Psychoneuroendocrinology [JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
The association between levels of GPS-tracked activity space violent crime and the relationship between cortisol and a biomarker of inflammation amongst Black and White adolescents.
Wilson KL, Boettner BL, Browning CR … +2 more , Ford JL, Way BM
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41442793 · Full text
Exposure to areas high in violent crime is a potent stressor that influences health outcomes by chronically undermining safety and upregulating biological stress responses. We tested the hypothesis that the association b...
Exposure to areas high in violent crime is a potent stressor that influences health outcomes by chronically undermining safety and upregulating biological stress responses. We tested the hypothesis that the association between cortisol, as measured in head hair, and inflammation, as measured by C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in capillary blood, is dependent on the degree of violent crime within adolescents' everyday activity spaces. Because structural inequities cause Black adolescents to spend more time in areas with higher rates of violent crime, we tested this hypothesis in Black and White youth separately. 137 adolescents (M = 15.55, 57 % female, 52 % Black, 48 % White) participated in the study. We obtained continuous GPS-tracked data for one week to assess the average violent crime rate across the areas where participants spent time; biosamples were collected at the end of the week. Among Black adolescents, there was an interaction such that higher GPS-tracked activity space violent crime levels were associated with a positive and significant association between CRP and cortisol, consistent with models suggesting that stress can dysregulate immune-endocrine functioning. Conversely, for Black adolescents with low rates of exposure, cortisol had a negative association with CRP, consistent with a normative effect of glucocorticoid inhibition of inflammation. For White adolescents, cortisol and violence levels were significantly lower than for Black adolescents, and in this context, there was a weak main effect of violence exposure on CRP but no significant interaction. Results suggest the association between cortisol and inflammation varies across violent crime levels within the areas adolescents spend time and emphasize the importance of studying how an adolescent's environment shapes biological responses to chronic stressors.
NR3C1 and IGF2/H19 methylation patterns predict infant and preschooler temperament: Links to maternal stress in pregnancy.
Soerensen AE, Vos S, Braeken MAKA … +3 more , van den Heuvel MI, Van den Bergh BRH, Nawrot TS
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41422662 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Maternal distress has been associated with many offspring behavioural developmental outcomes, potentially through epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor NR3C1 or the imprinting control region...
BACKGROUND: Maternal distress has been associated with many offspring behavioural developmental outcomes, potentially through epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor NR3C1 or the imprinting control region between insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 (IGF2/H19). METHODS: 148 mother-infant pairs from the Prenatal Early Life Stress (PELS) cohort participated in this study. Maternal self-reported psychosocial and work-related factors were determined during pregnancy. NR3C1 and IGF2/H19 methylation levels were measured by bisulfite-pyrosequencing in the buccal cells of the infant (3-5 months). Infant and preschooler (4 years) temperament were assessed by the Infant- and Children's Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ-R-vsf and CBQ-R-vsf, respectively). Linear mixed effect models, linear regression models and mediation analyses were used to test associations. FINDINGS: Maternal work-related physical and emotional demands were predictive of infant NR3C1 and IGF2/H19 methylation on several cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites. NR3C1 and IGF2/H19 methylation were associated with infant surgency. NR3C1 was found to mediate the association between maternal work-related physical demands and surgency in infancy. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational stressors during pregnancy were shown to associate with NR3C1 and IGF2/H19 methylation in the infant, which may be linked with temperament.
Systemic inflammation and ex vivo inflammatory responses in first semester university students.
Davis KM, Wright MA, Engeland CG … +1 more , Murdock KW
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41420902 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Inflammation contributes to cardiovascular and metabolic disease development. Reducing disease risk by targeting inflammation is therefore desirable in prevention research. However, circulating markers of inf...
BACKGROUND: Inflammation contributes to cardiovascular and metabolic disease development. Reducing disease risk by targeting inflammation is therefore desirable in prevention research. However, circulating markers of inflammation are often difficult to detect in younger individuals. Ex vivo stimulated cytokine production offers a promising alternative measure of immune function. Yet, few studies among younger adults have used this measure to date or have assessed its reliability over time. METHODS: First-year university students (N = 110, age 18-19 years) completed two study visits, one each at the beginning and end of their first semester. Circulating cytokines and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cytokine production were assayed at each visit; composites for each were created using IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ. Analyses excluded participants with CRP ≥ 10 mg/L. Pearson's correlations were used to examine unadjusted associations between circulating and stimulated cytokine composites, within and across visits. Multiple linear regression was then used to test concurrent associations between the circulating and stimulated cytokine composites, and the within-person stability of each measure across visits, adjusting for sex, body mass index, perceived stress, physical activity, diet quality, and sleep quality. RESULTS: Study visits occurred 13 weeks ± 8 days apart. The circulating and stimulated cytokine composites were significantly correlated at visit 1 (r= 0.374, p<0.01) and at visit 2 (r=0.246, p = 0.02). This association remained significant in regression analyses at both visit 1 (B [95 % CI] = 0.407 [0.196, 0.617], p < 0.01) and visit 2 (B [95 % CI] = 0.312 [0.041, 0.584], p=0.03). The circulating cytokine composite at visit 1 was not significantly associated with the circulating cytokine composite at visit 2 in either correlation (r=-0.009, p=0.94) or regression (B [95 % CI] = -0.007 [-0.192, 0.179], p = 0.94) analyses. Stimulated cytokine production at visit 1 was significantly associated with stimulated cytokine production at visit 2 in both correlation (r=0.515, p<0.01) and regression analyses (B [95 % CI] = 0.497 [0.293 0.701], p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Contrasting with some past research, circulating cytokines were significantly associated with stimulated cytokine production in the present sample concurrently at both visits. Stimulated cytokine production was more stable within-person across visits (∼13 weeks apart) compared to circulating cytokines in these students. Measurement of stimulated cytokines may be informative for understanding between-person differences in inflammation-related disease risk in younger adults, in part because they appear more stable compared to circulating cytokines.
Sex-specific associations between second-trimester maternal cortisol and neonatal outcomes in island and mainland populations.
Mrdjen-Hodžić R, Malev O, Novokmet N … +4 more , Šarac J, Havaš Auguštin D, Missoni S, Blažević SA
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41418725 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy has been associated with long-term developmental and metabolic consequences in offspring. Cortisol, a primary stress hormone, plays a central role in this process...
BACKGROUND: Maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy has been associated with long-term developmental and metabolic consequences in offspring. Cortisol, a primary stress hormone, plays a central role in this process, and its levels may be influenced by environmental factors, such as geographic isolation. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between place of residence (islands or mainland) and newborn-sex on maternal cortisol levels (as a physiological indicator of stress) and neonatal anthropometry in the first Croatian Islands' Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS). METHODS: A total of N = 337 pregnant women from the CRIBS cohort were included: N = 188 residing on islands and N = 149 residing on the mainland. Maternal plasma cortisol levels were measured during the second trimester using High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Anthropometry and cortisol data were analyzed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests, two-way ANOVA or ANCOVA for group comparisons, and mixed-effects modeling for repeated measures. RESULTS: Pre- and post- pregnancy BMI values were elevated in women residing on the islands in comparison to women residing on the mainland. Cortisol levels, birth weight, birth length, and head circumference were influenced by newborn sex. Mothers carrying female offspring had higher cortisol levels and their offspring lower developmental outcomes, with greater differences observed among island residents for birth weight and length. CONCLUSION: Fetal sex and environmental context (mainland vs. island) influence maternal HPA axis regulation and early developmental outcomes, suggesting that island residents may experience unique stressors related to their environment. Sex-specific associations in maternal cortisol and neonatal growth highlight the importance of considering fetal sex in studies of prenatal stress biology. Future work should clarify how geographic isolation influences prenatal stress biology and identify actionable risks to improve maternal and child health.
Morning cortisol levels and quality of social interactions across the transition to school predict the development of children's anxious and depressive symptoms in first grade.
Leblond M, Parent S, Castellanos-Ryan N … +4 more , Lupien SJ, Herba CM, Fraser WD, Séguin JR
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41418724 · Publisher ↗
Previous studies spanning the transition from preschool to school (kindergarten) revealed individual differences in children's stress response, measured by cortisol concentrations. However, whether these represented adap...
Previous studies spanning the transition from preschool to school (kindergarten) revealed individual differences in children's stress response, measured by cortisol concentrations. However, whether these represented adaptive cortisol concentration patterns or a risk factor for maladaptation remained unclear because very few studies examined functional correlates of cortisol changes, such as anxious or depressive symptoms. Furthermore, prior research has suggested that social interactions may play a significant role in this association since sensitive stress responses patterns might interact with unsupportive interactions to predict the development of mental health symptoms. For the current study, the pattern of morning cortisol concentration in children was described over 6 time-points before, during and after kindergarten entry. The first objective was to examine the associations between this pattern and the development of anxious or depressive symptoms 18 months later (first grade). The second objective was to examine whether children's quality of social interactions (i.e., family relational health or peer problems) interacted with these same patterns to predict anxious and depressive symptoms. For this longitudinal study, children and their parents (N = 379) were recruited from the 3D pregnancy study and followed from preschool to first grade. Piecewise latent growth curve models showed that while morning cortisol concentrations increased at a similar rate for all children over the first two weeks of school, children differed from one another in their levels at school entry. During the post-entry period, morning cortisol concentrations showed a U-shaped curve: a decrease during the first two months followed by an increase for the next three to five months. Main and moderation effects suggest that a hypoactivation of the stress response system (i.e., low cortisol levels at school entry or steeper post-entry decrease) during the school transition may be a risk factor for maladaptation in children as it was associated with later increasing anxious and depressive symptoms, especially under specific social environmental conditions. Children exhibiting such hypoactive cortisol patterns appear to be more vulnerable to lower-quality social environment, whether with family or peers, supporting the diathesis-stress model. Results also highlight the potentially protective function of high-quality social interactions in the development of anxious and depressive symptoms for those with hypoactive stress response system.
Estrogen and oxytocin receptors interplay in the medial amygdala to rapidly facilitate social recognition.
Cantini D, Paletta P, Sexton C … +7 more , Schmidt C, Cha M, Aspesi D, McGuinness S, LaDouceur K, Kavaliers M, Choleris E
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41411838 · Publisher ↗
The estrogen, 17β-estradiol (E2), rapidly facilitates social recognition in various regions of the social brain network. The medial amygdala (MeA) is heavily involved in the processing of social cues and expresses the th...
The estrogen, 17β-estradiol (E2), rapidly facilitates social recognition in various regions of the social brain network. The medial amygdala (MeA) is heavily involved in the processing of social cues and expresses the three main estrogen receptors (ER): ERα, ERβ, and G Protein-Coupled ER (GPER). All ERs, as well as oxytocin and its receptor (OTR) in the MeA are crucial for social recognition in female mice, suggesting an interplay between ERs and OTR in the rapid facilitation of this social behavior. Here, we demonstrate an interplay between E2 and the three ERs (ERα, ERβ, GPER) with OTR in the MeA underlying the rapid facilitation of social recognition. Ovariectomized female mice were bilaterally infused with a sub-effective dose of OTR antagonist (i.e. the highest dose that does not prevent social recognition) into the MeA via indwelling cannulae, prior to an infusion of either E2 or one of the three ER agonists: ERα agonist PPT, ERβ agonist DPN, GPER agonist G1. A social recognition paradigm designed to measure rapid effects of treatment was employed. In all conditions, the sub-effective dose of OTR antagonist prevented the rapid facilitation of social recognition by E2 and each of the three ER agonists. The results show that E2 and the three main ERs require OTRs to rapidly facilitate social recognition in the MeA of female mice, thus demonstrating a rapid, likely non-genomic, interplay between the estrogen and oxytocin systems in social cognitive processing within a key region of the social brain.
Gestational environmental enrichment modulates neurophysiological and behavioral outcomes in adolescent rats after early-life stress: Sex differences in emotional and social behavior.
Toselli AP, Baretta F, Villegas A … +3 more , Casado OM, Mir FR, Rivarola MA
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41406776 · Publisher ↗
The perinatal environment critically shapes neurodevelopmental trajectories. Early life stress (ELS), particularly when associated with disrupted maternal care, has been linked to long-lasting neurobiological and behavio...
The perinatal environment critically shapes neurodevelopmental trajectories. Early life stress (ELS), particularly when associated with disrupted maternal care, has been linked to long-lasting neurobiological and behavioral alterations. This study explored the potential of gestational environmental enrichment (EE) to modulate these effects in a rodent model. Pregnant Wistar rats were housed under either EE or standard conditions (SC); offspring were subsequently exposed to stress paradigms, including maternal separation (MS), intruder male (IM) or no stress (NS) during lactation. In adolescence, males and females were evaluated for anxiety-like and social behaviors using elevated plus maze, open field, and social preference tests. A composite Z-score was calculated to provide a comprehensive measure of anxiety-related behaviors by integrating the parameters from the elevated plus maze and open field tests. Additionally, neuronal activity in regions associated with emotional and social regulation was analyzed. Our findings revealed significant sex-dependent differences in behavioral outcomes. Females exhibited reduced anxiety-like behaviors and greater exploratory activity than males, regardless of ELS exposure or gestational housing. Gestational EE mitigated anxiety-like behaviors, as indicated by reduced Z-scores and modulated social interaction patterns in both sexes, although specific effects varied according to stress condition. At the neural level, EE enhanced ΔFosB expression in the basolateral amygdala of MS offspring, while ELS reduced hippocampal ΔFosB, particularly in the dentate gyrus and CA2 regions. Moreover, sex-dependent patterns of ΔFosB activity emerged across amygdalar and hippocampal circuits, aligning with the behavioral differences observed. These results suggest that EE buffers ELS effects by differentially recruiting amygdalo-hippocampal circuits, highlighting sex-specific vulnerability and resilience mechanisms relevant to neurodevelopment.
Diurnal cortisol cycle and cognitive performance in older people with Type 2 diabetes.
Vallejo L, Zapater-Fajarí M, Montoliu T … +2 more , Hidalgo V, Salvador A
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41406775 · Publisher ↗
In older adults with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation accompanied by cognitive impairment has been reported. While the impact of HPA function on declarative memory (DM), work...
In older adults with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation accompanied by cognitive impairment has been reported. While the impact of HPA function on declarative memory (DM), working memory (WM), and executive function (EF) has received increased attention in aging research, its role in T2D remains largely unexplored. This study compared diurnal cortisol patterns and cognitive performance between 51 patients with T2D treated with oral antidiabetic medications, injectable therapies, or a combination of both, and 51 healthy controls matched for age, sex, educational level and, body mass index. Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Additionally, they provided four saliva samples per day across two weekdays to assess the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and the diurnal cortisol slope (DCS). Group comparisons (T2D vs. controls) and moderation analyses were conducted to assess group differences and the associations between cortisol indices and cognitive performance, with group or depression included as moderators. T2D patients showed poorer performance than healthy controls, particularly on DM and WM, but no significant differences in CAR or DCS. In controls, a higher CAR was related to lower Stroop interference, although no significant relationships were found in T2D patients. Across the entire sample, CAR was negatively associated with Stroop interference at low and moderate depression levels, while DCS was positively associated with RAVLT delayed recall at low levels of depression. Our results indicate that medically treated T2D patients show poorer cognitive performance than healthy controls; however, cortisol does not seem to contribute to these cognitive deficits. These findings add to the limited literature on the impact of the HPA on cognitive function in T2D older adults, and they encourage future studies to delve into the mechanisms that could influence cognitive performance in this population, as well the relevance of depression in these cognitive deficits.
The active monitoring of oxytocin research evidence (AMORE) platform.
Iversen IA, Alaerts K, Bakermans-Kranenburg M … +21 more , Becker B, Blair RJ, Bartz JA, Connelly JJ, Ditzen B, Ebner NC, Kang H, Lawson EA, Lønfeldt NN, Moerkerke M, Montag C, Mora-Jensen AC, Horta M, Peled-Avron L, Procyshyn TL, Sartorius AI, Scheele D, Schneider E, Theofanopoulou C, Yamasue H, Quintana DS
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41389446 · Publisher ↗
Oxytocin, an evolutionarily conserved neuropeptide, plays a crucial role in various physiological and behavioural processes, offering potential therapeutic benefits for several psychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditio...
Oxytocin, an evolutionarily conserved neuropeptide, plays a crucial role in various physiological and behavioural processes, offering potential therapeutic benefits for several psychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions. Despite its promise, oxytocin research has been marked by inconsistent results concerning its therapeutic applications and underlying mechanisms. Performing a systematic review and meta-analysis is a popular approach to shed light on mixed findings in a body of literature; however, they can become quickly outdated as new evidence becomes available. Given these challenges, research on the links between oxytocin and biobehavioural outcomes is ideally positioned for the adoption of 'living' meta-analyses, which allow for the continuous integration of new data and updated conclusions. Here we introduce the Active Monitoring of Oxytocin Research Evidence (AMORE) platform (https://amore-project.org), which is a hub that aggregates articles and materials associated with living meta-analyses for biobehavioural oxytocin research in humans. Developed through consensus among 24 expert researchers, a standardized framework was established that either requires or recommends practices ensuring transparency and rigor in living meta-analyses featured on the AMORE platform. Overall, AMORE has been designed to advance human oxytocin biobehavioural research by the timely integration of emerging evidence through transparent living meta-analyses. To date, two living meta-analysis projects at different stages of publication are hosted on AMORE, demonstrating the platform's practical application.
Immune cell mobilization after exhaustive exercise and its association with subjective mental state in young healthy adults: A randomized cross-over study.
Adammek F, Walzik D, Schenk A … +6 more , Esser T, Trebing S, Valder S, Dreiskämper D, Zimmer P, Joisten N
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41389445 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: The biological foundation of changes in mental state after acute exercise is not yet understood, but it may be related to immunological alterations. The study investigated the hypothesis that the exercise-ind...
BACKGROUND: The biological foundation of changes in mental state after acute exercise is not yet understood, but it may be related to immunological alterations. The study investigated the hypothesis that the exercise-induced mobilization in circulating immune cells and cellular inflammation markers are associated with changes in the subjective mental state. As a secondary aim, the study investigated, wether the effects of the circulating immune cells are sex-dependent. METHODS: In a randomized cross-over trial, 24 young healthy adults (eight female; age 25.75 ± 4.35 years) completed a single exercise bout until exhaustion on a cycle ergometer and a passive control session. Outcomes were assessed immediately before, after the session, and 1 h, 3 h, 24 h, and 48 h after the session and comprise cell counts of leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils and platelets, and the inflammation markers neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte-ratio and systemic-immune-inflammation-index as blood-based parameters, and subjective mental state measured using the Multidimensional-Mood-Questionnaire (MDMQ, subdomains mood, energetic arousal, calmness). RESULTS: There were significant time*group effects for all blood-based parameters (p < 0.001) and significant main effects of time for the MDMQ mood (p < 0.001) and energetic arousal (p = 0.008). No significant sex-dependent differences were obeserved. Within the intervention group, MDMQ energetic arousal showed significant correlations with lymphocytes (r=-0.41, p < 0.001), platelets (r=-0.28, p = 0.002), NLR (r=0.28, p = 0.002), PLR (r=0.33, p < 0.001), SII (r=0.269, p = 0.003) and MDMQ calmness showed significant correlations with leukocytes (r=-0.29, p = 0.002), lymphocytes (r=-0.36, p < 0.001), platelets (r=-0.30, p = 0.001), and PLR (r=0.25, p = 0.007). Within the control group, MDMQ mood showed significant correlations with lymphocytes (r=0.20, p = 0.031, NLR (r=-0.28, p = 0.002), PLR (r=-0.19, p = 0.033), SII (r=-0.24, p = 0.008) and MDMQ calmness showed significant correlations with PLR (r=-0.23, p = 0.011), SII (r=-0.20, p = 0.029). Fisher´s z-test revealed no significant difference between the correlations of the groups. CONCLUSION: Acute exhaustive exercise affects immune cells, inflammation markers, and the subjective mental state regardless of sex. The correlation between blood-based parameters and the MDMQ appears to be robust and indicates relevant psychoneuroimmune associations in the human body. However, the acute exercise intervention used in this study does not influence this association. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00028792.
Validation of a stress reactivity assessment protocol for children aged 4-5 years: Exploring the influence of sex, emotional responses, and crying.
Baos-González MÁ, Mariño-Narváez C, De Echarri-Lorente J … +3 more , Fasfous AF, González-Pérez R, Peralta-Ramírez MI
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41389383 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Early childhood is an important period for the development of stress regulation systems, yet validated protocols to assess stress reactivity in preschoolers remain scarce. The current study aimed to validate...
BACKGROUND: Early childhood is an important period for the development of stress regulation systems, yet validated protocols to assess stress reactivity in preschoolers remain scarce. The current study aimed to validate a stress reactivity laboratory protocol based on the matching task in a Spanish sample of 4-5-year-old children, while exploring the influence of sex, emotional responses, and potential confounding variables. METHODS: Fifty-eight preschoolers participated in the Stress Reactivity Task for Preschoolers (SRTP), which included six salivary samples for the measurement of cortisol (as a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis activity) and alpha-amylase (as a marker of sympathetic nervous system [SNS] activity). Behavioral and emotional responses were also coded. Statistical analyses included repeated-measures GLMs, paired t-tests, and correlation analyses to evaluate biomarker patterns and confounders. RESULTS: The SRTP effectively elicited a stress response: 77.6 % of children were classified as alpha-amylase responders, and 64.9 % as cortisol responders. Alpha-amylase levels increased sharply post-task and gradually returned to baseline within 40 min. In contrast, cortisol levels peaked later and remained elevated for a longer period. No correlation was found between the two biomarkers. Emotional and observational data supported the presence of stress, with significant increases in anger, sadness, and nervousness during the task. Notably, girls exhibited faster cortisol reactivity and greater sadness than boys. Among all examined variables, crying emerged as the most influential confounder, being strongly associated with heightened cortisol reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: The SRTP is a valid and sensitive protocol for assessing stress reactivity in preschool-aged children. It enables simultaneous assessment of SNS and HPA axis activity and captures meaningful interindividual differences. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of early stress physiology and may inform future longitudinal studies and preventive interventions.
Influence of pre-acquisition stress on fear learning and regulation as a function of sex and menstrual-cycle groups.
Provencher J, Peyrot C, Beaulieu MC … +1 more , Marin MF
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Mar · PMID 41386193 · Publisher ↗
Fear conditioning protocols are widely used to investigate fear learning and regulation, with clinical implications for post-traumatic stress and anxiety disorders. In real-world settings, fear learning often occurs unde...
Fear conditioning protocols are widely used to investigate fear learning and regulation, with clinical implications for post-traumatic stress and anxiety disorders. In real-world settings, fear learning often occurs under stress, affecting memory strength and regulation. However, laboratory findings on stress effects remain inconsistent, possibly due to the lack of consideration for sex and menstrual-cycle groups, given sex hormones receptors' abundance in fear- and stress-related brain regions. This study examined the impact of 1) pre-acquisition stress and 2) cortisol reactivity on fear processes across sex and menstrual-cycle groups (hormonal data unavailable). A total of 208 participants were exposed to a stressor (men (n = 24), women using oral contraceptives (OCs; n = 25), and women with a menstrual cycle in the early follicular (EF; n = 24) or late follicular phase (LF; n = 26)) or control condition (men (n = 29), OCs (n = 23), EF (n = 26), LF (n = 31)) before undergoing fear acquisition (Context A), where two colors were paired with shock (CS+) and another was not (CS-). On Day 2, one CS+ and the CS- were presented without shock (Context B) for fear extinction learning. On Day 3, extinction recall (Context B) and renewal (Context A) were tested, with all stimuli presented without shock. Fear responses were assessed by skin conductance responses (SCR) and self-reported shock anticipation. Stress-exposed participants showed lower SCR during fear acquisition than controls. During extinction learning, control men exhibited greater SCR reduction than stressed men, whereas LF women showed the opposite pattern. No group differences emerged during extinction recall. During renewal, stressed LF women had lower SCR to the CS+ than their control counterparts. Additional analyses suggested that stressed men with lower cortisol reactivity had higher SCR during fear acquisition and renewal than those with higher cortisol reactivity. These findings indicate that stress exposure and cortisol reactivity differentially influence fear learning and regulation across sex and menstrual-cycle groups, in a context-dependent manner.
Association of longitudinal changes in physical activity with allostatic load in midlife.
Korpisaari M, Leinonen AM, Ikäheimo T … +6 more , Tulppo M, Seppänen M, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Korpelainen R, Farrahi V, Lankila T
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41385853 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE: It is known that physical activity (PA) helps improve physical and mental health; however, the association between longitudinal changes in PA and cumulative stress at midlife remains ill-defined. This study exam...
PURPOSE: It is known that physical activity (PA) helps improve physical and mental health; however, the association between longitudinal changes in PA and cumulative stress at midlife remains ill-defined. This study examined the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and chronic stress, quantified as allostatic load at midlife, in a population-based sample of Finnish adults. METHODS: We included members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) who participated in follow-ups conducted at 31 and 46 years of age (n = 3358). Self-reported leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels were used to classify participants into two dichotomous groups based on World Health Organization recommendations for PA. According to changes in LTPA from 31 years to 46 years of age, participants were categorized into stable inactive, increased, decreased, and stable active groups. To ensure statistical robustness and enable comparison, two separate allostatic load indices (a 13-item index and a 5-item index) were used, based on biological markers collected in clinical examinations conducted at the 46-years-of-age follow-up. Poisson regression was used to analyze the strength of associations. RESULTS: From early adulthood to midlife, participants with stable inactivity (rate ratio, RR = 1.18, 95 % confidence interval, CI: 1.11-1.25) or decreasing LTPA (RR = 1.10, 95 % CI: 1.02-1.19) were at a higher risk of allostatic load with the 13-item index compared to those with stable active PA. With the 5-item allostatic load index, only stable inactivity was significantly associated with allostatic load (RR=1.17, 95 % CI: 1.07-1.28). Increased LTPA did not significantly differ from stable activity in terms of risk of allostatic load with the 13-item index (RR = 1.01, 95 % CI: 0.94-1.09) or the 5-item index (RR=1.04, 95 % CI: 0.93-1.15). CONCLUSIONS: Both lower-than-recommended and decreasing LTPA levels through adulthood are associated with the accumulation of chronic stress when transitioning from early adulthood to midlife.
Discrimination and allostatic load in black middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Harb A, Souza-Talarico J, Abad PB … +5 more , Lawrence K, Lee J, Capuano AW, Barnes LL, Deberg J
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41370963 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Perceived discrimination has been associated with elevated allostatic load (AL), but findings among Black middle-aged and older adults are inconsistent. A focused synthesis is lacking, limiting understanding...
BACKGROUND: Perceived discrimination has been associated with elevated allostatic load (AL), but findings among Black middle-aged and older adults are inconsistent. A focused synthesis is lacking, limiting understanding of how discrimination becomes biologically embedded. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to clarify the discrimination and AL relationship in Black individuals during aging and highlight key methodological and contextual factors. METHODS: A systematic search of seven databases following PRISMA guidelines included studies on discrimination and AL in Black adults aged 40 and older. AL measures were multisystem indexes of stress-related biomarkers. Study quality was assessed using ROBINS-E, and a random-effects meta-analysis estimated the overall effect size. RESULTS: Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Four reported significant associations between discrimination, particularly everyday or adolescent exposure, and higher AL. One study found a negative association moderated by coping mechanisms, while another revealed a significant interaction with hopefulness. Meta-analysis of four studies showed a small, non-significant pooled effect (Hedges's g = 0.132; 95 % CI: -0.338-0.602; p = 0.582) with high heterogeneity (I² = 94.24 %). Stronger associations appeared in studies using broader biomarker panels and more recent discrimination measures. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights an inconsistent and heterogeneous relationship between discrimination and AL in Black middle-aged and older adults. While evidence suggests a general link, findings remain mixed due to methodological variability. The meta-analysis found no significant pooled effect, reflecting limited and diverse studies. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, standardized measures, and consideration of coping and resilience factors.
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress response to a laboratory-based 10 % CO challenge in healthy adults.
Dickens H, Gournay-Berman LR, Hill M … +5 more , Joslin MDM, Walker J, Makhanova A, Leen-Feldner E, Vargas I
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41370962 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Acute stress reactivity has been implicated in a wide range of physical and psychological disorders. Most literature has focused on laboratory paradigms that elicit neuroendocrine responses via socially evalu...
BACKGROUND: Acute stress reactivity has been implicated in a wide range of physical and psychological disorders. Most literature has focused on laboratory paradigms that elicit neuroendocrine responses via socially evaluative stress. While shown to be effective at eliciting stress responses, these socially evaluative paradigms may only tap into a narrow range of stressors. Carbon dioxide (CO) inhalation challenges have been shown to reliably elicit panic-relevant symptoms in healthy populations but evidence on the ability to elicit a neuroendocrine response is limited. METHODS: The current secondary analysis sought to examine the magnitude of neuroendocrine, sympathetic, and emotional response to a 5-minute, 10 % CO-enriched air inhalation task in healthy volunteers. Seventy-five healthy adults (M: 27.2, 53.3 % female) completed the laboratory procedure. RESULTS: Results from mixed effects growth curve models found a significant linear (b = 0.006, df = 367, p < 0.001) and quadratic effect (b = -0.0001, df = 293, p < 0.001) of the challenge on salivary cortisol. The majority of the sample (57.3 %) experienced at least a 50 % increase in salivary cortisol from baseline. Women displayed a more blunted cortisol response than men (b = -0.00007, df = 293, p < 0.001). Hormonal contraceptive users, relative to naturally cycling women, also had a more blunted reactivity slope. Both heart rate and perceived fear also increased significantly in response to the task. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from the current study suggest that the CO protocol employed in the current study can elicit meaningful neuroendocrine, sympathetic, and emotional responses.
Linking hair cortisol and life stress: The role of stress reactivity and habituation.
Planert J, Stalder T, Huthsteiner K … +3 more , Slavich GM, Klucken T, Finke JB
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41365018 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has emerged as a biomarker for long-term cortisol secretion, yet evidence linking HCC to self-reported life stress remains inconsistent. Although individual differences in ac...
BACKGROUND: Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has emerged as a biomarker for long-term cortisol secretion, yet evidence linking HCC to self-reported life stress remains inconsistent. Although individual differences in acute stress reactivity as well as habituation may moderate this association, no research has examined how these processes interact to modulate the HCC-stress link. Moreover, most studies have relied on assessments of recent stressor exposure only, with limited attention to lifetime stressor exposure. METHOD: A final sample of 72 healthy individuals (53 women) who provided hair samples and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test three times over consecutive weeks, during which changes in salivary cortisol, cardiovascular parameters, and self-reported stress were assessed. The Stress and Adversity Inventory was administered to assess lifetime stressor exposure. RESULTS: As hypothesized, preregistered analyses showed that greater lifetime stressor exposure and acute cortisol reactivity were both associated with elevated HCC. No association was found between HCC and stress habituation, and no moderation effects on the relation between HCC and lifetime stressor exposure were observed for reactivity or habituation. Exploratory analyses revealed a consistent link between early-life stressor exposure and HCC, whereas a positive association with adulthood stressors was evident only for individuals with less cortisol reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that HCC reflects not only lifetime stressor exposure but is also influenced by individual differences in cortisol reactivity, highlighting its role as an integrative, yet complex biomarker of chronic stress. In contrast, the lack of an association with habituation indicates limited sensitivity to dynamic adaptation processes occurring over weeks.
Androstadienone reduces women's mate-choice copying: The moderating role of intrasexual competition.
Liu L, Zheng L
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41353996 · Publisher ↗
Androstadienone (AND), a putative human chemosignal, has been shown to influence women's mate preferences, but whether it also shapes mate-choice strategies remains unclear. The present research tested the hypothesis tha...
Androstadienone (AND), a putative human chemosignal, has been shown to influence women's mate preferences, but whether it also shapes mate-choice strategies remains unclear. The present research tested the hypothesis that AND reduces women's mate-choice copying, and that this inhibitory effect is moderated by intrasexual competition. Using a double-blind design, participants attended two sessions on consecutive days, inhaling either AND or a placebo (order randomized), and then completed a mate-choice copying task. In Study 1 (N = 54), AND reduced mate-choice copying among women low in intrasexual competition, whereas women high in intrasexual competition showed little copying under both AND and placebo conditions. Study 2 (N = 50) experimentally primed intrasexual competition and replicated these findings: when competition was primed, women displayed no mate-choice copying in either condition, whereas under non-competitive conditions AND suppressed copying. Across both studies, women exposed to AND reported a significantly lower perception of intimacy in romantic pairs compared to those in the placebo group. These findings provide the first evidence that AND regulates women's mate-choice copying under conditions of low intrasexual competition.
Association of circulating immune cell phenotypes and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers with depressive symptoms in the Framingham Heart Study.
Iyer S, Cao Y, Liebegott R … +5 more , Chen J, Ragab A, Doyle MF, Lunetta KL, Murabito JM
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41349492 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health disorder with substantial impact on older adults. Immune dysfunction has been studied as a mechanism for depressive symptoms, providing the opportunity for new targeted tr...
BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health disorder with substantial impact on older adults. Immune dysfunction has been studied as a mechanism for depressive symptoms, providing the opportunity for new targeted treatment approaches. METHODS: This study investigated the associations between immune cell phenotypes, determined by flow cytometry, and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers, measured using the OLINK Inflammation panel, with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores, indicative of depressive symptoms, in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. Regression models were used with proteins or immune cells as predictors and CES-D scores as the outcome, adjusting for age, sex, BMI, smoking status, CVD, depression medication use, NSAID use, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) status (immune cells only). We used Bonferroni adjusted p < 0.005 to declare significance. Effect estimates (beta) are reported in standard deviation units. RESULTS: Participants (n = 831) had a mean age 61, were 52 % female, and had a mean CES-D score 5 (SD=7) with 8 % (n = 67) having a CES-D score > /= 16. Our results suggested a positive association between FGF-19 and CES-D score (beta=0.11, p = 0.004), as well as a suggestive negative trend between the CD8 +IL17 + :CD8 +CD25 +FoxP3 + ratio (CD8Tc17/CD8 +Tregs) and CES-D score (beta=-0.1, p = 0.03). In addition, we observed a positive suggestive trend between IL-17C and depressive symptoms (CES-D >/= 16) (beta=0.35 p = 0.009), that strengthened with higher levels of symptoms (p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: The positive association between FGF-19 and depressive symptoms may suggest the contribution of metabolic and cognitive dysfunction to the pathophysiology of depression. The link between higher IL-17C levels and high CES-D score increased in strength as the cutoff point for a high CES-D score was increased, suggesting a link between IL-17C and more severe depressive symptoms. This study helps to expand our understanding of the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of depression.
Superwoman schema, motherhood status, and subclinical atherosclerosis among African American women.
Hoggard LS, Dennison-Morgan TJ, Parker J … +11 more , Murden RJ, Martin ZT, Shipman-Lacewell J, Erving CL, Fields ND, Udaipuria S, Moore RH, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA, Coccari ML, Lewis TT
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41344043 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the United States, with African American women facing markedly higher rates of CVD-related morbidity and mortality than women of other...
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the United States, with African American women facing markedly higher rates of CVD-related morbidity and mortality than women of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. African American women's heightened risk for CVD has been linked to their disproportionate exposure to social stressors. In the present study, we examine how Superwoman Schema (SWS) is related to carotid intima media thickness (IMT) among African American women, as well as the moderating role of motherhood status. METHODS: Data are from the Mechanisms Underlying the Impact of Stress and Emotions (MUSE) on African American Women's Health Study, a cohort of 422 African American women residing in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. The women completed demographic questions (e.g., motherhood status) and psychosocial assessments, including the 35-item SWS scale. IMT scans were also performed during the visit. RESULTS: After adjustment for sociodemographic (e.g., age) and CVD risk (e.g., systolic blood pressure) factors, the results revealed that Resistance to Vulnerability was associated with lower IMT among non-mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that African American women's culturally rooted tendency to embody strength, independence, self-reliance, ambition, and care for others may serve as a compensatory mechanism influencing CVD risk, with the associations varying by motherhood status.
Intersectional stigma, health behaviors, and allostatic load among sexual and gender diverse people.
Chuntova N, Ait Abdelmalek I, Lavallée-Rodrigue K … +7 more , Thériault ER, Hogan R, Guenoun Z, Boulette J, Romain AJ, DuBois LZ, Juster RP
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Feb · PMID 41337876 · Publisher ↗
Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) people face significant health disparities linked to chronic stigma exposure. Yet, the biological mechanisms underlying these inequities remain unexplored. This project examines how lifeti...
Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) people face significant health disparities linked to chronic stigma exposure. Yet, the biological mechanisms underlying these inequities remain unexplored. This project examines how lifetime intersectional discrimination influences allostatic load (AL) -the cumulative biological 'wear and tear' of chronic stress-and explores the role of health behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, drug use, sleep quality and physical activity) as potential mediators in this pathway. Our team recruited 357 adults separated into 7 subgroups stratified by gender identity and sexual orientation. Blood samples and biometrics were collected from each participant and analysed to create a composite AL index incorporating 16 biomarkers across multiple physiological systems. Psychosocial variables including intersectional discrimination experiences and health behaviors were derived from validated questionnaires. Results show that intersectional discrimination experiences were positively associated with AL after controlling for age, indicating that both major discriminatory events and cumulative daily experiences independently contribute to physiological dysregulation through enacted stigma and discrimination exposure. Additionally, both gender identity and sexual orientation relate to differential AL patterns, with masculine-spectrum people (cisgender and transgender men) and sexual minority men (bisexual and gay men) showing the highest AL levels. Contrary to our hypothesis, health behaviors did not mediate the relationship between discrimination and AL, suggesting that discrimination may exert direct biological effects through stress response systems without requiring negative behavioral pathways. These findings provide further support for recognition of the impacts of structural and social determinants of health among SGD communities and the need for policy changes that protect against structural inequities.
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