title: Cortisol and DHEA-S are associated with startle potentiation during aversive conditioning in humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fear conditioning reliably increases the startle reflex and stress hormones, yet very little is known about the effect of stress hormones on fear-potentiated startle. Cortisol and the sulfate ester of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA-S) are involved in stress and anxiety. Evidence suggests that low cortisol/DHEA-S ratio has a buffering effect on stress and anxiety in preclinical and clinical studies, suggesting that there may be a relationship between fear-potentiated startle and cortisol and DHEA-S activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to examine whether there is a relationship between cortisol/DHEA-S ratio and fear-potentiated startle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy subjects participated in a differential aversive conditioning experiment during which one of two stimuli (CS+) was paired with a shock, and the other was not (CS-). Conditioned responses were assessed with the startle reflex, defined as startle potentiation during CS+ compared to CS-. DHEA-S and cortisol levels were assayed from blood samples collected in both a baseline and an aversive conditioning session. Subjective state anxiety, arousal, and valence were assessed at various times during testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fear-potentiated startle was larger in individuals with high compared to low cortisol/DHEA-S ratio. Multiple regression analyses revealed that fear-potentiated startle was positively associated with cortisol and negatively associated with DHEA-S. There was no significant correlation between DHEA-S and cortisol levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that cortisol and DHEA-S are involved in fear conditioning.
authors.affiliation: NIMH/NIH/DHHS, Mood and Anxiety Disorder Program, 15K North Drive, MSC 2670, Bethesda, MD 20892-2670, USA. Christian.Grillon@nih.gov
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grillon
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: Johanna M P
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Baas
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lawley
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Dennis S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Charney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D004597:Electroshock; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone