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Association of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function with neuropsychological performance in children with

Robert D Annett1, Kathy Stansbury, H William Kelly

  • 1University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Pediatrics, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. rdannett@unm.edu

Child Neuropsychology : a Journal on Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence
|July 30, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Cortisol levels in children with asthma are linked to their neuropsychological function, specifically working memory and arousal. However, cortisol did not correlate with their psychological well-being.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Neuropsychology

Background:

  • The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulates stress response.
  • Asthma can impact a child's overall health and development.
  • Understanding the HPA axis in pediatric asthma is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between HPA axis function and neuropsychological/psychological functioning in children with asthma.
  • To determine if cortisol production relates to cognitive and emotional well-being in pediatric asthma.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 63 children in the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP).
  • Administered adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation tests to measure cortisol response.
  • Assessed child neuropsychological and psychological functioning.

Main Results:

  • Significant associations were found between cortisol production and neuropsychological measures.
  • Cortisol change was predicted by gender, working memory, and arousal maintenance.
  • No association was observed between cortisol production and psychological functioning.

Conclusions:

  • Cortisol plays a modest role in the neuropsychological function of children with mild to moderate asthma.
  • HPA axis function is linked to specific cognitive aspects in pediatric asthma.
  • Further research is needed to explore the psychological correlates.

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