title: Alterations in the neuroendocrinological stress response to acute psychosocial stress in adolescents engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the neuroendocrinological stress response to acute psychosocial stress in a clinical sample of female adolescents engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a standardized psychosocial stress protocol, was performed in 14 female patients who engaged in NSSI and 14 healthy control subjects. NSSI was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM). Salivary cortisol, heart rate, and affective states, assessed by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), were measured during the TSST.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found an attenuated cortisol response to acute psychosocial stress in female adolescents with NSSI, whereas no group differences were observed in heart rate and emotional response to the TSST.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that the HPA axis is hyporesponsive in adolescents with NSSI. Therefore, reduced secretion of cortisol could play a role in promoting vulnerability of these individuals to acute stress and maladaptive stress responses.
authors.affiliation: Section for Disorders of Personality Development, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstrasse 8, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany. kaessmichael@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaess
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hille
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parzer
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maser-Gluth
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brunner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone