Stress, Immune Function and Collegiate Holiday Drinking: A Pilot Study

Social aspects of collegiate holiday drinking have been studied frequently, but physiological consequences are often overlooked. This study examined self-reported stress, endocrine and immune indicators in students at an American university before and after their week-long spring break (SB) holiday.

Participants (n = 27; 9 males) provided saliva samples and completed surveys pre- and post-SB. Based on their cortisol reaction to SB, participants were grouped as cortisol nonresponders (CNR; n = 14) or increasers (CI; n = 13). Groups were matched on demographics, baseline alcohol use, family history of alcoholism, and SB plans. Differences over time and between groups were examined for α-amylase, quantity/frequency of alcohol use (quantity/frequency index, QFI) and the immunoglobulin A (IgA) to albumin ratio (IgA:albumin).

α-Amylase decreased over time. A time × group interaction was noted for QFI, in which CNRs increased drinking over SB, but CIs did not. Time and time × group effects occurred for IgA:albumin. CIs decreased IgA:albumin over SB, whereas CNRs did not. Pre-SB QFI and pre-/post-SB QFI changes were correlated with changes in IgA:albumin.

These findings support previously published relationships between blunted cortisol responses and risk for problem drinking, as well as elevated cortisol and decreased immune response. These data also highlight the importance of physiological measures in the study of collegiate holiday drinking.