Neurocognitive function and state cognitive stress appraisal predict cortisol reactivity to an acute psychosocial stressor in adolescents

Summary Stress and associated alterations in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) function have deleterious influence on the development of multiple mental and physical health problems. Prior research has aimed to identify individuals most at risk for the development of these stress-related maladies...

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Published in:	Psychoneuroendocrinology Vol. 38; no. 8; pp. 1318 - 1327
Main Authors:	Slattery, Marcia J, Grieve, Adam J, Ames, Michelle E, Armstrong, Jeffrey M, Essex, Marilyn J
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2013 Elsevier
Subjects:	Adolescent Adolescent Behavior - physiology Adolescent Behavior - psychology Adolescents Adult and adolescent clinical studies Anxiety Anxiety Disorders - complications Anxiety Disorders - metabolism Anxiety Disorders - psychology Behavioral psychophysiology Biological and medical sciences Cognition - physiology Cortisol Depression Depressive Disorder - complications Depressive Disorder - metabolism Depressive Disorder - psychology Educational Status Endocrinology & Metabolism Female Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Hormones and behavior Humans Hydrocortisone - metabolism Intelligence Tests Male Medical sciences Memory Memory - physiology Mood disorders Neurocognitive function Neuropsychological Tests Psychiatry Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry Psychology. Psychophysiology Psychopathology. Psychiatry Saliva - metabolism Stress appraisal Stress, Psychological - complications Stress, Psychological - metabolism Stress, Psychological - psychology TSST Memory TSST Stress appraisal Depression Cortisol Anxiety Adolescents Neurocognitive function Affect affectivity Central nervous system Cognition Hydrocortisone Glucocorticoid Encephalon Cognitive appraisal Human Mood disorder Corticosteroid Steroid hormone Acute Antiinflammatory agent Psychosocial factor Stress Reactivity Adrenal hormone Adolescent Predictive factor
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Summary:	Summary Stress and associated alterations in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) function have deleterious influence on the development of multiple mental and physical health problems. Prior research has aimed to identify individuals most at risk for the development of these stress-related maladies by examining factors that may contribute to inter-individual differences in HPA responses to acute stress. The objectives of this study were to investigate, in adolescents, (1) whether differences in neurocognitive abilities influenced cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor, (2) whether internalizing psychiatric disorders influenced this relationship, and (3) whether acute cognitive stress-appraisal mechanisms mediated an association between neurocognitive function and cortisol reactivity. Subjects were 70 adolescents from a community sample who underwent standardized neurocognitive assessments of IQ, achievement, and declarative memory measures at mean age 14 and whose physiological and behavioral responses to a standardized psychosocial stress paradigm (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) were assessed at mean age 18. Results showed that, among all adolescents, lower nonverbal memory performance predicted lower cortisol reactivity. In addition, internalizing disorders interacted with verbal memory such that the association with cortisol reactivity was strongest for adolescents with internalizing disorders. Finally, lower secondary cognitive appraisal of coping in anticipation of the TSST independently predicted lower cortisol reactivity but did not mediate the neurocognitive–cortisol relationship. Findings suggest that declarative memory may contribute to inter-individual differences in acute cortisol reactivity in adolescents, internalizing disorders may influence this relationship, and cognitive stress appraisal also predicts cortisol reactivity. Developmental, research, and clinical implications are discussed.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-2 ObjectType-Feature-1
ISSN:	0306-4530 1873-3360
DOI:	10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.11.017