Salivary cortisol/DHEA ratio response to acute academic stress and its association with performance in middle-to-late adolescents.

Objectives: Neuroendocrine coupling across adolescent transition conditions a stage of heightened variability in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress reactivity, likely impacting the adaptive physiological response to psychological stressors during adolescence. This study aimed to assess the salivary cortisol, DHEA, and cortisol/DHEA ratio variation in response to acute academic stress and its association with academic performance.

Methods: A longitudinal observational study with a combined event- and time-based protocol was conducted.