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Children's cortisol and externalizing stress symptoms are predictors of adiponectin evolution over two years

Nathalie Michels1, Isabelle Sioen1, Kirsten Schraven1

  • 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Biological Psychology
|June 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Psychosocial stress, including high cortisol and conduct problems, negatively impacts adiponectin levels in children. This suggests stress may contribute to inflammatory diseases like metabolic syndrome.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric endocrinology
  • Psychoneuroimmunology
  • Metabolic health

Background:

  • Adiponectin is an adipocytokine with anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing properties.
  • Psychosocial stress is linked to inflammatory diseases, potentially via adiponectin.
  • The relationship between stress and adiponectin, particularly its directionality, is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the longitudinal association between psychosocial stress and adiponectin levels in children.
  • To determine the directionality of the stress-adiponectin relationship.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study (ChiBS) with 348 children (5-10 years) at baseline and 168 at 2-year follow-up.
  • Assessed psychosocial stress via Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, negative emotions, and negative events.
  • Measured salivary cortisol diurnal patterns and serum adiponectin.
  • Used longitudinal linear regression analyses with adjustments for confounders.

Main Results:

  • High daily cortisol output, anger, and conduct problems were associated with reduced adiponectin increase over time.
  • These associations remained largely independent of confounders.
  • Adiponectin did not longitudinally predict stress levels.

Conclusions:

  • In healthy children, daily cortisol output and externalizing stress symptoms negatively predict adiponectin evolution.
  • These findings underscore the detrimental health effects of psychosocial stress on metabolic regulation.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdiponectinChildrenConduct problemsCortisolEmotionsLongitudinal

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