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Salivary cortisol response to a psychosocial stressor on children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity

Enrique F Maldonado1, Ma Victoria Trianes, Antonio Cortés

  • 1Department of Psychobiology, University of Malaga, Campus Teatinos, C.P. 29071 Malaga, Spain. fcomm@uma.es

The Spanish Journal of Psychology
|November 11, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD showed reduced cortisol reactivity during a stress test compared to controls. This finding suggests differences in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response among ADHD subtypes.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder.
  • The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a key stress response system.
  • Previous research on HPA axis reactivity in ADHD has yielded mixed results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare HPA axis reactivity in children with different ADHD subtypes versus healthy controls.
  • To investigate cortisol stress response patterns in relation to ADHD symptomatology.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 66 children: 33 with ADHD (inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, combined subtypes) and 33 healthy controls.
  • Utilized the Trier Stress Social Test for Children (TSST-C) to induce psychological stress.
  • Collected saliva samples at multiple time points (-1, +1, +10, +20, +30 minutes) to measure cortisol levels.

Main Results:

  • A significant time effect was observed, but a typical cortisol stress response was not evident in any group.
  • Children with the hyperactive-impulsive ADHD subtype exhibited significantly reduced cortisol levels compared to controls.
  • Area Under the Curve (AUC(G)) comparisons revealed distinct response patterns among ADHD subgroups.

Conclusions:

  • The HPA axis stress response may be blunted or altered in children with ADHD, particularly the hyperactive-impulsive subtype.
  • These findings highlight potential neurobiological differences between ADHD subtypes.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the HPA axis's role in ADHD pathophysiology.

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