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Circadian regulation of cortisol after hippocampal damage in humans

Tony W Buchanan1, Simone Kern, John S Allen

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. tony-buchanan@uiowa.edu

Biological Psychiatry
|November 4, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Hippocampal damage in humans eliminates the cortisol awakening response, impacting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. This suggests a specific role for the hippocampus in regulating basal cortisol secretion.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Human Physiology
  • Brain Function

Background:

  • The hippocampus (HC) is known to influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis.
  • Animal studies show HC damage alters diurnal and stress-related HPA activity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of hippocampal damage on basal cortisol secretion in humans.
  • To determine if HC damage affects diurnal cortisol patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Salivary cortisol was measured across a single day in patients with HC damage, brain-injured controls, and healthy controls.
  • Quantitative MRI assessed hippocampal volumes in brain-injured patients.

Main Results:

  • Bilateral and unilateral HC damage abolished the cortisol awakening response.
  • The overall diurnal cortisol pattern remained unaffected in HC patients.
  • No correlation was found between hippocampal volume and cortisol secretion.

Conclusions:

  • Hippocampal damage in humans specifically abolishes the cortisol response to awakening.
  • The hippocampus plays a unique role in controlling basal cortisol secretion, particularly the awakening response.
Abstract

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