Higher overcommitment to work is associated with higher plasma cortisol but not ACTH responses in the combined dexamethasone/CRH test in apparently healthy men and women.
BACKGROUND
Overcommitment (OC) is a pattern of excessive striving that has been associated with alterations in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system. To investigate whether overcommitment is associated with alterations in HPA system function we measured cortisol and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) release in response to the combined dexamethasone/CRH test.


METHODS
We recruited 92 men and 108 women of a wide range of OC scores including the minimum (6) and maximum (24) of possible OC scores (mean+/-SEM: 13.25+/-.27). We repeatedly measured plasma cortisol and ACTH levels in the combined dexamethasone/CRH test after injection of 100mul CRH preceded by administration of 1.5mg dexamethasone the night before. Moreover, we assessed depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) and work stress (effort-reward-imbalance, ERI).


RESULTS
Independent of age and gender, higher OC was associated with higher repeated cortisol (interaction time-by-OC: p=.014, f=.15) but not ACTH (p=.22) secretion in the combined dexamethasone/CRH test. Similarly, higher cortisol (beta=.16, p=.029, R(2)=.02) but not ACTH (p=.47) increase following CRH injection was predicted by higher OC. Depressive symptoms (BDI score) and work stress scores (effort-reward-ratio) did not relate to neuroendocrine responses to the dexamethasone/CRH test. Controlling for depressive symptoms and work stress scores in addition to age and gender did not change results. OC was not associated with ACTH or cortisol pre-test levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Whereas OC was not associated with alterations in negative feedback sensitivity after dexamethasone administration, our findings indicate that with increasing OC scores, a higher reactivity of the adrenal cortex together with a normal reactivity of the pituitary is observed following subsequent stimulation by CRH injection.
Wirtz
Petra H
PH
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Siegrist
Johannes
J
Schuhmacher
Anna
A
Hoefels
Susanne
S
Maier
Wolfgang
W
Zobel
Astrid W
AW
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003940:Diagnostic Techniques, Endocrine; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D010949:Plasma / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014937:Work / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D004338:Drug Combinations; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone