title: Changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) following participation in mindfulness-based stress reduction in women who completed treatment for breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) were studied in women participating in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program after completion of their medical treatment for breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three women completed questionnaires pre- and post-MBSR pertaining to: stress, depressive symptomatology, and medical symptoms. The CAR was assessed on 3 days pre- and 3 days post-MBSR as a biological marker of stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant effect on the CAR was found, with cortisol levels showing a prolonged increase after awakening at the post-MBSR assessment period. This was accompanied by significant improvements in self-reported stress levels, depressive symptomatology, and medical symptoms. Furthermore, the change in medical symptoms was negatively correlated with the area under the curve (AUC) at study onset (r = -.52, p < .002); i.e., the greater the AUC of the CAR before MBSR, the greater the reduction in medical symptoms after the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest the potential usefulness of employing the CAR as a biological marker in women with breast cancer participating in an MBSR program.
authors: Department of Medicine, McGill University, 687 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Rose H
authors: RH
authors: Matousek
authors: Jens C
authors: JC
authors: Pruessner
authors: Patricia L
authors: PL
authors: Dobkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D019122:Meditation; D008875:Middle Aged; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical / Q000502:physiology*; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone