title: Diurnal coupling between testosterone and cortisol from adolescence to older adulthood.
abstract: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes are typically conceptualized as mutually inhibitory systems; however, previous studies have found evidence for positive within-person associations (i.e., coupling) between cortisol and testosterone. One developmental hypothesis is that positive testosterone-cortisol coupling is unique to the adolescent period and that coupling becomes attenuated, or even switches direction, in adulthood. This study used a lifespan sample (N=292, ages 11-88) to test for age-related differences in coupling between cortisol and testosterone in daily life. Participants provided salivary hormone samples at waking, 30min after waking, and during the evening for two days. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to test the within-person and between-person associations between testosterone and cortisol. Within-person associations were further decomposed into associations due to coupled diurnal change versus coupled variability around diurnal change. Results indicated positive associations between cortisol and testosterone at all levels of analysis. Additionally, positive coupling was evident across the lifespan, even in older adults who are no longer expected to reproduce, but further investigation of developmental differences with a larger sample is necessary. Potential mechanisms and functions for positive coupling are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: paige.harden@gmail.com.
authors.forename: K Paige
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Harden
authors.affiliation: Psychological Institute, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wrzus
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luong
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grotzinger
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Malek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajbouj
authors.affiliation: Heisenberg Research Group Socio-emotional Development and Health Across the Lifespan, Freie University, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rauers
authors.affiliation: German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Gert G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Heisenberg Research Group Socio-emotional Development and Health Across the Lifespan, Freie University, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riediger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Cortiso; Coupling; Dual axis; Hierarchical linear modeling; Lifespan; Testosterone