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Updated: May 19, 2026

Extraction and Analysis of Cortisol from Human and Monkey Hair
Published on: January 24, 2014
Diurnal Variation in Peripheral (Hair) vs Central (Saliva) HPA Axis Cortisol Concentrations
Christopher F Sharpley1, Kathleen G Kauter, James R McFarlane
1University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
Abstract:
Cortisol concentrations in hair and saliva collected from male and female adults over a 15-hour period were compared for differences in overall level and cyclic pattern. Typical diurnal fluctuations were noted for both salivary and hair cortisol, with some individual differences that are congruent with the previous literature. Issues of the link between central and peripheral HPA axes are raised for discussion and further investigation, and hypothetical explanations for the diurnal variability shown in these two sets of cortisol secretion patterns are discussed from an evolutionary advantage perspective.
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