High trait anxiety in healthy subjects is associated with low neuroendocrine activity during psychosocial stress.
Altered stress responsiveness has been repeatedly related to mood and anxiety disorders. In a traditional view, a reduction of the stress response has been thought favorable. The goal of the present study was to verify the hypothesis that high anxiety is accompanied by enhanced hormone release during stress. Healthy subjects at the upper (anxious, n = 15) and lower (non-anxious, n = 12) limits of the normal range of a trait anxiety scale (State trait anxiety inventory) were exposed to psychosocial stress procedure based on public speech. Hormone levels, cardiovascular activation and skin conductance were measured. Exposure to psychosocial stress was associated with significant increases of all parameters measured. During the stress procedure, subjects with high trait anxiety exhibited lower levels of hormones of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, namely ACTH and cortisol in plasma, as well as cortisol in saliva. Similarly, the stress-induced activation of epinephrine, norepinephrine and prolactin secretion was significantly lower in anxious subjects in comparison with that in non-anxious subjects. Thus, in contrast to the traditional view, high anxiousness was not associated with exaggerated stress response. Our findings suggest that high trait anxiety may be associated with an inability to respond with adequate hormone release to acute stress stimuli.
Jezova
Daniela
D
Laboratory of Pharmacological Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlarska 3, Bratislava 83306, Slovakia. ueenjezo@savba.sk
Makatsori
Aikaterini
A
Duncko
Roman
R
Moncek
Fedor
F
Jakubek
Martin
M
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine