Psychological, endocrine and neural responses to social evaluation in subclinical depression.

This study aimed to identify vulnerability patterns in psychological, physiological and neural responses to mild psychosocial challenge in a population that is at a direct risk of developing depression, but who has not as yet succumbed to the full clinical syndrome. A group of healthy and a group of subclinically depressed participants underwent a modified Montreal Imaging Stress task (MIST), a mild neuroimaging psychosocial task and completed state self-esteem and mood measures. Cortisol levels were assessed throughout the session.

Differentiating anticipatory from reactive cortisol responses to psychosocial stress.

Most psychosocial stress studies assess the overall cortisol response without further identifying the temporal dynamics within hormone levels. It has been shown, however, that the amplitude of anticipatory cortisol stress levels has a unique predictive value for psychological health. So far, no "best practice" in how to investigate the anticipatory cortisol stress response has emerged.

Investigation into the cross-correlation of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase responses to psychological stress.

Stress is a multidimensional construct. To accurately represent stress physiology, multiple stress measures across multiple stress-related systems should be assessed. However, associations may be masked given that different systems underlie different time courses.

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

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

Methods: In the present study, we investigated the influence of early-life maternal care on cortisol, heart rate and subjective psychological responses to the repeated administration of a psychosocial laboratory stressor in a population of 63 healthy young adults.

Cortisol awakening response and hippocampal volume: vulnerability for major depressive disorder?

Background: Major depressive disorder is associated with dysregulated basal cortisol levels and small hippocampal (HC) volume. However, it is still debated whether these phenomena are a consequence of the illness or whether they may represent a vulnerability marker existing before the illness onset. Here, we aimed to examine this notion of vulnerability by assessing whether abnormalities in basal cortisol secretion and HC volumes are already present in a sample of healthy young adults who showed varying levels of depressive tendencies, but at subclinical levels.

Increased cortisol awakening response and afternoon/evening cortisol output in healthy young adults with low early life parental care.

Rationale: Growing evidence from animal and human studies suggests a profound and long-lasting influence of early life experiences--ranging from variations in parenting behavior to severe adversity--on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function.

Objectives: The aim of the current investigation was to examine the association between naturally occurring variations in early life parental care and the cortisol awakening response (CAR), afternoon/evening cortisol output and key psychological variables in a sample of healthy young adults.

Methods: Fifty-eight (19 male and 39 female) participants between 18 and 30 years of age completed psychological questionnaires and collected saliva at awakening, 30 min thereafter and at 3 p.