title: Psychological reactivity to laboratory stress is associated with hormonal responses in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study examined associations between psychological reactivity and hormonal responses to a standardized laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postmenopausal women aged 50-74 years undertook anxiety and mood assessments prior to and following the TSST. Blood samples were drawn at multiple timepoints for assessment of cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty postmenopausal women completed the assessments. As expected, significant increases in anxiety and negative affect and decreases in positive affect were observed after the TSST; however, the magnitude of change in anxiety and mood varied considerably across individuals. Analyses indicated that greater increases in anxiety and negative affect after the TSST were associated with higher levels of cortisol, ACTH and DHEA after controlling for race, age, body mass index and smoking status. Changes in positive affect were not associated with cortisol, ACTH or DHEA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that enhanced reactivity to stress is associated with higher hormone levels among postmenopausal women, which could have potential implications for health.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Egleston
authors.forename: Angelica M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Manzur
authors.forename: Raymond R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Frank Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Stanczyk
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spiegel
authors.forename: Joanne F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dorgan
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Trier Social Stress Test; adrenocorticotrophic hormone; anxiety; cortisol; dehydroepiandrosterone; negative affect