Diurnal coupling between testosterone and cortisol from adolescence to older adulthood

Abstract

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes are typically conceptualized as mutually inhibitory systems; however, previous studies have found evidence for positive within-person associations (i.e., coupling) between cortisol and testosterone. One developmental hypothesis is that positive testosterone-cortisol coupling is unique to the adolescent period and that coupling becomes attenuated, or even switches direction, in adulthood. This study used a lifespan sample (N = 292, ages 11 to 88) to test for age-related differences in coupling between cortisol and testosterone in daily life. Participants provided salivary hormone samples at waking, 30 minutes after waking, and during the evening for two days. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to test the within-person and between-person associations between testosterone and cortisol. Within-person associations were further decomposed into associations due to coupled diurnal change versus coupled variability around diurnal change. Results indicated positive associations between cortisol and testosterone at all levels of analysis. Additionally, positive coupling was evident across the lifespan, even in older adults who are no longer expected to reproduce, but further investigation of developmental differences with a larger sample is necessary. Potential mechanisms and functions for positive coupling are discussed.

Social evaluative threat with verbal performance feedback alters neuroendocrine response to stress

“…A parsimonious explanation of this coupling is that participants found the TSST (or its modification) to invoke a challenge more than a stressor response. Robust coupling across axes fits with the emerging dual-axis models (Marceau et al, 2015; Susman, Peckins, Bowes, & Dorn, 2017; Harden et al, 2016; Juster, Raymond, Desrochers, Lupien, 2016; Stephens, Mahon, McCaul, & Wand, 2016), and with an interpretation of the TSST as both a stressor and a challenge (Mehta, Jones, & Josephs, 2008; Mehta, Welker, Zilioli, & Carre, 2015; Denson, Mehta, & Tan, 2013; Salvador, 2005). It is more difficult to integrate with models that describe inhibition of one axis by the other (Viau, 2002; Koob & LeMoal, 2001), such as studies which describe androgens as a stress buffer, DHEA as an anti-glucocorticoid (Kalimi et al, 1994), or which find unique high testosterone/cortisol reactivity ratio findings (Glenn et al, 2011; Huovinen et al, 2009; Welker et al, 2014).…”

“…This dual-axis view is providing important mechanistic insights into when and why these hormones may work together to influence behavior, such as under conditions of challenge (Mehta, Jones, & Josephs, 2008; Mehta & Josephs, 2010). Initially, ‘coupling’ was theorized to be observed primarily in adolescents who may need to maintain capacity to activate androgens even under stress (Ruttle et al, 2015; Susman et al, 2017), yet positive coupling has also been observed in adults (Bobadilla, Asberg, Johnson, & Shirtcliff, 2014, Harden et al, 2016). Marceau and colleagues (2014) examined coupling in response to three stressors and other research has examined multiple stress biomarkers (Bedgood, Boggiano, & Turan, 2014; Chatterton, Vogelsong, Hudgens, & 1997; Eatough et al, 2009; Knight & Mehta, 2017, Turan, Tackett, Lechtreck, & Browning, 2015).…”

Day‐to‐day friends’ victimization, aggression perpetration, and morning cortisol activity in late adolescents

“…This explanation can also help to explain why we found a moderation effect for the AUCG only for male adolescents. Research shows that male adolescents generally have higher morning testosterone levels (Harden et al, ; Marceau, Ruttle, Shirtcliff, Essex, & Susman, ; Marceau, Ruttle, Shirtcliff, Hastings et al, ). Thus, perhaps higher testosterone levels among male adolescents drive more aggressive behaviors in reaction to the prior day experiences of victimization.…”

“…This explanation can also help to explain why we found a moderation effect for the AUCG only for male adolescents. Research shows that male adolescents generally have higher morning testosterone levels (Harden et al, 2016;Marceau, Ruttle, Shirtcliff, Essex, & Susman, 2015;Marceau, Ruttle, Shirtcliff, Hastings et al, 2015).…”

Small Group Learning is Associated with Reduced Salivary Cortisol and Testosterone in Undergraduate Students

“…Ellison and Gray (2009) determined that cortisol and testosterone are implicated in the physiological stress response and noted that these hormones are tied to both individual and group learning. Previous research has found that acute stress is associated with increased testosterone (within individuals) and positive associations occur between salivary cortisol and testosterone, known as 'coupling' (Harden et al, 2016). Testosterone is also known to be associated with competition, where individuals who win competitions exhibit higher testosterone levels than those who lose (Booth, Shelley, Mazur, Tharp, & Kittok, 1989).…”