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Lower cortisol levels in children with asthma exposed to recurrent maternal distress from birth

Lisa C Dreger1, Anita L Kozyrskyj, Kent T HayGlass

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. umdrege9@cc.umanitoba.ca

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|December 8, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Maternal distress in early life may elevate children's cortisol, but asthma diagnosis can attenuate this response. Children with asthma and maternal distress often show lower cortisol levels.

Area of Science:

  • Psychoneuroendocrinology
  • Pediatric Health
  • Stress Response Research

Background:

  • Maternal distress is linked to childhood asthma development.
  • Maternal distress is associated with altered children's cortisol responses.
  • Childhood asthma is associated with an attenuated cortisol response.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between children's cortisol levels and combined exposure to maternal distress and childhood asthma.

Main Methods:

  • Serum cortisol levels were measured in 503 children aged 7-10 years.
  • Data on maternal distress (diagnoses/medications) and children's asthma status were collected.
  • Longitudinal study linking health records and clinical examinations.

Main Results:

  • Early maternal distress (first year) predicted elevated children's cortisol (>40% increase).
  • Maternal distress beyond the first year showed an interaction with asthma: no asthma predicted increased cortisol, while asthma predicted decreased cortisol.
  • Cortisol levels were further reduced in children with atopic or bronchial hyperresponsive asthma.

Conclusions:

  • Children exposed to recurrent maternal distress show elevated cortisol when not asthmatic.
  • Children with asthma, particularly those with recurrent maternal distress, tend to exhibit lower cortisol levels.
Abstract

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