Perceived early-life maternal care and the cortisol response to repeated psychosocial stress

No Thumbnail Available
Files
There are no files associated with this item.
Date
2010
Authors
Engert, Veronika
Efanov, Simona I.
Dedovic, Katarina
Duchesne, Annie
Dagher, Alain
Editors
Contact
Journal ISSN
Electronic ISSN
ISBN
Bibliographical data
Publisher
Series
URI (citable link)
DOI (citable link)
ArXiv-ID
International patent number
Link to the license
oops
EU project number
Project
Open Access publication
Collections
Restricted until
Title in another language
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Publication type
Journal article
Publication status
Published
Published in
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN ; 35 (2010), 6. - pp. 370-377. - ISSN 1180-4882. - eISSN 1488-2434
Abstract
Background

In the past decade, a body of animal and human research has revealed a profound influence of early-life experiences, ranging from variations in parenting behaviour to severe adversity, on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation in adulthood. In our own previous studies, we have shown how variations in early-life parental care influence the development of the hippocampus and modify the cortisol awakening response.

Methods

In the present study, we investigated the influence of early-life maternal care on cortisol, heart rate and subjective psychological responses to the repeated administration of a psychosocial laboratory stressor in a population of 63 healthy young adults. Low, medium and high early-life maternal care groups were identified using the Parental Bonding Instrument.

Results

Controlling for the effect of sex, we found an inverted u-shaped relation between increasing levels of maternal care and cortisol stress responsivity. Specifically, overall and stress-induced cortisol levels went from below normal in the low maternal care, to normal in the medium care, back to below normal in the high maternal care groups. We found no group differences with respect to heart rate and subjective psychological stress measures. Whereas low and high maternal care groups exhibited similarly low endocrine stress responses, their psychological profiles were opposed with increased levels of depression and anxiety and decreased self-esteem in the low care group.

Limitations

Sex was unequally distributed among maternal care groups, whereby the number of men with low maternal care was too small to allow introducing sex as a second between-group variable.

Conclusion

We discuss the potential significance of this dissociation between endocrine and psychological parameters with respect to stress vulnerability and resistance for each maternal care group.
Summary in another language
Subject (DDC)
150 Psychology
Keywords
Conference
Review
undefined / . - undefined, undefined. - (undefined; undefined)
Cite This
ISO 690ENGERT, Veronika, Simona I. EFANOV, Katarina DEDOVIC, Annie DUCHESNE, Alain DAGHER, Jens C. PRUESSNER, 2010. Perceived early-life maternal care and the cortisol response to repeated psychosocial stress. In: Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN. 35(6), pp. 370-377. ISSN 1180-4882. eISSN 1488-2434. Available under: doi: 10.1503/jpn.100022
BibTex
@article{Engert2010-11Perce-40930,
  year={2010},
  doi={10.1503/jpn.100022},
  title={Perceived early-life maternal care and the cortisol response to repeated psychosocial stress},
  number={6},
  volume={35},
  issn={1180-4882},
  journal={Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN},
  pages={370--377},
  author={Engert, Veronika and Efanov, Simona I. and Dedovic, Katarina and Duchesne, Annie and Dagher, Alain and Pruessner, Jens C.}
}
RDF
<rdf:RDF
    xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
    xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
    xmlns:bibo="http://purl.org/ontology/bibo/"
    xmlns:dspace="http://digital-repositories.org/ontologies/dspace/0.1.0#"
    xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/"
    xmlns:void="http://rdfs.org/ns/void#"
    xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#" > 
  <rdf:Description rdf:about="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/40930">
    <dcterms:abstract xml:lang="eng">Background&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the past decade, a body of animal and human research has revealed a profound influence of early-life experiences, ranging from variations in parenting behaviour to severe adversity, on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation in adulthood. In our own previous studies, we have shown how variations in early-life parental care influence the development of the hippocampus and modify the cortisol awakening response.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Methods&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the present study, we investigated the influence of early-life maternal care on cortisol, heart rate and subjective psychological responses to the repeated administration of a psychosocial laboratory stressor in a population of 63 healthy young adults. Low, medium and high early-life maternal care groups were identified using the Parental Bonding Instrument.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Results&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Controlling for the effect of sex, we found an inverted u-shaped relation between increasing levels of maternal care and cortisol stress responsivity. Specifically, overall and stress-induced cortisol levels went from below normal in the low maternal care, to normal in the medium care, back to below normal in the high maternal care groups. We found no group differences with respect to heart rate and subjective psychological stress measures. Whereas low and high maternal care groups exhibited similarly low endocrine stress responses, their psychological profiles were opposed with increased levels of depression and anxiety and decreased self-esteem in the low care group.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Limitations&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sex was unequally distributed among maternal care groups, whereby the number of men with low maternal care was too small to allow introducing sex as a second between-group variable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Conclusion&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We discuss the potential significance of this dissociation between endocrine and psychological parameters with respect to stress vulnerability and resistance for each maternal care group.</dcterms:abstract>
    <dc:language>eng</dc:language>
    <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="http://localhost:8080/"/>
    <dc:date rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime">2017-12-14T07:18:41Z</dc:date>
    <dc:contributor>Dagher, Alain</dc:contributor>
    <dcterms:isPartOf rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/43"/>
    <dc:creator>Dedovic, Katarina</dc:creator>
    <dc:contributor>Pruessner, Jens C.</dc:contributor>
    <dc:contributor>Efanov, Simona I.</dc:contributor>
    <dcterms:available rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime">2017-12-14T07:18:41Z</dcterms:available>
    <dc:creator>Engert, Veronika</dc:creator>
    <dc:contributor>Engert, Veronika</dc:contributor>
    <dc:creator>Dagher, Alain</dc:creator>
    <dc:contributor>Dedovic, Katarina</dc:contributor>
    <dc:contributor>Duchesne, Annie</dc:contributor>
    <dc:creator>Efanov, Simona I.</dc:creator>
    <dc:creator>Duchesne, Annie</dc:creator>
    <dcterms:issued>2010-11</dcterms:issued>
    <dc:creator>Pruessner, Jens C.</dc:creator>
    <dspace:isPartOfCollection rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/43"/>
    <dcterms:title>Perceived early-life maternal care and the cortisol response to repeated psychosocial stress</dcterms:title>
    <void:sparqlEndpoint rdf:resource="http://localhost/fuseki/dspace/sparql"/>
    <bibo:uri rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/40930"/>
  </rdf:Description>
</rdf:RDF>
Internal note
xmlui.Submission.submit.DescribeStep.inputForms.label.kops_note_fromSubmitter
Contact
URL of original publication
Test date of URL
Examination date of dissertation
Method of financing
Comment on publication
Alliance license
Corresponding Authors der Uni Konstanz vorhanden
International Co-Authors
Bibliography of Konstanz
No
Refereed