title: Local immunocompetence and salivary cortisol in confinement.
abstract: The present study describes the effects of a 60-day isolation period on the salivary levels of cortisol and secretory IgA. The study took place in the context of the EXEMSI project in which four volunteers were isolated in a space station-like chamber in the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in order to examine the effects of long term isolation. Inspection of the individual immunoglobulin A secretion rates revealed different patterns of cyclic variation with respect to the weekday-weekend schedule, and different time lags for the adaptation leading to a plateau for this parameter. The salivary cortisol levels showed a circadian rhythm with high concentrations in the early morning (7:30 am) and lower concentrations in the late evening (11:00 pm). Moreover, in all subjects marked increases of salivary cortisol were observed in a 12- to 14-day cycle. In two subjects the marked morning-evening differences were only visible at the weekends. The salivary cortisol and immunoglobulin A levels were determined twice weekly before and after completion of a complex decision-making test. The results reveal a changed responsiveness in all subjects at different times.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Netter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000276:immunology*; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D012934:Social Isolation; D018561:Space Simulation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D006854:Hydrocortisone