title: Measurement of nerve growth factor serum concentration in a psychologically stressful situation in men.
abstract: Psychologically stressful events have been reported to elevate nerve growth factor (NGF) serum concentrations. NGF and cortisol serum concentrations were measured in 20 healthy male volunteers before (3 p.m.) and after (5 p.m.) an academic oral presentation and on a control day. Cortisol showed a significant overall change (p=0.001), i.e. cortisol serum concentrations were increased on the lecture day at 3 p.m. (p=0.007; 155%) and at 5 p.m. (p=0.001; 175%) as compared with the control day. In contrast to cortisol no significant differences among the four serum NGF measurements was detected (Chi-quadrat 2.94, df=3, p=0.401), i.e. the NGF serum concentrations remained unchanged on the lecture day at 3 p.m. (p=0.279) and at 5 p.m. (p=0.627) as compared with the control day. We conclude that NGF serum levels do not change during acute stress, at least after this type of stressor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-University medicine Berlin, Germany. undine.lang@medizin.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Undine E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anders
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Danker-Hopfe
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hellweg
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D006854:Hydrocortisone