title: The associations between adolescent sleep, diurnal cortisol patterns and cortisol reactivity to dexamethasone suppression test.
abstract: Information on the associations between objectively measured sleep and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in early adolescence is scarce. We examined associations between average sleep duration and quality (sleep efficiency and wake after sleep onset) over 8 days with actigraphs and (1) diurnal cortisol patterns and (2) cortisol reactivity to a low-dose (3 μg/kg) overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in a birth cohort born in 1998 (N=265 participants, mean age 12.3 years, SD=0.5). We also explored (3) if sleep duration and quality were affected the nights after the DST exposure. Cortisol was measured during 2 days, and participants were exposed to dexamethasone in the evening of first day. In boys, short sleep duration was associated with higher cortisol upon awakening and lower cortisol awakening response (CAR; P<0.05 and P<0.01). Long sleep duration in boys associated with higher CAR (P<0.02). Lower sleep quality in boys associated with lower CAR, but fell slightly short of significance (P<0.06). In girls, no significant associations were detected. Sleep quantity and quality were not associated with responses to the DST. There were no effects of DST on sleep (P>0.15 in between-subject analyses). The average sleep patterns showed associations with diurnal cortisol patterns during early adolescence, but only in boys. Sleep was not associated with cortisol reactivity to DST and the exogenous corticosteroid exposure did not affect sleep significantly.
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, PO BOX 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Anu-Katriina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pesonen
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, PO BOX 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Silja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martikainen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, PO BOX 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, PO BOX 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, PO BOX 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Karoliina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wehkalampi
authors.affiliation: Folkhälsan Research Centre, Haartmaninkatu 8 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.affiliation: University of Oulu, Faculty of Medicine, PO BOX 5000, 90014 University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strandberg
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, PO BOX 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: katri.raikkonen@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010912:Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Actigraph; Adolescence; Cortisol; Dexamethasone suppression test; HPA axis; Puberty