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Symptom-specific associations between low cortisol responses and functional somatic symptoms: the TRAILS study
Karin A M Janssens1, Albertine J Oldehinkel, Frank C Verhulst
1Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. k.a.m.janssens@med.umcg.nl
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|August 2, 2011
Summary
Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) in adolescents are linked to cortisol levels. Specific FSS clusters correlate with low cortisol awakening response and low cortisol during stress, suggesting distinct stress-related pathways.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent health
- Endocrinology
- Psychosomatic medicine
Background:
- Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) like chronic pain and fatigue are often linked to stress.
- Altered cortisol levels, a key stress hormone, may mediate the relationship between stress and somatic complaints.
- This study investigates differential associations between specific FSS clusters and cortisol levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between cortisol levels and distinct clusters of functional somatic symptoms in adolescents.
- To determine if low cortisol awakening response and low cortisol during stress are differentially associated with specific FSS.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a subsample of 715 adolescents from the Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS).
- Assessed adolescent cortisol levels post-awakening and during a social stress task, calculating AUCg and AUCab.
- Measured FSS using the Youth Self-Report and pain questions, categorizing them into headache/gastrointestinal and overtiredness/dizziness/musculoskeletal pain clusters via factor analysis.
Main Results:
- Headache and gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with lower cortisol levels during stress (low AUCg).
- Overtiredness, dizziness, and musculoskeletal pain were associated with lower cortisol levels after awakening (low AUCg).
- Analyses were adjusted for confounders including smoking, physical activity, depression, and BMI.
Conclusions:
- Two distinct clusters of functional somatic symptoms show differential associations with the stress hormone cortisol.
- Findings suggest specific patterns of cortisol regulation are linked to different types of somatic complaints in adolescents.
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