Psychoneuroendocrinology [JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Salivary oxytocin research clings strongly to early theories, despite new frameworks attributing versatile roles to the neuropeptide.
Winters C, Gorssen W, Ulbrich SE … +1 more , Goumon S
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jul · PMID 42402227 · Publisher ↗
Salivary oxytocin is a widely used peripheral measure for investigating neuroendocrine correlates of social, stress-related, and adaptive physiological processes. While theoretical interpretations of oxytocin have evolve...
Salivary oxytocin is a widely used peripheral measure for investigating neuroendocrine correlates of social, stress-related, and adaptive physiological processes. While theoretical interpretations of oxytocin have evolved substantially beyond early prosocial accounts and recognized context dependency, individual variability, and regulatory functions, more recent studies introducing oxytocin measures in non-human species often rely exclusively on early prosocial interpretations. This striking limitation to just one of several conceptualizations prompted us to examine how theoretical perspectives are represented in the literature on salivary oxytocin. To address this, we conducted a bibliometric and semantic analysis of 445 publications on salivary oxytocin (2005-2026) to identify historical trends, citation patterns, thematic concentrations, and alignment with current theoretical frameworks. A citation analyses revealed the dominance of early canonical studies, with a small number of papers accounting for a disproportionate share of citations. Keyword and semantic cluster analyses identified seven thematic domains, including stress research, parental care, and clinical studies, while integration across species was limited. Explicit citation of selected landmark publications representing major conceptual frameworks of oxytocin function was uncommon (16.6% of studies), with human studies primarily referencing the publication representing social salience theory and animal studies primarily referencing the publication representing the prosocial framework. Thus, despite its evolutionary conservation and translational potential, salivary oxytocin research showed limited explicit theoretical engagement, while citation and semantic patterns remained disproportionately centered on early socially oriented literature. Together, these findings suggest that the rapid expansion of the field has not been accompanied by comparable structural diversification. This highlights the need for future research to apply models, integrate findings, and contextualize applications to produce informed insights into oxytocin's physiological, behavioral, and adaptive functions.
Sex-specific mechanisms of childhood trauma-related HPA axis dysregulation: Insights across four regulatory probes.
Hinchey LM, Abelson JL
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jul · PMID 42398339 · Publisher ↗
Blunted cortisol reactivity (BCR) to stress has been linked to trauma symptoms and early life adversity (ELA). Despite evidence for sex differences in ELA's impact on cortisol reactivity, few stress reactivity studies ad...
Blunted cortisol reactivity (BCR) to stress has been linked to trauma symptoms and early life adversity (ELA). Despite evidence for sex differences in ELA's impact on cortisol reactivity, few stress reactivity studies adequately assess sex-specificity. Further, most have measured salivary cortisol response to a single regulatory probe, limiting conclusions regarding mechanisms contributing to trauma-related HPA axis dysregulation. Using measures of cortisol binding globulin (CBG), serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and serum and salivary cortisol across four regulatory probes, this study assessed sex-specific mechanisms of ELA-related HPA axis dysregulation. 116 adults (55 female; 61 male) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), ACTH stimulation test, and low and high dose dexamethasone suppression tests (DST), and provided serum ACTH and cortisol, salivary cortisol, and CBG samples. For women, probes were scheduled to avoid ovulatory estrogen surges. Regressions in sex-disaggregated data examined the impact of ELA on cortisol reactivity and three candidate mechanisms of BCR. We found a negative association between salivary cortisol reactivity and ELA in females (p = .037), with no relation in males. In females, neither CBG nor adrenal sensitivity explained blunting; ELA was, however, associated with enhanced feedback inhibition (p = .033). Findings imply that the relation between ELA and adult BCR may primarily be present in females. The observed patterns were more consistent with enhanced feedback inhibition as a candidate pathway to trauma-related blunting in women than altered adrenal sensitivity or blunting explained by CBG. Future sex-disaggregated approaches may clarify persistently elusive pathways between trauma, HPA axis dysregulation, and adverse health outcomes.
Prospective daily evidence of cyclic suicidality and self-harm in premenstrual disorders.
Ly M, Zorzini G, Wahl T … +3 more , Chenji S, MacDonald S, Gordon JL
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42391968 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Suicide rates among reproductive-aged females have increased in recent decades, yet biopsychosocial contributors to risk remain understudied. Evidence suggests mood and behavior changes across the menstrual c...
BACKGROUND: Suicide rates among reproductive-aged females have increased in recent decades, yet biopsychosocial contributors to risk remain understudied. Evidence suggests mood and behavior changes across the menstrual cycle, most notably in premenstrual disorders (PMDs), are associated with elevated suicide and self-harm risk. However, research on suicidality across the menstrual cycle remains limited due to a lack of prospective studies targeting PMD samples. METHODS: Participants completed prospective daily ratings of PMD, suicidal, and self-harm symptoms across two menstrual cycles. PMD diagnosis was confirmed with these ratings, and phase-aligned cycle time scaling was used to align observations continuously across the cycle. Generalized additive mixed models tested the cyclicity of suicidal and self-harm ideation, and, as secondary analyses, likelihood ratio tests evaluated PMD diagnosis (above vs. below diagnostic threshold) as a moderator of cyclic variation as well as additional psychosocial factors that may affect cyclical patterns. RESULTS: Significant menstrual cyclicity in suicidal (deviance explained = 38%) and self-harm (deviance explained = 21.6%) ideation was observed in the full sample, with severity peaking in the late luteal phase, improving by menses onset, and re-emerging around ovulation. When comparing groups above vs. below diagnostic threshold for PMD, cyclicity was only significant in participants above threshold (n = 35); individuals below threshold (n = 29) showed cyclicity that was statistically nonsignificant. Within those above diagnostic threshold, various psychosocial factors shaped the cyclicity of suicidality and self-harm, including psychiatric comorbidities, social support, childhood adversities, life stressors, baseline suicidal risk, and mid-follicular depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Cyclic worsening of suicidality and self-harm are evident among individuals being evaluated for PMDs and may be exacerbated by psychosocial vulnerabilities. Prospective, continuous symptom tracking enables identifying high-risk periods and informing targeted prevention strategies.
Higher plasma catecholamine concentrations in oral cancer patients and association with clinical and psychological characteristics.
Bastos DB, Sarafim-Costa BAM, Santos-Sousa AL … +5 more , Yokota R, Biasoli ER, Casarini DE, Miyahara GI, Bernabé DG
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42379106 · Publisher ↗
INTRODUCTION: Cancer patients often experience increased activity of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). A dysregulation in the stress-related catecholamines secretion, including norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EP...
INTRODUCTION: Cancer patients often experience increased activity of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). A dysregulation in the stress-related catecholamines secretion, including norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI), has been associated with tumor progression and worse clinical and psychological outcomes. However, the systemic secretion profile of NE and EPI and their predictors in patients with oral cancer have been poorly investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study investigated the association of plasma NE and EPI levels in 168 patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) with demographic, clinicopathological, biobehavioral and psychological variables. Catecholamine levels in patients with oral cancer were compared to hormone levels in patients with oral leukoplakia and healthy individuals. Plasma NE and EPI levels were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection (HPLC-ED). Psychological mood states and emotional symptoms were assessed by the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS). RESULTS: Systemic NE concentrations were significantly higher in patients with OSCC compared to patients with oral leukoplakia (p < 0.001) and healthy volunteers (p = 0.003). Patients with OSCC also displayed increased plasma EPI levels, but this result did not reach significance after adjusting for covariates (p = 0.098) and was influenced by the tobacco consumption (p = 0.018). Multivariate analyzes identified the mood descriptors "anger" and "alert" as predictive variables for increased NE plasma levels in OSCC patients (β = 0.260, SE = 0.117, .028 and β = 0.151, SE = 0.073, p = 0.004, respectively). No variable was associated with EPI plasma levels in OSCC patients. CONCLUSION: The results reveal that patients with oral cancer display increased systemic concentrations of stress-related catecholamines, and that higher levels of norepinephrine are associated with the emotional symptoms of anger and alertness.
Corrigendum to "Cortisol stress reactivity and cumulative output associations with structural neural network architecture in adolescents" [Psychoneuroendocrinology 191 (2026) 107938].
Guzman JM, Hardi FA, Peckins MK … +5 more , Mitchell C, Tillem S, Monk CS, Lopez-Duran NL, Hyde LW
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372662 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Salivary glucocorticoid receptor gene DNA methylation and cortisol output in relation to lifestyle, psychological distress, and cognition in university students.
Rostami S, Bermudo-Gallaguet A, Camins-Vila N … +4 more , Ferrer-Uris B, Busquets A, Via M, Mataró M
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372661 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: University students often experience high psychosocial stress and lifestyle irregularities that may affect hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation and epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid recept...
BACKGROUND: University students often experience high psychosocial stress and lifestyle irregularities that may affect hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation and epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1). This study examined associations of lifestyle factors with peripheral NR3C1 DNA methylation and cortisol output, and their relationships with psychological distress and cognitive function. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 97 university students (48 women; mean age = 21.6 years). Salivary NR3C1 promoter methylation was measured by pyrosequencing, and two components (C1, C2) were derived. Salivary cortisol area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) was calculated. Lifestyle behaviors, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, and cognitive domains were assessed. Multiple regression and moderation analyses tested associations and interactions with sex and BMI. RESULTS: In uncorrected analyses, higher sedentary behavior was associated with lower NR3C1 C2 scores, and higher physical activity and CRF were related to lower cortisol AUCg. Higher NR3C1 C1 scores were associated with poorer executive function and inhibition, and cortisol AUCg was positively associated with depressive symptoms. However, none of these associations survived correction for multiple comparisons. Exploratory analyses indicated that higher NR3C1 C2 scores were associated with better attention at lower BMI and better attention-processing speed in women, whereas higher NR3C1 C1 scores were associated with poorer inhibition in men. CONCLUSIONS: Nominal findings suggest movement-related behaviors as the clearest lifestyle correlates of stress-system markers. Moderation analyses suggest sex- and BMI-related heterogeneity in selected cognition-methylation associations. These findings require confirmation in adequately powered studies.
Beyond perceived stress: Hair cortisol is linked with cognition and fatigue in black and white patients with multiple sclerosis.
Moody SN, Devier D, Manuel M … +4 more , Willette A, Shirtcliff E, Copeland B, Lovera J
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372660 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Racial differences in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and fatigue may be influenced by stress related biological and structural factors, yet the relationships among race, cumulative stress, cognition, and fatigue rem...
BACKGROUND: Racial differences in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and fatigue may be influenced by stress related biological and structural factors, yet the relationships among race, cumulative stress, cognition, and fatigue remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the association of biopsychosocial markers of stress with cognition (Symbol Digit Modality Test - SDMT) and Fatigue domains. METHODS/PATIENTS: Eighty-one patients with MS (79% female; 48% Black) and 41 controls (71% female; 27% Black) were enrolled. Participants completed self-report measures and cognitive testing (SDMT); a subset (N = 68) also provided hair samples for cumulative cortisol assessment. RESULTS: Lower SDMT was associated with higher hair cortisol (B = -2.00, p = .016), MS (B = -8.72, p = .003), and being Black (B = -7.33, p = .007). Higher total fatigue (R² =.46, p < .001) associated with higher reported stress (B = 0.79, p < .001) and depression (B = 6.96, p < .001). Cognitive fatigue was associated with higher reported stress (B = 0.44, p < .001) and depression (B = 4.16, p < .001), but not MS. Patterns were consistent among women. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that biological and social indicators of stress (cumulative cortisol, MS diagnosis, and race) were associated with cognitive performance, whereas reported psychological indicators (perceived stress and depression) were associated with fatigue. These results highlight that objective and subjective measures of stress show distinct associations with MS related outcomes.
Differential expression of lymphocyte markers by neighborhood opportunity among US adults: Insights from the Midlife in the United States study.
Kranz EO, Bather JR, Feng S … +4 more , Zhang X, Crump AA, Cole SW, Cuevas AG
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42341640 · Publisher ↗
Social and environmental neighborhood characteristics play important roles in promoting opportunities for healthy living. However, access to quality opportunities vary depending on where people live, largely due to struc...
Social and environmental neighborhood characteristics play important roles in promoting opportunities for healthy living. However, access to quality opportunities vary depending on where people live, largely due to structural injustices perpetuating inequities. Though the impacts of such injustices on physiological health outcomes are well-studied, little is known about how the underlying biological mechanisms facilitating these health outcomes may be influenced by constructs of neighborhood opportunity. To further investigate the relationship between neighborhood opportunity and immunoregulation, we used data from the Midlife in the United States study (n = 1215; mean age 56.9 years, SD = 12.2; 53.2% female, 73.0% non-Hispanic White) and the Child Opportunity Index 3.0 to examine how neighborhood opportunity may be associated with differing expression levels of CD19 and CD3, canonical lineage markers for B and T cells. Primary analyses found that living in low Overall Neighborhood Opportunity areas was associated with significantly higher expression of CD3 (38.5% elevation; 95% CI: 14.9%, 68.2%; p < 0.001) compared to high opportunity areas, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health-related measures, and lifestyle factors. Secondary analyses of neighborhood opportunity subdomains found that higher CD3 expression was significantly associated with low levels of Education Opportunity (32.9% elevation; 95% CI: 10.2%, 59.1%; p = 0.003) and Social and Economic Resources Opportunity (38.5% elevation; 95% CI: 14.9%, 68.2%; p < 0.001) compared to in high opportunity areas. These results suggest that social and educational neighborhood environments may play a role as social determinants of biological health, pointing to potential immunologic pathways through which neighborhood opportunity impacts health.
The effect of acute angiotensin receptor blockade on subjective and biological markers of stress response.
Shkreli L, Morse L, Scaife J … +4 more , Browning M, Murphy SE, Kirschbaum C, Reinecke A
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42335671 · Publisher ↗
Angiotensin-II receptor blockade (ARB) has been associated with reduced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in population-based studies. Pre-clinical evidence further suggests that ARB may play a critical role...
Angiotensin-II receptor blockade (ARB) has been associated with reduced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in population-based studies. Pre-clinical evidence further suggests that ARB may play a critical role in modulating the physiological stress response, with results showing reduced cortisol secretion in rodents after chronic ARB, and reduced sympathetic activity in humans watching traumatic films after single-dose ARB. However, despite the critical role of cortisol in PTSD development, ARB effects on the human cortisol response have not been probed directly. In this double-blind study, 60 healthy participants were randomised to receiving a single-dose of the angiotensin-II receptor blocker losartan (50 mg) or placebo, prior to undergoing a computerised 20-minute psychosocial stress paradigm lasting 20 min. Salivary cortisol was assessed pre-stress and directly after the stress paradigm, as well as 20 min post-stress and 40 min post-stress. In addition, subjective stress, heart rate and heart rate variability were measured. After losartan and placebo, increases in salivary cortisol, subjective stress, heart rate, and heart rate variability in response to the stress task were seen, but these did not differ between groups. Exploratory analyses showed that while hormonal contraception users showed a blunted cortisol response to stress, losartan administration seemed to restore their cortisol response while not affecting non-users. This study indicates that single-dose ARB may not affect the stress response towards a psychosocial stressor of moderate intensity in healthy humans, encouraging future research to explore the effects of longer-term ARB.
Intranasal oxytocin for alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and multilevel, bayesian, and variance meta-analyses of randomized clinical trial data.
Santos VH, Paloyelis Y, Morgado M … +6 more , Rodrigues JR, Tjeng R, Fraga M, Carriço P, Fernandes L, Martins D
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42335670 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has been proposed as a promising adjunctive treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), yet randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have yielded mixed and inconclusive findings. To clarify...
BACKGROUND: Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has been proposed as a promising adjunctive treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), yet randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have yielded mixed and inconclusive findings. To clarify its therapeutic potential, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis using frequentist, Bayesian, and variability-based approaches. METHODS: We performed a multilevel random-effects meta-analysis of six eligible RCTs comparing intranasal OT with placebo for alcohol-related outcomes. Hedges' g values were calculated and winsorised at |g| = 3 to limit leverage from extreme small-sample effects. Moderator analyses assessed outcome domain, OT dose, treatment duration, year of publication, administration frequency, and clinical setting. Publication bias was evaluated using multilevel PET-PEESE with cluster-robust correction, Egger's test, trim-and-fill, and limit meta-analysis. Bayesian multilevel models examined average treatment effects and outcome variability. RESULTS: The overall pooled effect was not statistically significant (Hedges' g = 0.34, 95% CI -0.48-1.17, p = 0.47), with substantial between-study heterogeneity (Q(48) = 504.40, p < .001). Cook's distance identified Pedersen et al. (2013) as statistically influential; moderator and publication bias analyses were conducted on the remaining five studies. No significant moderation was observed by outcome domain, dose, duration, frequency, or setting. Year of publication showed a nominally significant positive association with effect size in the restricted sample (β = 0.184, p = .042). Multiple publication bias diagnostics converged on the absence of a systematic adjusted effect. Bayesian multilevel analysis confirmed the absence of a credible treatment effect (posterior mean μ = -0.005, 95% CrI -0.53-0.52). Robust Bayesian meta-analysis provided moderate support for the null hypothesis (BF₀₁ = 4.74). Variability analyses found no evidence that OT increased outcome dispersion relative to placebo (lnVR = -0.146, p = .153 after robust correction), providing no support for latent responder subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to early expectations, intranasal OT does not confer a consistent therapeutic benefit across alcohol-related outcomes. The lack of evidence for publication bias or increased outcome variability argues against latent differential responsiveness driving effects. Nonetheless, context-sensitive signals - particularly in domains related to social-cognitive processing - underscore the need for mechanistically informed trials. Future research should prioritise precision frameworks to clarify when, for whom, and under what conditions OT may yield meaningful clinical benefit.
Maternal hypothalamic response to LPS is inhibited by pregnancy and remains unchanged in multiparity-associated obesity.
Laaker CJ, Rebholz SL, Woollett LA … +1 more , Reyes TM
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42330684 · Publisher ↗
Multiparity increases the risk of obesity in both humans and animal models. We have previously discovered an increase in proinflammatory cytokine mRNA levels in adipose tissues, placentas, and livers of females in their...
Multiparity increases the risk of obesity in both humans and animal models. We have previously discovered an increase in proinflammatory cytokine mRNA levels in adipose tissues, placentas, and livers of females in their fourth vs first pregnancy, regardless of age or adiposity, suggesting an increased inflammatory state with subsequent pregnancies. The goal of the current study was to determine whether similar changes in inflammatory markers would be evident in the maternal brain in a fourth pregnancy compared to a first pregnancy, either at baseline or in response to an immune challenge. Females were studied at pregnancy 18.5 days post-conception (dpc; P), at 25 days postpartum (dpp; PP), and in age-matched never pregnant (NP) mice. Pregnant multiparous females had increased fat masses compared to females in their first pregnancy, and increased mRNA levels of Il6, Il1β, and Tnfα in the retroperitoneal and ovarian adipose tissue depots. While mRNA levels of hypothalamic proinflammatory genes were mostly similar in females at baseline, regardless of first vs fourth pregnancy or pregnancy status, LPS markedly induced inflammation in NP and PP females compared to P females; genes affected included Cxcl10, Ccl2, Il1β, Il6, Tnfα, Socs3, Nfkb, Tlr2, and Tgfβ. The response of Cxcl10, Socs3, and Tlr2 to LPS was greater in NP than PP females. Unlike the proinflammatory genes, a few noninflammatory genes had an age effect (mainly decreased with age), but not a pregnancy effect, including Dlg4, Dnmt1/3, Esr1, and Ki67. Overall, pregnant females were protected from a proinflammatory insult compared to NP and PP females.
Tear fluid cortisol as a marker of acute stress reactivity: A validation study against salivary measures.
Barmpari DA, van Deurse W, Quaedflieg CWEM … +3 more , van Amelsvoort TAMJ, Gijs M, Hernaus D
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42322810 · Publisher ↗
Assessing the activation of major stress axes is fundamental to stress research. While saliva and blood are well-established ways for quantifying stress biomarkers, each have their own methodological and practical limita...
Assessing the activation of major stress axes is fundamental to stress research. While saliva and blood are well-established ways for quantifying stress biomarkers, each have their own methodological and practical limitations. Tear fluid (TF) is a promising, non-invasive and low-cost alternative, containing markers that reflect both local and systemic physiological processes. Yet, it remains unclear whether TF-based stress biomarkers respond to acute (experimentally-induced) stress and how they compare with established "gold standard" methods. We, therefore, examined the stress reactivity of TF-based cortisol and alpha-amylase, and compared it directly to estimates obtained from saliva. Exploratory TF aims included assessments of test-retest reliability and quantifying adrenaline's responsiveness to stress-induction. Healthy participants with no history of mental disorders (N = 56) were exposed to the Maastricht Acute Stress Test experimental (MAST;n = 29) or control (MAST;n = 27) condition. TF and saliva samples were collected across multiple time points, with saliva serving as the reference fluid. Tear cortisol increased significantly following stress-induction and showed a positive association with salivary cortisol, thus supporting its validity as a stress biomarker. In contrast, tear alpha-amylase exhibited high variability and no reliable stress-related responsivity. Interestingly, both biomarkers exhibited distinct temporal patterns in each fluid, with TF-derived estimates peaking faster. Tear cortisol also demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability across sessions. While detectable, tear adrenaline showed no responsiveness to acute stress. These findings provide initial evidence that TF represents a viable alternative for assessing stress biomarkers, particularly cortisol. With further validation, TF-based biomarkers could complement current approaches in psychoneuroendocrinology research.
Peak is not burden: Time-integrated cortisol exposure under capacity-limited decoding.
Damjanović J
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42314375 · Publisher ↗
Cortisol time series are often summarized by a peak value or by area-under-the-curve (AUC) over a predefined window. These summaries are useful, but they answer different questions. Peak captures instantaneous amplitude,...
Cortisol time series are often summarized by a peak value or by area-under-the-curve (AUC) over a predefined window. These summaries are useful, but they answer different questions. Peak captures instantaneous amplitude, whereas AUC is sensitive to persistence. Neither, by itself, separates total exposure from the way downstream systems read that exposure under finite biological responsiveness. This paper introduces a minimal operational framework that makes this distinction explicit. Observed cortisol C(t) is first mapped to accumulated exposure A(t) = ∫₀ᵗ C(τ) dτ under a stated measurement convention, and is then mapped to an effective-impact proxy E(t) = f(A(t)) using a monotone sublinear function f that represents bounded downstream decoding. The aim is not to provide a mechanistic model of glucocorticoid signaling, but to identify a minimal summary layer that avoids treating peak amplitude as a proxy for within-window burden. The framework yields a simple prediction: trajectories with similar peaks can differ substantially in cumulative exposure when temporal width and recovery structure differ. We show this behavior in illustrative simulations and in wake-aligned cortisol trajectories from a healthy adult cohort, where substantial spread in A(T) exists within matched-peak bands and exposure-based ordering produces substantial subject re-ranking relative to peak-based summaries. The framework does not infer stressor identity or clinical causality. Its contribution is methodological: it separates measurement, accumulation, and bounded readout, and provides a transparent basis for outcome-linked tests of whether exposure-centered summaries improve on peak-based reporting.
Cortisol stress reactivity and cumulative output associations with structural neural network architecture in adolescents.
Guzman JM, Hardi FA, Peckins MK … +5 more , Mitchell C, Tillem S, Monk CS, Lopez-Duran NL, Hyde LW
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42308566 · Publisher ↗
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis maintains homeostasis and responds to stressors in the environment, shaping responsivity and behavior at least partly through its effects on the brain. For example, increased...
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis maintains homeostasis and responds to stressors in the environment, shaping responsivity and behavior at least partly through its effects on the brain. For example, increased cortisol levels are associated with increased neural connections and long-term potentiation, but persistently elevated cortisol levels are associated with deleterious effects on the brain. Recent work also links cortisol stress reactivity to individual differences in large-scale functional brain network organization. However, how the cortisol response to acute stress relates to white matter that facilitates signal transmission between gray matter structures is less clear. In 222 adolescents (53% girls, 75% African American/Black) from low-socioeconomic status families, we examined how different phases of the cortisol response to a laboratory stressor, as measured by saliva, and overall cumulative cortisol-to-cortisone output (a potentially stronger index of cumulative cortisol activity) in hair, were associated with white matter network organization. Greater cortisol stress reactivity and higher peak cortisol levels were associated with increased global efficiency (information transfer). Higher peak cortisol levels were also associated with greater small-world propensity (integration-segregation balance). Higher overall cumulative cortisol-to-cortisone output was associated with increased transitivity (robustness to information disruption). These findings suggest that greater stress reactivity is associated with more efficient information transfer, whereas higher overall cumulative stress activity is associated with more robust information transfer, potentially as a response to environmental stressors. Neither the cortisol response to acute stress nor overall cumulative cortisol-to-cortisone output was associated with network segregation, and cortisol stress recovery was not associated with network organization.
Associations between adverse childhood experiences, mitochondrial DNA copy number and atopic disease in children.
Díaz LM, Thakur N, Lewis SC … +6 more , Ye M, González DJX, Bush NR, Long D, Hessler D, de la Rosa R
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42284948 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) chronically activates the neuroendocrine stress response, which can perturb mitochondrial DNA and may drive risk of atopic disease among children. We sought to...
BACKGROUND: Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) chronically activates the neuroendocrine stress response, which can perturb mitochondrial DNA and may drive risk of atopic disease among children. We sought to examine the association between ACEs and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), a measure of mitochondrial DNA abundance, and to characterize associations between mtDNAcn and atopic disease (atopic dermatitis, rhinitis and asthma) in a pediatric population. METHODS: We performed cross-sectional analyses in a sample of 226 children enrolled in the Pediatric ACEs Screening and Resiliency Study who were recruited during well-child visits. Caregivers reported whether their child was exposed to ACEs or ever diagnosed with asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergic rhinitis. MtDNAcn was measured in buccal swabs using qPCR. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to measure associations with ACEs, mtDNAcn and atopic disease. RESULTS: Children in our study were predominantly non-Hispanic Black, female, with a mean age of 5.6 years (SD = 3.6), and most caregivers had completed high school. We found that greater ACEs exposure was associated with a decrement in children's mtDNAcn. We also observed mtDNAcn was inversely associated with odds of children having atopic dermatitis but not associated with asthma or allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that greater exposure to ACEs is associated with lower mtDNAcn in children, and that having lower mtDNAcn is associated with greater odds of atopic dermatitis. Future work should measure other biomarkers of mitochondrial stress to understand this potential mechanistic relationship between adverse childhood experiences and atopic disease in children.
Tend-and-befriend toward peers, fight-or-flight toward stressors: A dual response to stress.
Oswald L, Dvorak F, Jamieson JP … +2 more , Heinrichs M, Schiller B
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42284947 · Publisher ↗
As stress levels rise globally, it is critical to understand whether stress promotes or inhibits prosocial behavior. The literature to date provides inconclusive evidence on this question. Here, we investigated whether t...
As stress levels rise globally, it is critical to understand whether stress promotes or inhibits prosocial behavior. The literature to date provides inconclusive evidence on this question. Here, we investigated whether the effects of stress on prosocial behavior depend on the interaction partner's social role. Specifically, 121 young adults (59 men, 62 women, age range = 18 - 34 years) performed the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) before dividing resources among themselves and either another participant (i.e., a peer) or a TSST-G jury member (i.e., the stressor). We found that participants behaved less prosocially toward a stress-inducing TSST-G jury member compared to a peer across various behavioral measures (i.e., trust, trustworthiness, sharing, punishment). Overall, our results suggest that individuals adapt their behavior toward others depending on the social role of their interaction partner, behaving more prosocially toward potential allies than toward those who thwart social goals. More broadly, our study highlights the importance of considering situational variables when examining the effect of stress on prosocial behavior.
Modulation of neuroendocrine and autonomic responses to competitive stress by slow cortical potentials training in golfers: An exploratory randomized controlled trial.
Lizama E, Carcamo-Herrera B, López G … +2 more , Pereira C, Serrano MA
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42275774 · Publisher ↗
Performance in precision sports such as golf depends on the athlete's ability to regulate psychophysiological responses under competitive pressure. Heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol, and DHEA provide complementary i...
Performance in precision sports such as golf depends on the athlete's ability to regulate psychophysiological responses under competitive pressure. Heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol, and DHEA provide complementary indices of autonomic and endocrine adaptation to competitive stress, and SCP neurofeedback represents a potential training approach for cortical self-regulation, although evidence in athletes remains limited. This study evaluated a standardized SCP training protocol in golfers by examining cortisol, DHEA and HRV responses during simulated competitions and putting performance. In this exploratory parallel-group randomized controlled trial, 42 (21 per group) amateur and semi-professional golfers (mean age = 43.00 years, SD = 13.13) were stratified by handicap and assigned to an SCP neurofeedback group or a wait-list control group. The SCP group completed an 8-week neurofeedback program. A first simulated tournament was performed before training and a second after the intervention. During both competitions, salivary cortisol and DHEA were collected pre- and post-task (including DHEA/Cortisol ratio), and heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed at baseline and during gameplay (HR, LF, HF, LF/HF, total power, RMSSD). Hormonal responses showed a re-exposure pattern in both groups, with lower cortisol and higher DHEA during the second tournament. Exploratory autonomic analyses during gameplay indicated higher HRV magnitude and RMSSD in the trained group than in controls post-intervention, although these findings should be interpreted cautiously. Putting performance did not improve significantly following the intervention. Overall, these findings suggest that SCP training may be associated with a relative preservation of autonomic modulation during repeated competitive exposure. However, this interpretation remains preliminary, and causal attribution is limited by the exploratory design and the absence of an active sham-control condition.
Corrigendum to "Positive coping enhances children's emotional wellness via neuroendocrine modulation of cortisol awakening response and hippocampal circuitry" [Psychoneuroendocrinology 188 (2026) 107842].
Tian T, Chen B, Cao H … +9 more , Zhao Y, Gao H, Chen M, He Y, Xu J, Hao L, Jiang M, Xiong B, Qin S
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42263538 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Adolescent cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) blockade mitigates the effects of adolescent social instability stress (SS) on socially directed behaviour in female rats.
Leonetti AM, White B, Burke FF … +4 more , Sheehan AC, Murray SH, Fletcher BCJ, McCormick CM
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42263537 · Publisher ↗
The endocannabinoid system undergoes maturation during adolescence and is involved in the development of social behaviour. In separate studies, we found: (1) that repeated cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) blockade duri...
The endocannabinoid system undergoes maturation during adolescence and is involved in the development of social behaviour. In separate studies, we found: (1) that repeated cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) blockade during adolescence increased social interaction and neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens of female rats, and (2) that adolescent social instability stress (SS; daily 1-h isolation and pairing with a new cage partner from postnatal day (P) 30-45) reduced social interaction and social reward motivation in female rats. Here, we tested the possibility that adolescent CB1R blockade would mitigate the effects of SS on social behavioural deficits in female rats. The CB1R antagonist AM251 (or vehicle) was administered from P30-45 to SS or to non-stressed controls (CTL). AM251 increased social interaction and increased social reward motivation (as measured by a progressive ratio test in a social operant conditioning task) in SS female rats, with no effect in CTLs. To investigate potential molecular correlates of the increased social reward motivation in SS rats treated with AM251, we measured the abundance of signaling proteins within the endocannabinoid, dopamine, and oxytocin systems in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and medial amygdala of adult female rats. Neither SS nor AM251 treatment affected protein levels in these regions. Nevertheless, the behavioural results implicate adolescent endocannabinoid signaling as a mechanism through which adolescent social stressors shape social behaviour in female rats.
Within-person covariation between diurnal cortisol dysregulation and officer behavioral engagement in community supervision: A four-wave longitudinal study.
Chen FR, Geleto H, Tsague JF … +1 more , Adelana O
Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026 Jun · PMID 42258973 · Publisher ↗
Chronic occupational stress enters the biological systems through which workers perform their jobs, yet evidence linking diurnal cortisol dysregulation to specific professional behavioral acts in naturalistic encounters...
Chronic occupational stress enters the biological systems through which workers perform their jobs, yet evidence linking diurnal cortisol dysregulation to specific professional behavioral acts in naturalistic encounters remains limited. Drawing on the Stress-Induced Deliberation-to-Intuition (SIDI) model, we predicted that HPA-axis dysregulation would covary with a shift officer behavior toward habitual, authority-oriented defaults and away from the trained relational layer requiring active top-down modulation. Community supervision officers were assessed across four waves of a longitudinal study; diurnal cortisol indices (slope, waking, evening) were linked to behavioral coding from 2126 naturalistic supervision sessions under 41 officers. Within-person multilevel models showed that elevated evening cortisol predicted increased Directive Engagement, consistent with failure of HPA recovery covarying with increased occupational authority behavior. Elevated waking and evening cortisol each independently predicted decreased Relational Engagement, consistent with a dose-sensitivity pattern in which the deliberate relational behavioral layer is associated with cortisol load from either end of the diurnal profile. Eliciting Engagement, the most trait-stable and surface-level behavioral dimension, was unaffected. All four within-person effects replicated across session-count weighting, covariate adjustment, concurrent diary covariates, and alternative centering approaches. These findings extend the SIDI framework from laboratory paradigms to naturalistic professional encounters, demonstrating that diurnal HPA dysregulation dissociates across empirically independent behavioral dimensions through partially distinct cortisol features.
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