Adolescent adrenocortical activity and adiposity: Differences by sex and exposure to early maternal depression

Abstract

SummaryPrior research has linked either basal cortisol levels or stress-induced cortisol responses to adiposity; however, it remains to be determined whether these distinct cortisol measures exert joint or independent effects. Further, it is unclear how they interact with individual and environmental characteristics to predict adiposity. The present study aims to address whether morning cortisol levels and cortisol responses to a psychosocial stressor independently and/or interactively influence body mass index (BMI) in 218 adolescents (117 female) participating in a longitudinal community study, and whether associations are moderated by sex and exposure to early maternal depression. Reports of maternal depressive symptoms were obtained in infancy and preschool. Salivary cortisol measures included a longitudinal morning cortisol measure comprising sampling points across ages 11, 13, 15, and 18 and measures of stress-induced cortisol responses assessed via the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) at age 18. Lower morning cortisol and higher TSST cortisol reactivity independently predicted higher age 18 BMI. Morning cortisol also interacted with sex and exposure to early maternal depression to predict BMI. Specifically, girls exposed to lower levels of early maternal depression displayed a strong negative morning cortisol-BMI association, and girls exposed to higher levels of maternal depression demonstrated a weaker negative association. Among boys, those exposed to lower levels of maternal depression displayed no association, while those exposed to higher levels of maternal depression displayed a negative morning cortisol-BMI association. Results point to the independent, additive effects of morning and reactive cortisol in the prediction of BMI and suggest that exposure to early maternal depression may exert sexually dimorphic effects on normative cortisol-BMI associations.

Cortisol reactivity and weight gain among adolescents who vary in prenatal drug exposure

“…The finding that cortisol reactivity was associated with weight gain only for girls is consistent with gender differences identified in previous studies . Physiological mechanisms may underlie gender differences.…”

“…The research regarding low inhibitory control and blunted stress responsivity has focused primarily on drug use and sexual behavior . This study extends existing research related to HPA axis functioning by examining how weight gain relates to low inhibition and high cortisol stress response, while considering the impact of gender .…”

“…Cortisol reactivity is the difference between baseline cortisol and cortisol response to stress. Several studies report that increased cortisol reactivity is positively associated with higher body mass in adolescents and older children ; others have reported associations between less cortisol reactivity and higher body mass or found no association . Most studies of the cortisol–adiposity association have not considered moderating influences, such as chronic stress exposure and gender .…”

The Val66Met brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene variant interacts with early pain exposure to predict cortisol dysregulation in 7-year-old children born very preterm: Implications for cognition

“…Sex-dependent effects of early life stress and adversity have been found in animal (e.g. (Darnaudery and Maccari, 2008), and human studies (Sandman et al, 2013; Ruttle et al, 2014). However, stress responses appear to be context-dependent and timing of the developmental stage influences whether male or female are vulnerable or resilent to early life adversity (Khashan et al 2008; Mueller and Bale 2008; Kundakovic et al 2013; Jacobson-Pick and Richter 2010; Weathington et al 2012).…”

Cortisol levels in former preterm children at school age are predicted by neonatal procedural pain-related stress

“…Darnaudery and Maccari, 2008), Although less is known about the impact of early adversity and gender differences in humans, studies are emerging suggesting differential vulnerabilities for males and females in humans (e.g. Sandman et al, 2013; Ruttle et al, 2014). Since pain and stress are difficult to disentangle in very preterm infants, we use the term “pain-related stress” to capture stress of invasive procedures (Grunau et al, 2013).…”