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Endocrine and behavioral responses to psychological stress in hyperandrogenic women
E Modell1, D Goldstein, F I Reyes
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York Health Science Center, Brooklyn 11203.
Abstract:
Stress has been implicated in the physiopathology of the ovarian androgenic syndrome. To explore further this notion, we compared the behavioral and endocrine responses to a mental stressor between women with hyperandrogenism (n = 13) and normals (n = 11). The standardized psychological stimulus produced higher levels of anxiety in the hyperandrogenic group than in controls. The endocrine (cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone, beta-endorphin) responses poststressor were definitely dissociated. Both groups showed a comparable anticipatory stress cortisol-secretion response. The cortisol release was greater following the mental stressor in the hyperandrogenic group than in the normals. Thus, hyperandrogenic women appear to have an abnormally affected pituitary-adrenal activation, which may play a role in the pituitary-ovarian disruption characteristic of the ovarian androgenic syndrome.