high job demands and low job control (job strain) are associated with elevated free cortisol levels early in the working day and with reduced variability across the day and to evaluate the contribution of anger expression to this pattern. METHODS: One hundred five school teachers (41 men and 64 women) classified 12 months earlier as high (N = 48) or low (N = 57) in job strain according to the demand/control model sampled saliva at 2-hour intervals from 8:00 to 8:30 hours to 22:00 to 22:30 hours on a working day. Anger expression was assessed with the Speilberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and negative affect was also measured. RESULTS: Free cortisol was significantly elevated at 8:00 to 8:30 hours in the high job strain group but not at later times of the day or evening. After adjustment for age and negative affect, cortisol was an average of 21.7% higher early in the working day in the high job strain group. This effect was significantly greater in high job strain teachers, who also reported high anger-out. The cortisol decline from morning to evening was greater in the high than low job strain individuals. Independently of job strain, women had a higher cortisol concentration at 8:00 to 8:30 hours than men, whereas cortisol concentration was greater in men than women in the middle of the working day between 12:00 and 16:30 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Job strain is associated with elevated free cortisol concentrations early in the working day but not with reduced cortisol variability. The interaction with outward anger expression suggests that individual characteristics modulate the impact of chronic work stress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sex differences in glucocorticoid sensitivity of proinflammatory cytokine production after psychosocial stress.

OBJECTIVE: Men and women show marked differences in susceptibility to disorders related to the immune system. These gender differences have been proposed to be mediated by functional interactions of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes. A potential mechanism involved in this interaction is the glucocorticoid (GC) sensitivity of relevant target tissues for GC. Therefore, the aim of the study reported here was to investigate the impact of psychosocial stress and HPA axis activation on the GC sensitivity of proinflammatory cytokine production in men and women. METHODS: A total of 45 healthy subjects were investigated. Eighteen women in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle and 27 men were exposed to a psychosocial stress test (Trier Social Stress Test). Salivary free cortisol levels were measured repeatedly after exposure to the stressor. GC sensitivity was assessed in vitro by dexamethasone inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated production of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. RESULTS: The stress test induced significant increases in salivary free cortisol with no significant differences between men and women. In contrast, GC sensitivity and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cytokine production showed large gender differences. In men GC sensitivity was markedly increased 1 hour after stress, whereas GC sensitivity decreased significantly in women. Similarly, lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production decreased in response to stress in men but increased in women. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that despite similar free cortisol responses of men and women (studied in the luteal phase) to psychosocial stress, gender may exert differential effects on the immune system by modulating GC sensitivity of proinflammatory cytokine production.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mood changes in homesick persons during a holiday trip. A multiple case study.

BACKGROUND: Homesickness is generally studied with respect to rather uncommon long-lasting situations such as a (forced) move, while short stays away from home, like holidays, are much more common homesickness situations. Furthermore, little is known about the development and course of homesickness feelings. Therefore, the present multiple case study was designed in order to obtain a better insight into the onset and course of homesickness and patterns of mood changes, as well as saliva cortisol levels during a short stay away from home. METHODS: Several times before, during and after their holiday, 10 adult homesick-prone females completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Homesickness Decision Tree (HDT) and a Subjective Homesickness Rating. In addition, saliva samples were obtained. Data were analyzed individually. Furthermore, days with and without homesickness were compared across individuals using t tests. RESULTS: Using the HDT, the following typology, based upon four different reaction patterns, emerged: (1) no homesickness, (2) anticipation homesickness, (3) holiday homesickness, and (4) a combination of anticipation and holiday homesickness. POMS scores demonstrated significantly worsened mood when experiencing homesickness. Cortisol levels, however, failed to differ between days with and without homesickness. CONCLUSIONS: Homesickness is characterized by negative mood which is not necessarily reflected in significantly changed salivary cortisol levels. Feelings of homesickness are not only experienced during absence from home, but may occur also in anticipation to a leave. Future studies need to focus upon the prevalence, causes and consequences of the different types of homesickness.

Adult↗