title: Type A behavior and vital exhaustion as related to the metabolic hormonal variables of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
abstract: The authors examined the correlations of Type A behavior and vital exhaustion with the metabolic hormonal variables of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (ACTH and cortisol), as well as with the ensuing parameters (insulin, glucose, and C-peptide). The participants were 64 healthy middle-aged men with stressful work. The authors found that Type A behavior and vital exhaustion were not correlated but made independent contributions to the single metabolic hormonal variables. The central finding was that when the whole HPA axis, Type A behavior, and exhaustion were all analyzed at the same time, Type A behavior per se had different, even opposite, hormonal correlates from Type A behavior associated with vital exhaustion. Type A behavior by itself was not related to a metabolic hormonal dysfunction. However, the Type A by vital exhaustion interaction was statistically significant. This finding suggests that the quality or components of Type A behavior, particularly the presence of vital exhaustion, may be more important than the intensity of Type A behavior considered alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keltikangas-Järvinen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hautanen
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014434:Type A Personality
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone