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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
05:31

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels

Published on: August 7, 2017

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and upper respiratory tract infection in young children transitioning to

Julie M Turner-Cobb1, Lorna Rixon, David S Jessop

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.

Psychopharmacology
|July 28, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Higher evening cortisol levels in children starting school were linked to fewer upper respiratory tract infections (URIs). This suggests cortisol may prime the immune system for better health outcomes during developmental transitions.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Immunology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Previous research indicated elevated salivary cortisol in 4-year-olds during primary school transition.
  • Hypothesized that increased cortisol during this developmental stress could be immunostimulatory and promote positive health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between salivary cortisol levels and upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) in children during the initial 6 months of primary school.
  • To test the hypothesis that early-life stress-induced cortisol may enhance immune resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Salivary cortisol was measured in the morning and evening from 70 children.
  • Children underwent psychological assessments for temperament and behavioral adaptation.
  • Upper respiratory tract infection (URI) symptoms were systematically recorded via diaries to assess occurrence, duration, and severity.

Main Results:

  • Higher evening cortisol levels at school transition correlated with significantly fewer URI episodes in the subsequent 6 months.
  • A greater decline in cortisol across the day (diurnal cortisol change) was negatively associated with the number of illnesses.
  • URI severity resistance was linked to lower social isolation and smaller diurnal cortisol variation.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated cortisol in response to the naturalistic stress of school transition may prime the immune system.
  • This immune priming could lead to enhanced resistance against upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) during this critical developmental period.
Abstract

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