Chronic Stress in Cognitive Processes: Cortisol Dynamic Range of Secretion Is Associated with Perception of Unsafety Environment in a Venezuelan Population
Issue title: Translational Research and Drug Discovery for Neurodegeneration: Challenges for Latin America
Guest editors: K.S. Jagannatha Rao, Gabrielle B. Britton, Luisa Lilia Rocha Arrieta, Norberto Garcia-Cairasco, Alberto Lazarowski, Adrián Palacios, Antoni Camins Espuny and Ricardo B. Maccioni
Affiliations: [a] Unit of Cellular Therapy, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Caracas, Venezuela
| [b] Unit of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Carlos Ayala-Grosso, MSc, PhD, Laboratorio de Patología Celular y Molécular, Centro de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Carretera Panamericana, Km 11, Caracas, Venezuela. Tel.: +58 212 5041792; E-mails: carlosayala.grosso@gmail.com, cayala@ivic.gob.ve; ORCID: 0000-0003-3079-1109
Abstract: Background:Understanding diurnal secretion of cortisol in association with behavioral attitudes as a result of perception of unsafety environment is a main interest in prospective studies establishing the impact of chronic stress in cognitive processes. Adaptive secretion of cortisol, a biomarker of the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal (HPA) axis, has been correlated with perception of uncertainty in surroundings as a consequence of perseverative cognition and unconscious thoughts. Objective:To determine whether diurnal secretion pattern of cortisol was associated with behavioral attitudes indexes generated from answers to standardized questionnaires from Panamerican Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) agencies. Methods:Saliva cortisol dynamic range was evaluated by immuno-essay. Cortisol awakening response (CAR) and total secreted cortisol was established in a cross-sectional study of four saliva samples per day from volunteers (n = 135) between 19 and 65 years old. Results:Saliva cortisol dynamic range followed a significant decay along the day. Reduction of social interaction and increase of defensive behavioral attitude was associated with older groups of age. In this study, two subgroups of subjects with a steeper cortisol secretion (slope significant non-zero), and flatter cortisol secretion (slope no significant non-zero) were detected. Noticeable, we determined an association between measurements of cortisol secretion from subjects with a flatter cortisol dynamic range and behavioral defensive and inhibition of social interaction indexes. Conclusion:These findings suggested chronical dysregulation of HPA axis as a result of perseverative cognitive perception of unsafety environment which may be precedent to cognitive impairment in the population.
