Abstract
Background
Sparse information on early development of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis
responsivity in human infants limits our understanding of stress hormone regulation
and vulnerability to psychopathology. We considered whether infant cortisol stress
response (CSR) is a suitable endocrine phenotype for developmental stress research.
Methods
We assessed stability of key CSR parameters across time, location, and stressor through
saliva samples taken before and then 20 and 40 min following exposure to two stressors
administered 1 week apart in 27 infants aged 12 to 18 months. Time-matched home samples
were collected to control for circadian rhythm and to evaluate baseline stability.
Results
Baseline cortisol concentrations, peak percent change, and area under the curve (AUC)
were stable across time and stressors. Following both stressors, half the infants
exhibited peak cortisol concentrations at 20 min poststress; half peaked at 40 min
poststress. For 56% of the infants, peak response time was inconsistent across stressors.
Conclusions
In humans, baseline and CSR are stable by 12 to 18 months. Variation in CSR time course
across stressors indicates that infant CSR should be sampled beyond 30 min. Results
support using infant CSR, particularly as measured by AUC, as a valid endocrine phenotype
for developmental stress research.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 26,
2002
Received in revised form:
November 22,
2002
Received:
May 7,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
