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Stress responsivity and HPA axis activity in juveniles: results from a home-based CO2 inhalation study

Thomas A Terleph1, Rachel G Klein, Roxann Roberson-Nay

  • 1NIMH, NIH, Bldg. 15-K, Rm. 110, MSC-2670, Bethesda, MD 20817-2670, USA. daniel.pine@nih.gov

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|April 6, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Anxiety response to carbon dioxide (CO(2)) inhalation in children is linked to higher cortisol levels, regardless of parental mental health diagnoses. This finding holds true even when parents have panic disorder or major depression.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Endocrinology
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Previous research indicated elevated cortisol in children prone to CO(2)-induced panic.
  • The influence of parental mental health diagnoses on offspring cortisol responses was previously unexamined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between parental panic disorder, offspring CO(2) response, and juvenile cortisol levels.
  • To determine if parental diagnoses moderate the relationship between CO(2) anxiety and offspring cortisol.

Main Methods:

  • 131 offspring (ages 9-19) from families with panic disorder, major depression, or no mental illness were recruited.
  • Participants underwent CO(2) inhalation challenge in a home-based setting.
  • Salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after CO(2) exposure, alongside parent and child psychiatric assessments.

Main Results:

  • Offspring cortisol levels were not predicted by parental panic disorder, major depression, or child anxiety diagnoses.
  • A significant association was found between anxiety response to CO(2) and elevated offspring cortisol levels.
  • Parental and child diagnoses did not influence the relationship between CO(2) anxiety and cortisol.

Conclusions:

  • Juvenile anxiety response to CO(2) is linked to elevated cortisol, mirroring adult findings.
  • Elevated cortisol in this context is independent of parental or offspring psychiatric diagnoses.
  • The study highlights the direct physiological impact of CO(2) anxiety in youth.
Abstract

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