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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory

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Published on: June 18, 2014

Do infants show a cortisol awakening response?

Melissa A Bright¹, Douglas A Granger, Janet E Frick

¹Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. mbright@uga.edu

Developmental Psychobiology

|October 19, 2011

Summary

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) differs in infants compared to adults. Infant cortisol levels decreased after waking, unlike the typical adult CAR increase.

Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Developmental Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is a well-documented phenomenon in adults, reflecting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity upon waking.
Previous research has primarily focused on the CAR in adult populations, with limited understanding in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the cortisol awakening response (CAR) in infants for the first time.
To compare infant CAR patterns with established adult CAR responses.

Main Methods:

Saliva samples were collected from 32 mothers and their infants (aged 7.8–17.4 months) upon waking and 30 minutes later.
Cortisol levels were measured following morning waking and the infant's first nap.

Main Results:

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Infant cortisol levels showed a decline from waking to 30 minutes post-waking, contrasting with the adult CAR.
No significant cortisol changes were observed following infant naps.
Mother-infant cortisol levels were associated at both group and dyadic levels.

Conclusions:

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) in infants appears distinct from that observed in adults.
Infant sleep-wake cycles and associated hormonal responses warrant further investigation.
Maternal and infant cortisol levels exhibit interconnectedness.